The world, as we often perceive it, feels solid, structured, and orderly. We like to think of life as a series of neatly organized boxes—plans, careers, relationships, and goals. But as the philosopher Alan Watts famously pointed out, this perception is a comforting illusion.
The reality of existence is not linear, rigid, or precisely defined but rather profoundly wiggly. Watts’ concept of “wiggliness” is an invitation to see the world not as a series of straight lines and fixed points but as an ever-flowing, interconnected dance.
What is the “Wiggliness” of the World?
Alan Watts first introduced the concept of the wiggliness of the world in his lectures and writings, notably in The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are and his many recorded seminars, such as “The Nature of Consciousness.” Watts suggests that life is inherently wavy and unpredictable, like the curves of rivers, the shapes of clouds, or the contours of the human body. Nature itself is wiggly: no tree grows in a perfectly straight line, no shoreline is a perfect geometric shape, and no human face is completely symmetrical.
Watts used this idea to emphasize the fluid and interconnected nature of existence. He often contrasted this with human attempts to impose artificial structures on the natural world. From straight roads and city grids to the rigid timelines we impose on our lives, our societal norms and expectations often reflect a deep discomfort with nature’s inherent wiggliness.
Examples of Wiggliness in Nature and Life
In his teachings, Watts highlighted numerous examples of wiggliness to demonstrate his point:
- The Flow of Water: In his seminars, Watts frequently used water as a metaphor for life. Water doesn’t flow in straight lines; it twists, turns, and follows the path of least resistance. Rivers carve their way through landscapes, constantly adapting to the environment around them. Watts argued that life, too, flows in unpredictable ways, and trying to force it into rigid paths only creates resistance and frustration.
- The Human Body: Watts pointed out that the human body is a masterpiece of wiggliness. Our spines curve, our veins weave through our bodies, and our brains are full of intricate folds. There is nothing linear or perfectly symmetrical about us, yet we function beautifully. This serves as a powerful reminder that complexity and irregularity are not flaws but essential characteristics of life.
- Clouds and Mountains: In his book Cloud-hidden, Whereabouts Unknown, Watts uses clouds and mountains to illustrate wiggliness. A cloud’s shape is never fixed; it is constantly shifting, dissolving, and reforming. Mountains, though seemingly stable, are shaped over millennia by forces of wind, water, and tectonics, all wiggly processes that defy our sense of orderly progression.
- Music and Rhythm: Watts often compared life to music, stressing that music is not about getting to the end but about enjoying the dance along the way. Like life, music is wiggly; it’s full of rhythms, syncopations, and unexpected turns. This concept aligns with the way Watts described the universe as a vast symphony where every note, every moment, contributes to the whole.
Why This Concept Matters
Watts’ idea of wiggliness challenges us to rethink our approach to life. Modern society often conditions us to seek control, order, and predictability. We build schedules, make five-year plans, and set strict goals, believing that life should conform to our expectations. However, life rarely follows a straight line, and this misalignment often leads to stress, anxiety, and a sense of failure.
By embracing wiggliness, we can learn to go with the flow of life rather than resisting it. Understanding the world’s natural curves allows us to be more adaptable, open-minded, and accepting of change. This perspective encourages a more playful, creative engagement with life—one that values the journey as much as the destination.
Why Do Humans Resist Wiggliness?
Humans tend to resist the wiggliness of the world for several reasons:
- Fear of Uncertainty: We crave certainty and stability. The idea that life is inherently unpredictable and wiggly can be frightening because it suggests that we are not in complete control. Watts noted in his seminar The Veil of Thoughts that this fear often leads us to cling to rigid belief systems, routines, and structures.
- Cultural Conditioning: From an early age, we are taught to value order, discipline, and linear progress. Schools, workplaces, and societal norms reward straight-line thinking: clear answers, specific goals, and measurable results. This conditioning reinforces a mindset that views wiggliness as chaos rather than a natural state of being.
- Ego and Identity: Watts often explored the role of the ego in resisting life’s flow. The ego, with its need to define, categorize, and control, struggles with the fluid nature of reality. The wiggliness of the world challenges our sense of a fixed self and the belief that we are separate from the rest of the universe.
Embracing Wiggliness: A Path to Freedom
In acknowledging the wiggliness of the world, we open ourselves to a deeper, more authentic experience of life. Watts didn’t advocate for complete abandonment of structure or plans; instead, he suggested a harmonious balance—one where we recognize that life’s curves and twists are part of its beauty. This perspective encourages us to be more flexible, patient, and willing to adapt when things don’t go according to plan.
By embracing the wiggliness of the world, as Alan Watts so eloquently articulated, we can live more freely, laugh more heartily, and engage with the world in a way that is in tune with its true nature. It’s not about taming the wiggliness but dancing with it—understanding that life, in all its messy, unpredictable glory, is the very essence of what it means to be alive.