Carl Trueman, Mary Harrington

Carl Trueman and Mary Harrington: How Should We Live in an Age of Radical Individualism?

In this episode of Socrates Dialogues with Mary Harrington, our host is joined by professor, philosopher, theologian, and author Carl Trueman for a thoughtful conversation on the ideas shaping our modern identity. Drawing on his book “The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self” and his latest work”The Desecration of Man,” Trueman explores how our understanding of the self has been transformed by expressive individualism, technology, and the cultural forces that increasingly detach us from enduring commitments. 

What does it mean to imagine ourselves rightly in the world around us? From the emergence of the “laptop class” and the decline of rooted communities to the quiet, countercultural act of planting roots and embracing lasting commitments, Trueman argues that resistance begins with recovering a richer vision of what it means to be human. Grounded in the biblical doctrine of the imago Dei, this conversation considers how our view of humanity shapes our relationships, our families, our children, and ultimately the kind of society we are building.