The Soul of the Marionette

From the Gnostics to Philip K. Dick, John Gray gathers religious, philosophical and fantastical traditions that cast doubt on the very idea of human freedom. He holds that people flatter themselves about free will, since logical, physical and metaphysical forces constrain every action, yet rather than accept this they fight it, with conquerors and modern scientists alike dreaming of human dominion. His material also takes in ancient sacrifice, the occult and cybernetics. Gray suggests that, like the fairground marionettes of the title, humans long to be free of the weight of choosing. The book appeared in 2015.

NETOPIA mobilPay founder Antonio Eram chose it as one of the books he recommends to young people aiming for a career like his.