Thanks for the comments. Gray's point is not that there is no liberation for us, but is about the idea that many of us possess that we are wholly different from animals. His argument is that when we are most conscious, far from being most human and more in control, we are in fact denying an essential part of ourselves. In fact we are most content when we are not trying to find the self. For example, when we are playing a sport, in vigorous action, not when are busy contemplating ourselves.

He attacks the notion that because we can think we are apart from animals. In fact, he argues, most of our thinking is automatic and is rationalised after the fact. And animals, too, are capable of thought, memory, cleverness, and so on. In other words, the boundary between humans and animals is no boundary at all.

I would welcome other comments on these ideas!