The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self (Carl Trueman)

In The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Professor Carl Trueman looks at "how we got here"—how today's society has at its root a radically different notion of selfhood. His ultimate task is “to demonstrate how many of the ideas now informing both the conscious thinking and the instinctive intuitions of Western men and women have deep historical roots and a coherent genealogy that helps explain why society thinks and behaves the way it does.” An outline follows.

Part 1: Basic Concepts

Trueman starts with basic concepts that he will use for exploring history, focusing on the ideas of three modern philosophers (Philip Rieff, Charles Taylor, and Alasdair MacIntyre). Collectively, these three made several observations, including:

• We’ve moved from a mimetic to poietic view of the world—from viewing “the world as having a given order and a given meaning and thus sees human beings as required to discover that meaning and conform themselves to it” to seeing “the world as so much raw material out of which meaning and purpose can be created by the individual.”
• Culture historically “directs the individual outward,” to “something that is given and learned” and “we learn who we are by learning how to conform ourselves to the purposes of the larger community to which we belong.” But now it is more the opposite; “outward institutions become in effect the servants of the individual and her sense of inner well-being.”
• From the first two points, emotivism follows, which “presents preferences as if they were truth claims.” An emotivist is “one who (mistakenly) grants his own personal preferences the status of universal moral imperatives.” (And others rejecting them is framed as irrational or bigoted.)
• And if it really is all about us, we will reject what has come before, resulting in “a basic repudiation of history as a source of authority and wisdom.”

Part 2: Psychologizing of the Self
Here Trueman evaluates important developments in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau is a key thinker here. Rousseau said “all I need to do, as I have done up until now, is to look inside myself.” He argued the following:

• Human nature is corrupted by society; we are innately good
• “One who is truly free is the one who is free to be himself.” Our access to truth and our true identity is inward.
• Key to ethics is empathy/pity; aesthetics is key to morality
• Culture, society, age and experience are corrupt; the young and natural things are better.
• Since society corrupts, studying it “becomes the history of the corruption and oppression of human nature”

How did such ideas get into the mainstream? Through artists, those "unacknowledged legislators." Romanticism (including Wordsworth, Shelley, and others) embraced these ideas. And it included a sexual turn: to them, happiness is the foundation of morality “so the liberating of love is a moral and political imperative.” “Unnatural constraints on love effectively prevent human beings from being truly human.”

Another aspect is a change in how we viewed human nature. Formerly it was viewed as something that was fixed and authoritative; here there was a shift to view it as something we can shape and determine. Three men shaped how we view human nature: Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Marx, and Charles Darwin.

• Nietzsche recognized and called the bluff of the Enlightenment. If you do away with God, you “destroy the very foundations on which a whole world of metaphysics and morality has been constructed and depends.” We abolish God—and thus become him. Thus we are “suspicious of any claims to absolute moral truth.” He also felt “personal satisfaction, the basic element of the therapeutic ideal,” is “what it means to truly live.” We live for the here and now and can create ourselves.
• Marx “saw the vital connection between social and economic conditions and the constitution of the world.” He provides a foundation with his dialectical materialism and a critical spirit: “the suspicion that metaphysical claims are not as innocent or as morally neutral as the may appear.” And he makes all human activity political.
• Darwin dealt a blow “to those systems that granted special essential status and significance to humanity.” Per him, humans are not significant nor intended for some higher end. 

Thanks to these three, we have deep suspicion of traditional authority. We live for the present. We are about self-creation. And history is about oppression.

Part 3: Sexualizing of Psychology and Politicizing of Sex

Here Trueman looks at how ideas from the aforementioned thinkers started trending towards the sexual. The first focus is Sigmund Freud, who “made plausible the idea that humans, from infancy onward, are at core sexual beings. It is our sexual desires that are ultimately decisive for who we are.” His thoughts are taken by Marxist thinkers like Wilhelm Reich and Herbert Marcuse and mixed with politics.

With Freud, sex moved from an activity to fundamental to identity. He argued that “the goal of human existence was to be happy" and put “sex and sexual expression at the center of human existence.” Earlier thinkers put the focus on feelings and happiness; Freud said happiness is sexual pleasure. He also extended sexuality to infancy and argued civilization is produce of sexual repression.

