The 11th Commandment: Be Yourself

About this episode

This episode explores the paradox of celebrating freedom and authenticity while facing societal pressures, examining the impact of postmodernism and neoliberalism on personal identity and the concept of grace.

Our culture lives in a paradox. We celebrate freedom and authenticity, yet we are crushed by the pressure to prove ourselves. This episode explores how postmodernism and neoliberalism shaped our souls, and how the gospel offers a quiet liberation: not make yourself real, but you are already desired. Philosopher Charles Taylor shows how the modern ideal of “being yourself” lost its moral depth — it became a command without direction. Slavoj Žižek reveals how neoliberalism turned that freedom into an economic duty: we must optimize, perform, and sell ourselves.Into this restless world, the biblical voice speaks differently. Hosea and Jesus remind us that we are not projects to perfect but creatures to receive grace. The Pharisee performs; the tax collector simply asks for mercy — and goes home justified. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-philosophy-channel--4573240/support . "Dare to use your own reason" - Immanuel Kant

People in this episode

Host: Robbert Veen

Topics covered

• freedom
• authenticity
• postmodernism
• neoliberalism
• grace
• philosophy

Keywords

• freedom
• authenticity
• postmodernism
• neoliberalism
• grace
• philosophy
• Charles Taylor
• Slavoj Žižek

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The 11th Commandment, Hosea, Jesus

More episodes of The Philosophy Channel

• Eight Thinkers On Sovereignty · May 28, 2026 · 8 min
• Two Moral Worlds: Talmud and Augustine · March 24, 2026 · 9 min
• What Does Hegel Mean By "Consciousness"? · March 23, 2026 · 8 min
• The Death of God: Hegel and Nietzsche · March 22, 2026 · 8 min
• Slavoj Žižek and Jean Hyppolite: Opposite Readings of Hegel · March 18, 2026 · 10 min
• Lecture 1: Why Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit Matters · March 11, 2026 · 4 min