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On Equilibrium: Six Qualities of the New Humanism
Is it moral to sacrifice one's life for a higher goal? Why do many in the U.S. think it admirable to join the army but despicable for Palestinians to sign up with Hamas? How can we actually determine "evil" and "good" in the daily world? These practical questions cut to the heart of what it means to be human. John Ralston Saul, in his matter-of-fact discussion of six basic human qualities — ethics, common sense, intuition, imagination, memory, and reason — confronts basic concepts in a manner not done since Thomas Paine more than two centuries ago. In an easy-to-understand style, Saul explains why essential qualities of being human cannot exist in isolation but instead depend on and enrich each other. On Equilibrium persuasively explores morality and how it can be used to foster equilibrium for the self and achieve an ethical society.
380 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
35 people are currently reading
444 people want to read
About the author
John Ralston Saul
57 books229 followersJohn Ralston Saul is a Canadian writer, essayist, and public intellectual best known for his provocative works on themes such as individualism, citizenship, democracy, globalization, and the role of the public intellectual. His books, widely translated and read around the world, challenge conventional economic and political thinking and advocate for civic responsibility and ethical governance. A celebrated critic of technocratic and corporatist ideologies, Saul is often recognized for his passionate defense of the public good and his deep belief in the transformative power of engaged citizenship.
Born in Ottawa, Saul was educated in Canada, France, and the United Kingdom. He holds a PhD from King’s College London, where he focused on the modernization of France during the Algerian War. Early in his career, he worked in both the corporate world and in diplomacy, notably serving as an assistant to André Malraux, the famed French novelist and minister. These experiences informed his understanding of the interplay between power, culture, and politics, which would later become central to his writing.
Saul first gained international attention with his 1988 philosophical novel Voltaire’s Bastards: The Dictatorship of Reason in the West, a critique of how rationality, while necessary, had been distorted into a cold, managerial ideology disconnected from ethics, culture, and human values. The book, and subsequent works like The Unconscious Civilization and The Doubter’s Companion, positioned him as a leading voice in what he called “responsible humanism”—a worldview that values reason but insists it be balanced by intuition, memory, and imagination.
His 2008 book A Fair Country: Telling Truths About Canada argued that Canada’s political culture is deeply shaped by Indigenous values, particularly egalitarianism, negotiation, and mutual respect. The book challenged traditional Eurocentric narratives and emphasized the need for a new national conversation built on inclusion and reconciliation. This work reflects Saul’s long-standing commitment to Indigenous issues in Canada, which has also shaped his public advocacy.
Saul served as president of PEN International, the global writers’ organization, from 2009 to 2015, where he championed freedom of expression and supported writers under threat around the world. He is also the longtime companion and husband of Adrienne Clarkson, former Governor General of Canada, and served as her close advisor during her tenure from 1999 to 2005.
His many awards include the Governor General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction, the Pablo Neruda Medal, and the Canada Council Molson Prize. Saul is also a Companion of the Order of Canada and a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France.
Through his essays, novels, lectures, and international work, John Ralston Saul has established himself as one of Canada’s foremost thinkers—a defender of thoughtful dissent and a persistent voice for a more just, inclusive, and imaginative society. His work continues to influence debates on democracy, culture, and civic engagement both in Canada and abroad.
Born in Ottawa, Saul was educated in Canada, France, and the United Kingdom. He holds a PhD from King’s College London, where he focused on the modernization of France during the Algerian War. Early in his career, he worked in both the corporate world and in diplomacy, notably serving as an assistant to André Malraux, the famed French novelist and minister. These experiences informed his understanding of the interplay between power, culture, and politics, which would later become central to his writing.
Saul first gained international attention with his 1988 philosophical novel Voltaire’s Bastards: The Dictatorship of Reason in the West, a critique of how rationality, while necessary, had been distorted into a cold, managerial ideology disconnected from ethics, culture, and human values. The book, and subsequent works like The Unconscious Civilization and The Doubter’s Companion, positioned him as a leading voice in what he called “responsible humanism”—a worldview that values reason but insists it be balanced by intuition, memory, and imagination.
His 2008 book A Fair Country: Telling Truths About Canada argued that Canada’s political culture is deeply shaped by Indigenous values, particularly egalitarianism, negotiation, and mutual respect. The book challenged traditional Eurocentric narratives and emphasized the need for a new national conversation built on inclusion and reconciliation. This work reflects Saul’s long-standing commitment to Indigenous issues in Canada, which has also shaped his public advocacy.