Marx and Freud were brought together by the Frankfurt School (Erich Fromm and others, most notably Wilhelm Reich and Herbert Marcuse).

Reich argued that the traditional family is unit of oppression, and with Freudian influence, the family represses sexual instincts. His book The Sexual Revolution (1936) talks about importance of sexual identity for political struggle, and included his belief that the state had the right to intervene in family because family represses through policing of sexual codes. 

The story so far:

• Rousseau: identity is psychological
• Freud: psychology/identity is sexual
• Mesh these with Marx: identity is political

Marcuse saw the result: “to transform society politically, then, one must transform society sexually and psychologically . . .” 

Another important thinker is Simone de Beauvoir (1949): she separated gender and sex. “The latter is biological, while the former is psychological.” She argued “one is not born, but rather becomes, woman.” And that society coerces people into conformity. She saw biology as a form of tyranny: “The body is something to be overcome.” This furthers aforementioned thoughts on human nature. If that is not something inherent/given but something we determine, “why should we tie gender identity to an objective physiological basis?”

Part 4: How Modern Self has Triumphed

Here Trueman looks at how our modern culture has been transformed by these ideas. Examples:

• Education has moved from transformation to affirmation of self.
• We understand selfhood in psychological and sexual terms.
• We must be true to ourselves—our inner feelings. These are to be trusted above society, culture, history, and family. 
• Any attempts by authorities (from family to culture) to stymie our inner feelings is oppressive; victimhood is a key virtue.
• If it is all about feelings, then no other authority can be used in argument. Anecdotes and personal experience/feelings win the day.
• There is noting in history or elders worth learning; these are oppressive. Self rules the day.
• Our teleology shifts from future-focused to present happiness. It's all about the therapeutic and making me feel good now.

Where to from here? The current state is unstable; what if what makes me happy conflicts with what makes you happy? If there are no commonly accepted premises, arguing about who is right becomes impossible; we resort to accusations. “Once oppression becomes primarily psychological, it also becomes somewhat arbitrary and subjective.” The future is murky.

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This book has profoundly important insights into who we are today as a society and how we got here. It gets repetitive but is highly worthwhile.

Rating: A

Hive Pocket

Today's review is of the 2010 release, Hive Pocket. For two players, it takes 20 minutes.

Overview

Hive Pocket is similar to chess, but where there is no board to start (it is created over time as pieces are placed). You and your opponent each have 13 hex pieces. Each piece has a bug; each bug (queen bee, ant, beetle, mosquito, ladybug, grasshopper, or spider) has different movement abilities. Surround your opponent's queen (before they do so to yours) and you win!

The first player places a piece onto the table, starting the game. The other player places a piece (which much touch one of the sides of the first piece). Then, players take turns. On your turn, you either place or move one of your pieces.

- place: you must place a piece adjacent to one of your own pieces (it cannot touch an opponent's piece after the first turn); you must also place your queen within the first four turns of the game.

- move: you must move a piece in accordance with the movement rules associated with its printed bug. Those are outlined in the rules.

game in progress; image from here

Review

Like chess, there is all choice and no chance involved in Hive Pocket. You learn the piece's movement abilities and must carefully plot your moves (and counter your opponent's) to win. Some will love that; I appreciated the mechanics and strategic depth, but don't care for games with no chance elements. It makes it all about skill (which, for me, is a notable disadvantage). So this is a good game, but not one I would play often due to personal tastes (aside: I explore the game theory of chance and choice in this post). Recommended for the chess player in your life who would enjoy a twist on a classic.

Rating: B

Mindbug: First Contact

Today's review is of the 2022 release, Mindbug: First Contact. For two players, it takes 15-25 minutes.

Overview

In Mindbug, you will play and attack with bizarre and hilarious creatures. Your opponent will do the same . . . but beware! Each player has two mindbug cards that can be used during the game to take control of opponent's creatures . . . so what you play and when matters greatly. 

