I’ve had the privilege of publishing two articles on identity in recent weeks for The Banner and TGC as I’m gearing up for my book release on April 1.
The first one is “When Being Authentic Isn’t Enough” for the CRC’s publication, The Banner.
I thought that this word (authentic) was becoming a bit cliché—perhaps it was a bit eyeroll-inducing. Maybe we’ve moved on already and people care less about whether you’re authentic than if you show up, do what you’re supposed to, and not be a jerk. Then I saw this speech from a skier who won the first ever gold medal for any South American country in the winter Olympics. I’m guessing there were a few people in that continent who watched this. The speech blasts you like a firehose of self-esteem truisms that could have been cobbled together from middle school hallways. It’s about following his path to achieve his dreams to become his authentic self.
The trouble is—how do you decide whether your authentic self is any good? It sounds great if the end result is winning a gold medal, less so if it’s about leaving your wife and kids to pursue gambling and affairs. Here’s an excerpt:
“Be true to yourself” sounds wonderful, but you won’t hear that line standing up as a defense for sexual assault, racism, or child abuse. We don’t pardon criminals on the grounds that they were being authentic, and we should accept them as they are. To give authenticity carte blanche to affirm every thought, word, and action is to do away with the idea of good, right, and honorable.
No one lives this way. If we favor authenticity above other virtues, then we slide towards a moral vacuum. The maxim of “be true to yourself” functionally plays out as the maxim “might makes right.” No one accuses bullies, dictators, or warlords of being inauthentic.”
The second article is “Embrace Your Life by Enjoying Quiddity” with TGC.
It’s a subject I’ve felt a growing fascination with as I grasp for tools to feel less restless and discontent in a digital world barraging you with easy escapism.
C.S. Lewis introduced me to quiddity, which means the “thatness” of something. I like the term “givenness,” which I devote a chapter of my book to. Either way, it’s the delightful practice of celebrating your existence in a current moment where you have no control over most of the factors shaping that moment. They’re given to you. And God is a good Giver.
Here’s an excerpt:
“Giving thanks does two things for you. First and most importantly, you’re giving thanks to someone. In the act of thanksgiving, you’re made aware of more than an unfeeling, random universe. There’s a Creator God who made you and orchestrated the specifics of the world around you at this specific moment. He weaved them all together so you might delight in your surroundings and worship him for them.
Second, giving thanks causes you to reflexively think about why: Why is there goodness to this person, place, or thing? You know God is good, which means his goodness can be found in everything. It then becomes a matter of tracing the sunbeam up to the sun. In other words, gratitude births attentiveness. Cynicism and entitlement destroy it.”
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