An extraordinary dialectic in the course of the modern era
“Thus Western man enacted an extraordinary dialectic in the course of the modern era — moving from a near boundless confidence in his own powers, his spiritual potential, his capacity for certain knowledge, his mastery over nature, and his progressive destiny, to what often appeared to be a sharply opposite condition: a debilitating sense of metaphysical insignificance and personal futility, spiritual loss of faith, uncertainty in knowledge, a mutually destructive relationship with nature, and an intense insecurity concerning the human future. In the four centuries of modern man’s existence, Bacon and Descartes had become Kafka and Beckett.”
A powerful, complex thought, and one that may also be examined in The Denial of Death along these same lines. This quote gives us a wide angle lens to consider the shift in our worldview regarding our purpose and identity in this world. We need the optimism in our potential. We need reminders of the world within us and how that informs us as we move about in the world.
This podcast focuses on self-exploration and personal identity -- to help you construct who you are, and how you want to feel, think, believe, and behave for yourself. The book Who Do You Think You Are is also available at all major e-retailers, and you can find it at bigselfschool.com/store. Check out our two-hour classes on how to build resiliency, how to discover what you want, how to like yourself more, how to find calm, how to bounce forward after failure, and many more at bigselfschool.com.