Modern self

Paul Vitz describes the modern self this way: “The modern self is characterized by such things as freedom and autonomy, by a strong will, and by the presumption that the self is self-created by the will, operating freely in its construction. The self is assumed to be strong, capable, and above all coherent; it is also largely conscious and heavenly indebted to reason or at least to reasonableness.”

Among the criticisms that have been lodged against this self are: “the modern self commonly leads to social alienation or isolation or loneliness because this self emphasizes separation”; “the modern self decomposes society into isolated individuals and destroys social solidarity, neighborhoods, civic concern, and relationships of all kinds”; “this idea of the self simply fails to understand how we, as selves or persons, are created by our personal relationships, our culture, and our language.”