Finding Identity Within Today’s Culture
Throughout my years of working with children, teens, young adults, and people in various countries, they all want to know the answers to the following questions: Who am I? Where do I belong? What is my purpose?[1] The culture, in which we live today, embraces expressive individualism and sexual identity politics [2] to the extent that I find myself in a fog knowing how to navigate all the nuances.
Those morals and values connected to sexuality have changed dramatically from my childhood. Going for a routine doctor visit results in me being an anomaly of profound proportion, because my virginity is so rare that I usually have to explain it. Then there is the young person, who has gone through drug therapy to be male and now is pregnant, only to be angry that he cannot participate in the male chorus because of complications with the pregnancy. I am confused. Or my friend who recently closed his church because his understanding of how to best be Jesus within the LGBTQ+ community is in conflict with church doctrine. I am sad and confused. In the midst of this fog, I find myself asking how these examples are different from the individual who defines themselves by their obesity, overcommitments, profanity, indulgence in pornography or indiscriminate sex? Is it possible to live a holy life that is gracious, accepting, without giving a green light to sin? What does that look like?
Carl E. Trueman’s, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism and the Road to Sexual Revolution, draws a historical map “to illustrate the contemporary conception of…self,”[3]the influences of the last 400 years that have systematically shifted the Western culture from a self, defined by a Creator God[4] to emotivism and expressive individualism through a sexual lens.[5] Trueman, a professor of biblical and religious studies at Grove City College, church historian,[6] and qualified lawyer,[7]uses his vast skills to build a “genealogical sequence to get us to where we are today.”[8]
Part one of this four-part book provides the framework for understanding the lines of connection to today. Trueman lays this foundation on the works of “sociologist Philip Rieff,” “philosopher Charles Taylor,” and “ethicist Alasdair MacIntyre.” [9] He skillfully links the thoughts of these men to explain humanity’s focus internally to define morality “by one’s sense of therapeutic fulfillment and authentic self-actualization.” [10]
In parts 2 and 3, Trueman reveals his historical intellect by using: Rousseau, Nietzsche, Marx, and Darwin to reveal the “lineage of the modern conception of self.” [11] He further broadens the readers understanding by including the perspective of the poets: Woodsworth, Shelley, and Blake. Sigmund Freud, Wilhelm Reich, and Herbert Marcuse are the theorist who reveal the humanity’s desire “seeking maximal (sexual) expression” with “freedom from restraint or oppression.”[12]
Trueman uses his legal background to demonstrate how the “triumph of the sexualize self” [13] has impacted the thoughts and processes of the legal system.
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self is a book that requires a more time to digest all the connections and implications. It does bring some clarity to my thoughts and feelings as to the apparent over-sexualization of society today that seems to be a distraction from God’s intent for his creation.
[1] Michele Borba Ed.D., Esteem Builders: A K-8 Self-Esteem Curriculum For Improving Student Achievement, Behavior and School Climate, Second (Torrence, CA: Jalmar Press, 2003).
[2] Nathan Williams, “A Review of The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self,” The Master’s Seminary (blog), March 9, 2021, https://blog.tms.edu/a-review-of-the-rise-and-triumph-of-the-modern-self.
[3] Anthony Selvaggio, “The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: A Review,” February 24, 2021, https://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2021/02/the-rise-and-triumph-of-the-modern-self-a-review/.
[4] Andrew T. Walker, “The Most Important Cultural Book of the Year (Maybe Even Decade) Review: ‘The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self’ by Carl Trueman,” TGC: The Gospel Coalition (blog), November 18, 2020, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/reviews/rise-triumph-modern-self-carl-trueman/.
[5] Carl R. Trueman, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2020).
[6] Carl R. Trueman, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2020).
[7] Selvaggio, “The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: A Review.”
[8] Walker, “The Most Important Cultural Book of the Year (Maybe Even Decade) Review: ‘The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self’ by Carl Trueman.”
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Selvaggio, “The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: A Review.”
