On the Power of Touch
Turkey (Iletisim)
The new book by the bestselling author of What We Gain as We Grow Older. On Gelassenheit (more than 600.000 copies sold) and Happiness (more than 200.000 copies sold)
An inspiration on how life can be given more meaning through touch
Wilhelm Schmid puts all levels of touch into focus: sensual, emotional, mental and transcendent.
We see, we hear, we smell, we taste. But what about the sense of touch? Yes, touch can be quite nice. It offers stimulation, encouragement, reassurance, connection with others. It strengthens the physical and social immune system. But the great longing for being touched that many people feel is thwarted by an equally great shyness, by reservations of various kinds. The Me too-debate has created awareness for the occurrences of touch that is undesired and violent, but it would be a great pity...
We see, we hear, we smell, we taste. But what about the sense of touch? Yes, touch can be quite nice. It offers stimulation, encouragement, reassurance, connection with others. It strengthens the physical and social immune system. But the great longing for being touched that many people feel is thwarted by an equally great shyness, by reservations of various kinds. The Me too-debate has created awareness for the occurrences of touch that is undesired and violent, but it would be a great pity to become suspicious of every kind of touch as a response to that. Many of us only know touch from a touchscreen anyway. Wilhelm Schmid makes suggestions as to how a new sensuality can be discovered with analogous touch beyond digital devices. And he demonstrates that the phenomenon of touch far exceeds the physical plane.
»Schmid is not a cultural pessimist, he offers very pragmatic suggestions as to how one can counteract the lack of touch in everyday life.« Christian Berndt, Deutschlandfunk Kultur
»Readers are moved by non-fiction books when issues are developed artfully so that a great pleasure for learning is derived from dry subject matters. This is a very moving read.« Heinrich Lindenmayr, Mittelschwäbische Nachrichten
»Schmid‘s handy pocketbook is suited as a true alternative to the smartphone in every jacket pocket. This enables us to pick it up over and over for mental stimulation.« Wismar Büttner, Ärzteblatt Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
»Schmid is not a cultural pessimist, he offers very pragmatic suggestions as to how one can counteract the lack of touch in everyday life.« Christian Berndt, Deutschlandfunk Kultur
»Readers are moved by non-fiction books when issues are developed artfully so that a great pleasure for learning is derived from dry subject matters. This is a very moving read.« Heinrich Lindenmayr, Mittelschwäbische Nachrichten
»Schmid‘s handy pocketbook is suited as a...
Persons
Wilhelm Schmid
Wilhelm Schmid was born in 1953 and lives in Berlin. For many years, he taught philosophy at the University of Erfurt, was a visiting professor in Riga, Latvia, and Tbilisi, Georgia, and worked as a »philosophical counsellor« at a hospital near Zurich, Switzerland. He is a popular guest speaker and has been giving lectures in China and South Korea since 2010. He was awarded the Meckatzer Prize for Philosophy in 2012 and the Egnér Prize in 2013. His works have been translated into 25 languages, and his bestselling book Gelassenheit has sold over 600,000 copies.
Wilhelm Schmid was born in 1953 and lives in Berlin. For many years, he taught philosophy at the University of Erfurt, was a...
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Previously published in the respective language / territory; rights available again: Italy (Fazi)
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Previously published in the respective language / territory; rights available again: Spanish world rights (Kairos), Catalan rights (Angle), Chinese complex rights (Emily Publishing Co.), Italy (Fazi), Slovenia (Narava)
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