Boomeritis
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2008-03-12T17:01:27Z
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{{Integral theory}}'''''Boomeritis: A Novel That Will Set You Free''''' is a [[2002]] [[novel]] by the [[philosopher]] [[Ken Wilber]]. Boomeritis, according to Wilber, is the deadly combination of a modern, liberal, egalitarian worldview and a deep unquestioned narcissism.
The [[protagonist]], who is named "Ken Wilber", is a brilliant [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]] student studying [[artificial intelligence]]. Ken believes that the future of [[evolution]] includes the departure of [[human]] [[consciousness]] from the [[nature|physical]] realm, or "[[meatspace]]", and the merging of human [[intelligence (trait)|intelligence]] with [[cyberspace]].
Ken attends a series of lectures at an institution called the "Integral Center", which guide him towards a more expansive understanding of evolution and [[existence]]. These lectures are interposed with explicit descriptions of Ken's sexual fantasies with another character, Chloe.
Ken Wilber (the author) intended the novel to exhibit the traits of extreme [[post-modernism]] — [[irony]], self-reference, [[noetic flatness]] — and thus to function as a literary ''[[reductio ad absurdum]]'', assisting people, especially [[baby boomer|Babyboomers]], in overcoming the post-modern mentality.
"Boomeritis" is also a term that Wilber uses to describe a [[pathology|pathological]] state of consciousness that particularly afflicts Baby Boomers. Boomeritis is characterized by [[relativism]], [[narcissism]], and an aversion to [[hierarchy]].
==External links==
===Published reviews===
*[http://www.wie.org/j22/debold.asp?pf=1 "Boomeritis & Me: Not Just a Book Review"] by [[Elizabeth Debold]], [[What is Enlightenment? (magazine)|What is Enlightenment?]] Issue 22 (Fall-Winter 2002)
*[http://63.147.64.127/Stories/0,1413,36%257E28%257E871247,00.html "Philosophy, yes, but as a novel, no"] by James Lough, [[The Denver Post]], September 22, 2002
*[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/06/16/RV2119694.DTL "Boomeritis"] by Don Lattin, [[The San Francisco Chronicle]], June 16, 2002
===Posted critiques===
{{Self-published|Twenty Boomeritis Blunders|date=March 2008}}
*[http://www.integralworld.net/rev/rev_b_herron.html Lower Versus Higher Energies: A Critique of Boomeritis] by Patricia Herron
*[http://www.spiraldynamics.org/reviews/boomeritis_or_bust.html Boomeritis or Bust...] by [[Chris Cowan]], August 24, 2002
*[http://www.strippingthegurus.com/stgsamplechapters/twentyboomeritisblunders.asp Twenty Boomeritis Blunders] by Jim Andrews, November 15, 2005
[[Category:Ken Wilber]]
[[Category:Integral theory]]