[12] Walker, “The Most Important Cultural Book of the Year (Maybe Even Decade) Review: ‘The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self’ by Carl Trueman.”
[13] Selvaggio, “The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: A Review.”
About the Author
Denise Johnson
Special Education teacher K-12, School Counselor K-12, Overseas field worker in Poland,12 responses to “Finding Identity Within Today’s Culture”
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Denise,
Thank you for your transparency and vulnerability. I appreciate your openness to, maybe not the changes to sexuality over the last several decades, but our cultures awareness of what people had to keep secret.
In what way did you find Trueman’s framing of personhood to be wanting?
Andy,
Thanks for your question. I am not sure I have a good answer for you. I think Trueman’s view was primarily from a psychological and historical perspective. The lack of connection to the struggles and challenges that being different sexually can create barriers that hinder the gospel message of love, acceptance, and forgiveness.
Denise, thanks for a post that asks many great questions of us all. I also agree with you that the primary issue of the book is identity. I’m curious, with so much experience in a dominantly Catholic culture like Poland, did you see a big difference in how identity, including sexual identity, was formed there versus what it is now in America?
Roy, Great questions! Both the Protestant and Catholic communities in Poland are very conservative. LGBTQ+ community is quite small and mostly encouraged by entities outside of Poland, or at least that is the overall sense. For many Poles, their personal identity is strongly tied to being Catholic. It has been said to be Polish is to be Catholic, and to be Polish is to be Catholic. That is part of the reason that for many years the Protestant works have been quite small. They also have very strong male, female roles. This is particularly strong outside of the cities. As there has been more and more Western influence, I have noticed more young people are questioning their sexual identity. For some (particularly females) it is as simple they enjoy things that are traditionally considered something the opposite sex would do. Now this is my perspective, but it seems that because the roles have been so ridged the only logical conclusion is that that young person must be gay. There are a number of situations that I have observed in this regard. So, to use Trueman’s thinking…the more outside, Western influences and the disconnect with their external preferences it gets internalize as a sexual preference. Most of these individuals are people and their families, are not actively engaged in church life. They engage in far more extramarital activities. That is a whole other conversation.
I agree there is an over-sexualization in our culture right now. This book did a great job of explaining how we got here. I enjoyed the historical description over the past 300 years that sheds light on today’s culture. Did you find that interesting?
Troy,
Yes, I did find that quite interesting and worthy of further and more in-depth read.
Amen, Denise, more time is needed to digest this book. I love this question you pose:
Is it possible to live a holy life that is gracious, accepting, without giving a green light to sin? What does that look like?
That is one I too have been wrestling with these past few years. Another way of saying it, for myself that is, is that things are more gray than I originally anticipated or believed. This is a challenge as I really like the clean distinctions of black and white!
Eric,
Exactly! When writing this post, I keep thinking about Kayli’s comment in our interview, that leadership is far more grey than black and white.
Denise, I so appreciate your vulnerability…All.The.Time.
I do have a serious question….In your faith tradition, what is it that God is “motivated” by in outlining what is sin?
Nicole, I don’t know if it is specifically my faith tradition or just mine, but it starts with love. It is his love, patience and kindness that leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). I also know that it is only in the presence of that love that a person even knows or desires to change. And that none of us are really able to make serious lasting changes without his help. At least, I know that my best transformation has come from being in his presence and allowing him to help me embrace a new and different identity that aligns with his imagine. There, in lies the tension, as a spiritual leader. From my perspective, being a spiritual leader that creates an environment of love and grace but doesn’t shy away from the sin that so easily besets us all.
Thank you, Denise, for your transparent reflection and engagement with Trueman’s book. Your opening paragraph, reflections, and questions are so helpful to just acknowledging what it means for you (and for many others) navigating current cultural realities…maybe especially in the USA. How would you describe God’s intent for creation?
Elmaire,
Great question! When I look at the beginning of Genesis when creation was in its purest form, it is to be in relationship with God and one another, to care for the environment, to procreate, and as male and female to reflect the perfect union of the triune God. It maybe simplistic but I try not to overcomplicate things.