The self-styled entertainer philosopher Alan Watts wrote his first book on Zen in 1936 when only nineteen and grew to become a world expert on Eastern philosophy. A prolific author, public speaker and radio presenter he wrote over twenty books, gave hundreds of public lectures and sought out a life in which (in his own words) he could 'swing'. Watts had a rare genius for expressing with clarity and humour complex and challenging ideas about reality and how we came to relate to the world in the way that we do. In this episode, AIN's David Bramwell explores Watts' fondness for seeing the universe as essentially playful, and asks the question: had Watts been alive today, what words of wisdom he might have had for our culture wars, our divisive political leaders and how to find compassion and understanding in times of conflict.

https://alanwatts.org/

With special thanks to Mark Watts for kind permission to use the archive footage of the late Alan Watts for this episode.