Mindbug is simple to set up and play. Each player starts with three life, two mindbug cards (on the table), and a deck of 10 creature cards (dealt from a common deck). Each player draws five of their cards and play begins. 

On your turn, you either play a single card or attack with a single creature.

- play a single card: you choose and play a creature from your hand. Each creature has a power, name, and may have unique abilities. Whenever you play a card, your opponent may choose to use one of their mindbug cards (turning it facedown to indicate use) to take control of it . . . so plan carefully.

- attack with a single creature: you choose a creature you control and attack with it. Your opponent may choose to block. If they do, the creature with higher power wins (and loser is discarded). If they do not, they lose one life.

It is just that simple! Play continues until one player's life is at zero or one player cannot do either of the above actions on their turn.

You can see pictures of the game and download the rules on the boardgamegeek site.

Review

This game is light, fast, fun, and features a pleasing mix of chance and choice (luck and strategy). The mindbug cards plus other abilities on the creature cards results in a lot of strategic depth—but there are times you simply won't be able to win based on the cards you've been dealt (or choices made earlier in the game). The cards themselves are amusing, delivering a light-hearted experience. Recommended.

Rating: B+

The Practice of the Presence of God (Brother Lawrence)

Brother Lawrence was a monk living near Paris in the seventeenth century. This book captures some of his conversations, letters, and maxims, largely focused on practicing God's presence. The basic point of the book is that we should be continually talking with God throughout our day, always aware of his presence and delighting in it through constant discourse.

"The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is the presence of God. That means finding constant pleasure in His divine company, speakin humbly and lovingly with Him in all seasons, at every moment, without limiting the conversation in any way."

- "In order to know God, we must think about Him often. Once we get to know Him, we will think about Him even more often, because where our treasure is, there also is our heart!"

- "There is no sweeter manner of living in the world than continuous communion with God."

- "We are often content with too little. God has infinite treasures to give us, he ways. Why should we be satisfied with a brief moment of worship?"

- We need to keep Him in mind always. In chores great and small, "we should offer our work to Him before we begin and thank Him afterward for the privilege of having done it for His sake."

- "Even suffering will be easier when we are with Him, but without Him, even the greatest pleasures will be joyless."

This is a short and simple book with a powerful and humbling reminder. I first read this in college and have tried to practice it since; I agree with the brother that it is profoundly important and helpful.

Rating: A

Legacy at Sea

Today's review is of the 2025 release, Legacy at Sea. For 1-4 players, it takes 90-120 minutes.

Overview

You are a pirate of the Caribbean, racing to secure goods and glory before fate intervenes. Have the most victory points when the first fate card is drawn and you win!

Setting up the game involves shuffling the Story cards (for 1716, 1717, and 1718, respectively, then stacked on top of each other) as indicated in the rules, with two fate cards shuffled into the 1718 pile. Ocean and Encounter cards for those respective years are also shuffled, with the 1716 cards being put on (or next to) the board, and 3 Ocean cards revealed to start. Prospect cards are shuffled and placed next to the board (revealing 4 to start). Finally, players choose their captains, ships, color, place their ships on the corresponding home port, grab their initial cannon, crew, and goods (as indicated on the captain's card), and play begins.

game in progress

One round of Legacy at Sea proceeds as follows:

• reveal a Story card and perform its effects (generally placing tokens on locations to indicate higher-priced goods or nationality changes)
• the first player takes their turn, sailing their ship by moving it up to one space (two if they spend a food). Then they take actions based of if they are at sea or in port:
• At sea: 
• target one of the three merchant ships [ocean cards] shown
• draw and resolve an Encounter card
• attempt to plunder the chosen merchant ship by rolling dice based on an aspect of your ship (cannon, crew, or maneuverability) and comparing the total pirate flags rolled with the corresponding value on the defending ship. If you exceed that, you plunder the ship and get the stated gold and goods (and get the card, which you can use to buy skills). You also roll one fate die that could make you take damage.
• In port:
• pay bribes if needed (whenever you defeat a ship, the affiliated nation gets angry with you)
• optional: buy and sell goods, gamble for gold, repair your ship, drop off things (at your home port)
• complete prospect cards if applicable
• play proceeds to the next player in clockwise order
• when all players have gone, go back to the start (and reveal a new story card)

Once a new year occurs on the Story cards, remove all the current year cards from the Ocean and Encounter areas, replacing them with the new decks. Play continues until the first Fate card is drawn (sometime in 1718). Then the victory points are tallied and highest wins!