Saul served as president of PEN International, the global writers’ organization, from 2009 to 2015, where he championed freedom of expression and supported writers under threat around the world. He is also the longtime companion and husband of Adrienne Clarkson, former Governor General of Canada, and served as her close advisor during her tenure from 1999 to 2005.
His many awards include the Governor General’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction, the Pablo Neruda Medal, and the Canada Council Molson Prize. Saul is also a Companion of the Order of Canada and a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in France.
Through his essays, novels, lectures, and international work, John Ralston Saul has established himself as one of Canada’s foremost thinkers—a defender of thoughtful dissent and a persistent voice for a more just, inclusive, and imaginative society. His work continues to influence debates on democracy, culture, and civic engagement both in Canada and abroad.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 3, 2011
I first read On Equilibrium in my early twenties and I remember it making quite an impression on me. Now in my mid-thirties I've decided to re-read it to see if I feel the same way about it.
John Ralston Saul's earlier books argue that Reason and Rationality hold too much influence over Western Society, an influence that has spun out of control to the extent that Reason has become another ideology ruined by it's own dogma, easily manipulated by people seeking power for it's own sake. In On Equilibrium Saul proposes six qualities: common sense, ethics, imagination, intuition, memory, and reason and suggests that each quality works best when they are used in tandem to produce a balanced way of viewing and responding to our surroundings. Reason is not dismissed, but placed within a wider context, balanced against the other five qualities.
I can see why my early twenties self was so taken with this book. Saul isn't fond of Plato, Aristotle or absolute truths. I've gotta agree with Saul and my 23 year old self on that one. He cites historical references that aren't exclusively Dead White Men, I did and do still appreciate that. But, he cites Vico far too often and is prone to rambling. My younger self would have thought that just made the book more intellectual. Thritysomething me thinks it's in need of editing. Halfway through I started wondering if I should just close the book and go find a copy of Vico.
Ultimately I find the book still hits a nerve for one reason: On Equalibrium makes a solid argument against utilitarianism, linear-thinking and the technocracy. Saul illustrates several scenarios where that way of thinking has led to disaster. Younger me read this after escaping several utilitarian environments: the suburban high school, the white middle-class bedroom town, the corporate job, to attend Art College (a utilitarian horse of a different colour). Back then it was the lack of certainty involved in pursuing a visual art education over something more linear like engineering or teaching that caused so much trouble. Now I'm reading this book as a new parent. A new parent who has zero intention of leaving the city, switching to a corporate job or even joining a Mommy group. This is causing tension with some people in my life who insist parents follow a specific checklist. Utilitarianism comes out in force, ignoring many of the qualities outlined in this book like memory, imagination and common sense. One child rearing scenario is presented as an absolute truth, uncertainty is presented as something to fear.
I know Saul presents examples that are bigger and more important, like how utilitarian thinking can lead to genocides or backing an unjust war, but I think the reason this book still resonates with me is because I can see where his views hold true in my day to day life and I appreciate coming across someone who can provide the proper context and vocabulary to help me better articulate my own feelings.
John Ralston Saul's earlier books argue that Reason and Rationality hold too much influence over Western Society, an influence that has spun out of control to the extent that Reason has become another ideology ruined by it's own dogma, easily manipulated by people seeking power for it's own sake. In On Equilibrium Saul proposes six qualities: common sense, ethics, imagination, intuition, memory, and reason and suggests that each quality works best when they are used in tandem to produce a balanced way of viewing and responding to our surroundings. Reason is not dismissed, but placed within a wider context, balanced against the other five qualities.
I can see why my early twenties self was so taken with this book. Saul isn't fond of Plato, Aristotle or absolute truths. I've gotta agree with Saul and my 23 year old self on that one. He cites historical references that aren't exclusively Dead White Men, I did and do still appreciate that. But, he cites Vico far too often and is prone to rambling. My younger self would have thought that just made the book more intellectual. Thritysomething me thinks it's in need of editing. Halfway through I started wondering if I should just close the book and go find a copy of Vico.
