Book - Self-Reflection

(No longer available for purchase on Amazon)

Descriptions of 3 versions of Self-Reflection:

Self-Reflection: A Collection of Essays

(Published August 26, 2026)

Archive Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Self-Reflection-Collection-Jonathan-M-W-Klassen/dp/B0HH16YS3N

  • The process of self-reflection:

    Research the contents of your subconscious or underlying belief systems that developed through all forms of socialization in your upbringing and life experiences, along with the inherent biological drives and instincts that have been developed over human history and manifest in each individual.

    You are not an A.I. large-language model. Your current thoughts, beliefs, and actions may have high statistical correlations with other current ones, and with your past experiences & influences, but what you output now doesn't have to be determined by them.

    Make sure your aim is good and productive for yourself and others, no matter what everyone else around you is doing or thinking of you.
    _

    Jonathan M.W. Klassen

    jonathanmwklassen.com

    • Host & Producer of the Guest-Centred podcast The Experience & Meaning Interview Show (formerly Consciousness Prints Podcast)

    • Modern Mennonite ancestry and upbringing (but attended public elementary schools), a God/Christ-seeker & attempted worshipper/follower who is anti-forced-interactions-based-and-financially-exploititive-religion but pro-intentional-church-community

    • Born & raised in the City of Kitchener (original Mennonite settlement in 1800s named “Sandhills”/”Ebytown”/”Ben Eby's”, then became City of Berlin until World War I) in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo or the tri-cities of Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, in Waterloo Region (3 cities + 4 townships), in the province of Ontario, in the country of Canada (a “federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy” with the King/Queen of the U.K. still the official Head of State, and a Prime Minister as Head of Government)

    • Of the Gen Z generation (b. 1997) with a Millenial-esque upbringing, with Baby Boomer parents, a twin brother, younger sister, and small, far-spread but close-knit extended family

    • Maunal-labour-work-experienced but Mennonite-Church-subsidized-private-high-school and university-humanities-educated

    • Mother and maternal grandparents were born in Canada, father was born in Paraguay, paternal grandparents were born in what is now Russia & Ukraine, has great-grandparents born in Canada, the U.S.A., and what is now Russia, and ancestry on both sides can be traced back to what are now Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands

    • Proponent of non-government-funded small businesses, charities, and corporations being the main source of economic activity and social benefit giving more people the meaning in life and creative freedom that comes with being responsible for these ventures and reducing the amount of government elected officials, employees, and services from all levels to reduce the bureaucracy and authoritarian tendencies that big government comes with

    • Proponent of urban areas being designed to reduce dependency on personally-expensive, storage/land-use-inefficient, and high-conflict/collision-inducing modes of transportation, and to allow residential & retail development to be built in same zones

    • Proponent of personality psychology-, family-systems-, past trauma/attachment issues-, whole-body health/nutrition-, moral decisions-, meaning and social-relationships-based approach to care of psychological wellbeing of individuals rather than current norm of corrupt & shallow psychiatric/pharmaceutical/disorder-based “mental health” care

    • Proponent of living the majority of one’s life outside one’s home and away from screens/electronics and therefore not prioritizing personal spending on material possessions and large dwellings for living

    • Anti-alcohol, anti-social-media/smartphones/media-bingeing, anti-casual-intimacy, anti-gambling; Proponent and lover of sports, music, theatre, comedy, travel/exploration, museums, real-world learning as catalysts for fun & socializing instead

Self-Reflection: Many Worlds Within The Self, Many Selves In The World

(Published May 28, 2026)

Archive Link: https://web.archive.org/web/20260531215011/http://jonathanmwklassen.com/books

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H3HWWBBJ

Self-Reflection: Life Lived, Questions Asked, Changes Proposed, Missions Established

(Published November 19, 2025)

Archive Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Self-Reflection-Questions-Proposed-Missions-Established/dp/B0G3CNF9X7

  • Embark on a journey of introspection and discovery with Jonathan M.W. Klassen's Self-Reflection. This unique collection gathers a lifetime of reflections born from Klassen's diverse experiences and shared through various mediums.

    From introspective short stories and thought-provoking church sermons to insightful university papers and local newspaper op-eds, Klassen delves into a wide range of topics, including:

    • Personal growth and self-discovery

    • Mental & physical health (including criticisms of medical, pharmaceutical, alcohol and technology industries)

    • Faith and spirituality

    • North American social/political issues and Canadian cultural observations

    • The power of in-person human connection

    • Reflections and advocacy for the benefits of non-car transportation

    Each reflection offers a glimpse into Klassen's unique perspective, blending personal anecdotes with thoughtful analysis to illuminate the lessons he's learned along the way. Whether exploring the challenges of university life, questioning mainstream societal understanding of gender, or finding sacredness in sports fandom or riding a light-rail train, Klassen invites readers to connect with their own experiences and embrace the transformative power of self-reflection.

    ****

    Jonathan Mark Wideman Klassen (1997-present) was born and raised in Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada. He has a 3-year general Bachelor of Arts from University of Waterloo (2020), taking courses ranging from Computer Science, Entrepreneurship, and Economics to Social Development Studies, Theological Studies, and Urban Planning. His employment roles thus far are also quite broad ranging from Courier to Ministry Intern to Marketing Assistant to Landfill Attendant to Door-to-Door Salesman to Warehouse Labourer. He has attended games at 20 MLB stadiums, 15 NHL arenas, 35 CHL arenas, and is working at riding every bus/train route and visiting every library in the world (or at least in Waterloo Region). He has also sang Sabrina Carpenter songs in front of crowds, and has been in a crowd where Sabrina Carpenter was singing. Unrelated to this, he has been at the most notable heights and low points of the city of Toronto: the CN Tower EdgeWalk (he was not born for the Maple Leafs' last Stanley Cup in 1967), and on the playing surface at Rogers Centre and Scotiabank Arena (he was not in attendance for 2025 World Series Game 7). Jonathan hosts Experience & Meaning Interview Show with Jonathan M.W. Klassen available on select online audio-streaming platforms.

    jonathanmwklassen.com