Review

This is a pirate game that bills itself as historically accurate, so you'll spend your time plundering others or profiting/supplying in port—no searches for buried treasure here! There is a fair amount going on, but the rules are easy enough after a turn or two (the rulebook is not the best . . . you'll do much better to check out the how to setup and how to play videos on the official site, then use the rulebook as a reference). There is no hidden information, but the board state keeps changing, and that (plus the shuffled and varied decks) makes for plenty of replayability. Space on-board is limited, so you'll have to balance accumulation with spending (or storing), and damage may force you to lose goods, gold, crew, or cannon. There is a decent luck component that you minimize (but do not eliminate) through wise choices. I enjoyed this with two players; I'm curious how three or four would go (potentially, with lots of downtime). Overall, recommended.

Rating: B+

Finding the Right Hills to Die On (Gavin Ortlund)

Doctrine matters. So does unity. What happens when the two collide? What if people don't agree? In Finding the Right Hills to Die On, Gavin Ortlund argues that we should conduct a 'theological triage' to determine whether or not an issue is big enough to divide over. 

Ortlund starts by looking at two dangers—doctrinal sectarianism (where we needlessly divide) and doctrinal minimalism (where we ignore or downplay important matters). He argues that we should make doctrinal distinctions, but as some doctrines are more important than others (compare 1 Corinthians 15:3 and Romans 14), not everything is a hill to die on. Indeed, 

The character of the gospel is complex. It contains both truth and grace, both conviction and comfort, both hard edges of logic and deep caverns of mystery. It is at one moment as bracing as a cold breeze and the next as nourshing as a warm meal. Faithfulness to the gospel, therefore, requires more than one virtue. We must at times boldly contend and at other times gently probe.

So how do we decide? He offers a four-tier structure:

• First-rank doctrines are essential to the gospel itself.
• Second-rank doctrines are urgent for the health and practice of the church such that they frequently cause Christians to separate at the level of local church, denomination, and/or ministry.
• Third-rank doctrines are important to Christian theology, but not enough to justify separation or division among Christians.
• Fourth-rank doctrines are unimportant [or indifferent] to our gospel witness and ministry collaboration.

How do we decide what to put in each tier? He suggests different elements should play a part, including Biblical clarity, frequency, and significance, relevance to the character of God (or essence of the Gospel), and effect on other doctrines to name a few.

Navigating these topics can be complex—doctrines fall on a spectrum and not in neat categories. But as we do think through where things should fall, he argues the appropriate mentality for each category is:

• first-rank: courage and conviction
• second-rank: wisdom and balance
• third-rank: circumspection and restraint

He then focuses on a few doctrines in each category and uses them as examples on why he puts them in the tiers he does. 

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This is an accessible and helpful book on a critical topic. In a world that seems increasingly divisive (and really bad at arguing/handling disagreement), it is good to think through what matters most and what doesn't. When is a given doctrinal dispute worth a fight? Highly recommended.

Rating: A

A Middle-Earth Traveller (John Howe)

A Middle-Earth Traveller is predominantly a sketchbook, presenting selections from John Howe's work during his time on the sets of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies—though Howe includes sketches of events and places covered in other Tolkien works, too (from the First and Second Age).

One of two principle artists on set*, I love Howe's art. He does a good job of immersing the viewer in an enchanted tale. This is a nice collection of his work, though it felt too short (I would have loved more). There are colored prints sprinkled throughout, but the vast majority are sketches (makes sense given the frantic pace at which artists work on set). The accompanying text didn't explain the art (or movie-making details) so much as provide select snippets of Middle-Earth lore. If you like Middle-Earth and John Howe, you'll like this.

Rating: A

*the other, Alan Lee, has also produced sketchbooks for LOTR and The Hobbit, respectively