Don’t Confuse Ideology with Identity
In today’s society, ideas have transformed into identity.
In today’s society, ideas have transformed into identity.
Human beings have long wondered about the extent to which we truly have free will, or whether the path we travel is pre-ordained.
We often forget that the question of “who am I?” is not a fixed one — it’s a contextual one.
Every story we tell is unique, and every story we tell is the same, because it’s the structure of a story that fosters that creativity and uniqueness.
As the saying goes, “Words create worlds,” so we want to know how our words impact ourselves and our friends.
A video interview with ELI Talks about the Science of Jewish Identity.
Passover reminds us that we are free, which means that we have the freedom to choose how we act. Yet those actions will ultimately define who we are.
While I have had the title “rabbi” for a few years, I have had the title “daddy” for just under a month. Naturally, this new relationship is causing me to think of all sorts of questions.
Awareness, intentionality and self-knowledge have become rich sources of scientific inquiry. Interestingly, these ideas also have deep resonance with teachings found within Jewish tradition.
On the one hand, we want to accept ourselves where we are, and yet we also want to strive to be better. But walking a tightrope is stressful — it is far too easy to fall over one side or the other. So some researchers have wondered: is there a more effective way to help us accept our human failings and be motivated to improve?