Chiara Barbiero 5L
In this day and age, society poses a significant threat to the discovery of our essence.
We live in a liberal society that idolizes individual autonomy, and places it at the center of its own existence.
Modern society misleads us into thinking that life is a matter of choice, that is to say, we are the ones who have to choose our path, our values, and, lastly, our own identity.
Few people would dispute the fact that it is ironic how we often find it harsh to find ourselves and to affirm us as individuals in such a society.
Nonetheless, this is only the tip of the iceberg; to really understand the reasons behind such an issue, we must start by comprehending the actual essence of identity.
As philosopher Michael Sandel argues, the liberal notion sees the self as unencumbered, as detached from any kind of influences, namely culture, history, education, and so forth…
It reduces identity to a matter of private choice, overlooking how society shapes our minds, how as moral and political beings we are bound by our surroundings.
Personally speaking, we are way more than that.
As Sandel points out in Liberalism and the Limits of Justice, this view lacks realism, it is mostly utopian and tragically shallow.
It goes without saying that we are born into narratives, we grow out of experiences; thus it is undeniable how all of this shapes our understanding of our true self.
Taking all of this into consideration, we, as beings, are full of facets. These shades are the reflection of the influence of what surrounds us, starting from the education our parents gave us, to the economic model in which we live. We, perhaps, still have the freedom of choice, therefore, we must be the first not to deny our true nature. We must read between the lines and go against such a society to finally let us know who we are, and, lastly, to affirm our individuality.
