We all want two things that may seem contradictory to each other: to be our own person and to belong. We want to stand out from the crowd, but we also want to belong. When that balance is disrupted, we either lose ourselves in tribalism or move into isolation.

My guest today says that many of the problems in modern life arise from our inability to keep these two impulses in tension. His name is Luke Burgis and he is the author of Another 99: Creating Identity in an Age of Social Transition. Today on the show, Luke explains how being a genuine person can give you the strength to be part of a community. We discuss the difference between a solid self and a pseudo-self – and what role family and culture can play in leading us toward one or the other – why modern politics feels like a dysfunctional family, the dangers of performative religion, and much more.

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transcript coming soon