4. Identity, Narcissism, and Contemporary Culture

<p>We discuss, some more, the idea of identity, the difference between identity and identification, the struggle over the recognition of identity as the key to understanding much of what is going on in the world today, the meaning of narcissism, the difference between grandiose and vulnerable narcissism, narcissism and the ego ideal (Ichideal), the strivings for singularity and uniqueness, whether quests for perfection and improvement are always tinged with narcissism, how the biblical ideal of sanctification might offer a different striving for perfection, and what Ecclesiastes might teach us on these issues. <br /><br />EPISODE MATERIAL<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Time-of-the-Magicians/dp/0241352169/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2JAIO5RJ9E3XX&amp;keywords=eilenberger+time+of+the+magicians&amp;qid=1677977470&amp;sprefix=eilenberger+time%2Caps%2C102&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Wolfram Eilenberger, <em>Time of Magicians</em></a><br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sources-Self-Making-Modern-Identity/dp/0674824261/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3RR4W07L8TDRQ&amp;keywords=taylor+sources+of+the+self&amp;qid=1677977230&amp;sprefix=taylor+sources%2Caps%2C105&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Charles Taylor, <em>Sources of the Self</em></a><br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Transcend-Self-Actualization-Scott-Barry-Kaufman-ebook/dp/B07WZ9T5TM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2QYTSI1NKG340&amp;keywords=kaufman+transcendence&amp;qid=1677977298&amp;sprefix=kaufman+transcendence%2Caps%2C113&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Scott Barry Kaufman, <em>Transcendence</em></a><em><br /></em><a href="https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Isolde-Charim/dp/3552073094/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=isolde+charim&amp;qid=1677977382&amp;sr=8-1" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Isolde Charim, <em>Die Qualen des Narzismuss</em></a><em><br /></em><a href="https://www.iwm.at/fellow/ivan-krastev" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Ivan Krastev</a><br /><br />CONNECT WITH US<br />✩ <a href="https://chiton-burgundy-gbac.squarespace.com/config/pages" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Website</a><br />✩ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thecraftofliving" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Facebook</a><br /><br />* * * * * NEW TO THE PODCAST? <br />In this podcast, we engage in free-ranging conversations on life, faith, philosophy, ethics, relationships, culture, experience, and all matters existential. And as the title of the show points out, we approach these things "in the middle of things," t