In "Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book," Walker Percy explores the complexities of the self in the twentieth century. He describes it as an insatiable void that continuously seeks to fill its emptiness by consuming new experiences and objects from the world around it. However, this process often leads to a superficial engagement, as the self seems to ultimately drain the meaning and substance from what it absorbs.

Percy's metaphor of the self as a feeding vacuole suggests that despite the pursuit of fulfillment, the more it attempts to consume, the less genuine satisfaction it finds. This highlights a paradox of modern existence, where the quest for identity and enrichment through external means can result in a profound sense of emptiness and disconnection.