Ultimately I find the book still hits a nerve for one reason: On Equalibrium makes a solid argument against utilitarianism, linear-thinking and the technocracy. Saul illustrates several scenarios where that way of thinking has led to disaster. Younger me read this after escaping several utilitarian environments: the suburban high school, the white middle-class bedroom town, the corporate job, to attend Art College (a utilitarian horse of a different colour). Back then it was the lack of certainty involved in pursuing a visual art education over something more linear like engineering or teaching that caused so much trouble. Now I'm reading this book as a new parent. A new parent who has zero intention of leaving the city, switching to a corporate job or even joining a Mommy group. This is causing tension with some people in my life who insist parents follow a specific checklist. Utilitarianism comes out in force, ignoring many of the qualities outlined in this book like memory, imagination and common sense. One child rearing scenario is presented as an absolute truth, uncertainty is presented as something to fear.
I know Saul presents examples that are bigger and more important, like how utilitarian thinking can lead to genocides or backing an unjust war, but I think the reason this book still resonates with me is because I can see where his views hold true in my day to day life and I appreciate coming across someone who can provide the proper context and vocabulary to help me better articulate my own feelings.
November 5, 2009
It's a fairly hard read, but the author's insights are both valuable and timely. I'd recommend it to anyone that feels/believes that our society often behaves in an irrational manner, that contradicts what one might expect from an "intelligent" species.
July 26, 2011
Not his best. In Voltaire's Bastards he produced a seminal original work illustrated by historical detail and in Unconscious Civilization he extends his ideas advocating for history, memory etc to compliment reason as opposed to being subjected by reason. Unconscious Civilization originated from the Massey Lectures a format that served the book well as it forced Saul to compress and tighten his ideas. In On Equilibrium he clearly needed someone or something to provide focus and brevity. His tendency to repetitive writing will frustrate the reader. It appears that he has reached the pinnacle of a public intellectual -- no-one is willing to tell him to move on. Having attempted to read straight through the book more than once, I have been bogged down by needless repetition each time. As for Equilibrium, Camus expressed the idea much better in the Rebel.
June 15, 2011
This is such an important book to read in these times. A sobering yet inspiring fidelity to shared forms of common sense that are what we need to look at to handle today's challenges in an ethical and intelligent manner. It is also a great antidote to narcissism tendencies in self-improvement ideologies.
I believe that the only true flowering from this book will come if more people talk about it. So I give this a strong recommendation to be recommended to others!
I believe that the only true flowering from this book will come if more people talk about it. So I give this a strong recommendation to be recommended to others!
October 5, 2007
common sense is not common to everyone
Want to read
January 15, 2011Still Reading.. feeling the message
April 5, 2020
Borderline brilliant analysis. Perspective shifting, but not one to be read before bed. This is a 'in the sunshine and chew on every sentence' type of read.
January 13, 2019
Simply not worth the time. There are some great anecdotes and very insightful material in this book but Saul takes forever to make his point. This is not a distracted 2019 criticism, he take far too long to get to where he is going - 60 page chapters that could be articulated in 20. One reviewer stated that it was a difficult read, it's not actually. Saul regularly quotes literature and other philosophers without context or background. In my mind that is just poor writing, not challenging writing. I shouldn't have to know the background to every work of philosophy or literature to understand what Saul is trying to say.
Bottom line, it could be quite insightful at 130 pages, at 330, it's just annoying.
I learned some good things but largely finished it out of spite. Saul's arrogant pontificating was not going to make me put the book down.
If you've got a lot of time on your hands you'll learn a few things, otherwise there are a lot better books out there.
Bottom line, it could be quite insightful at 130 pages, at 330, it's just annoying.
I learned some good things but largely finished it out of spite. Saul's arrogant pontificating was not going to make me put the book down.
If you've got a lot of time on your hands you'll learn a few things, otherwise there are a lot better books out there.
Read
January 23, 2020Like so many "expert" academics it could really use the services of a good edit. He goes on and on laboring some points and at time it feels like he is writing to think , we get the full download.
However it is a brilliant view of what it could mean to live a good life. Nuanced and wide in scope.
Not easy to read , he doesn't make it easy and doesn't give you a tidy rationale piece. Which is the point, humans are not rational and simple conceptions do no justice to the rich complexities of human nature. So be prepared to hold 6 key human "qualities" ethics, memory, reason etc in balance . He doesn't make it easy , you have to do the heavy lifting but hey thats as it should be, lord knows the world have enough opinions already
However it is a brilliant view of what it could mean to live a good life. Nuanced and wide in scope.
