The Two Anxieties: Why Success Isn’t Enough and How to Feel Alive

The Two Anxieties: Why Success Isn’t Enough and How to Feel Alive

Author:  Joshua Woo Sze Zeng

Publisher: Woo Sze Zeng

ISBN: 9786299276708 

Pages: 155pp

Weight: 230gsm

Year: 2026

Price: RM40

We are living through an age of extraordinary progress. People are more educated, connected, and technologically empowered than ever before. Yet anxiety, loneliness, political anger, and a sense of emptiness continue to grow. Why? In The Two Anxieties, Joshua Woo argues that every human being is navigating two permanent anxieties: the anxiety of survival and the anxiety of meaning. Drawing from philosophy, psychology, public policy, and frontline political experience, he introduces Existential Realism, a framework for understanding why modern societies struggle even as they become wealthier and more advanced. Because surviving is necessary. But feeling alive is what makes survival worthwhile. 

About the Author 

Joshua Woo Sze Zeng is a State Assemblyman in Penang. He holds a Master in Sustainable Development Management from Sunway University and a Master of Communication from Universiti Sains Malaysia. His work spans politics, public policy, and strategic communication.