Not easy to read , he doesn't make it easy and doesn't give you a tidy rationale piece. Which is the point, humans are not rational and simple conceptions do no justice to the rich complexities of human nature. So be prepared to hold 6 key human "qualities" ethics, memory, reason etc in balance . He doesn't make it easy , you have to do the heavy lifting but hey thats as it should be, lord knows the world have enough opinions already
March 14, 2025
a 0.50 cent grab at a library book stall. 10 year old me liked the green apple on the cover. many re-reads later—it is one of my favourite studies on human behaviour.
December 11, 2023
A rigorous attack upon ideology as a workable blueprint for human society. Saul decries certainty in any form as being an obstacle to understanding and disruptive to human discourse. He celebrates doubt and aspires to "conscious uncertainty." As in several of his other books, he points to "corporatism" in all its forms, whether big business, globalization or exclusive organizations of any kind as being contrary to both individual liberty and the commonweal.
Unlike most philosophers, Saul writes in a breezy, irreverent style, making what would otherwise be a stultifyingly arcane topic entirely readable. In places, he is mischievously amusing in sending up the foibles of our modern world. Nevertheless, his work needs to be taken in short doses because he covers vast areas of fundamental thought within a few short paragraphs; I found it necessary to chew on it a while before it was possible to digest it.
Unlike most philosophers, Saul writes in a breezy, irreverent style, making what would otherwise be a stultifyingly arcane topic entirely readable. In places, he is mischievously amusing in sending up the foibles of our modern world. Nevertheless, his work needs to be taken in short doses because he covers vast areas of fundamental thought within a few short paragraphs; I found it necessary to chew on it a while before it was possible to digest it.
July 1, 2024
(2 October, 2021)
On a personal level, this was very good. It allowed me to grow as a person somewhat, especially with the 'my truth/their truth' view of things. Admittedly, I have difficulty with fact and fact, my tendency is (or was) to see everything in black and white terms... which can be off-putting and confrontational. So "Yay!" for me.
On a purely intellectual level, this left me wanting. It seemed the sole purpose of this book was to bitch and moan about things - with no overall goal. I kept thinking "What's the point of all this?", which is clearly not the best when reading a so-called 'philosophy' book. Saul's style was at least easy to read but the points he was trying to make seemed weak. When trying to explain any one point, the digressions were endless (or that's what it looked like) and I started skimming till the end, with no relief in sight.
The second star is for what it gave me as a person, nothing more.
On a personal level, this was very good. It allowed me to grow as a person somewhat, especially with the 'my truth/their truth' view of things. Admittedly, I have difficulty with fact and fact, my tendency is (or was) to see everything in black and white terms... which can be off-putting and confrontational. So "Yay!" for me.
On a purely intellectual level, this left me wanting. It seemed the sole purpose of this book was to bitch and moan about things - with no overall goal. I kept thinking "What's the point of all this?", which is clearly not the best when reading a so-called 'philosophy' book. Saul's style was at least easy to read but the points he was trying to make seemed weak. When trying to explain any one point, the digressions were endless (or that's what it looked like) and I started skimming till the end, with no relief in sight.
The second star is for what it gave me as a person, nothing more.
October 27, 2024
Not sure if the book is too dense or I am. There were maybe a handful of passages that I could clearly understand and get insight from, whereas with the rest I felt myself reading the words without making any sense of them. Perhaps I needed to read the myriad of reference materials that the author mentioned to have a true understanding of what they were saying. Too academic of a book for me I guess, especially as someone with no philosophy background.
March 12, 2016
I started this some years back - perhaps 2010. I enjoyed his remarks about the need to avoid elevating virtues in isolation - and the risks of doing so. His criticism of worshiping reason and discussion of its limitations was well-founded and has stuck with me.
Weighty stuff and I didn't get very far before my interests moved on. Three stars.
Weighty stuff and I didn't get very far before my interests moved on. Three stars.
September 2, 2008
A good (but hard) read on gaining various insights to the human experience. Recommended when one is in an introspective mood.
Want to read
June 23, 2009Has been sitting on my shelf for some time and I haven't given it a proper read. Getting to it.
May 7, 2009
I tried, but could not make head or tails of this book's point.
October 19, 2015
The chapters on Ethics and Common Sense are excellent and insightful, the rest put me to sleep.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews