Book Review: The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self

Carl Trueman’s book is interesting to say the least. As I was reading through the first couple chapters I was slightly disappointed. I found the concepts of Tayler’s culture dynamics discussed therein quite theoretical and not immediately practical to life. 

I had borrowed the book from my pastor, and he challenged me to crank through and finish it. There are times in life, particularly if you’re interested in ministry and theology, that you may have to read books that do not immediately relate to your specific congregants’ needs or your own preferences and spiritual needs. Will my life drastically change after reading this book? No, not particularly. Have I ran across a massive treasure that I couldn’t live without? Nope. Many mature Christians exist having never read a book of this sort, a tome examining the western historical factors leading to a massive shift in life ethic and purpose.  

It is important to remember this work is addressing culture shift within the western social structure. It does not examine the cultural progression of thought and necessary worldview in the Asian, or African world, although a broad study of this change throughout different social cultures would be thoroughly fascinating. 

From what I can tell, and that which should be obvious, is the large impact of western sexual ethic on cultures throughout the world. This is what Trueman focuses in detail in this work. 

This work is a tome, better yet a historical tome, tracing the thought framework changing from various influential thinkers, and their respective philosophies of life.

As I was considering writing this review I considered writing a summary of each chapter, but later realized that a new book would ensue with that methodology. So let that bide. I think a more practical solution is to summarize each Part in the book, summarizing them, and then provide my personal summary with a particular example portraying how the reality of psychological self influences dialog about a sexual movement (homosexuality). After I will provide a subjective opinion of the Book, and conclude with comment on his style of writing.  

Let us begin. Agin consider this is a historical tome covering a large time period so it will be naturally hard to conceive a “perfect” summary, plus it’s me writing the blog, and I don’t really care if I miss a few smaller points here and there. This is my attempt to summarize a large (407 page) book into bit sized pieces. 

Part 1 is probably the most philosophically obscure, better yet, the most philosophically argued portion of the book. Part 1 is the foundation for the rest of the book; the later parts build onto each other in consecutive order. 

In Part 1 we see the development of psychological self and expressive individualism. Because of the psychologizing of the self, radical subjectivity is a necessary consequence of such. I am no philosopher, so the best way I can explain the complex shift from physical happiness to psychological happiness is to present a life example. It used to be men found happiness in life if they made enough money, a healthy wife, good children, and being well established in the local community. A shift occurred in which the self has been psychologized. Instead of physical aspects deriving pleasure and life satisfaction, now their self satisfaction is found in individual psychological health or well being. As already talked about, psychological self (or the concept of deriving satisfaction from psychological well-being) brings forth radical subjectivity. Instead of “major” issues (such as a job loss, death in the family, etc) bringing dissatisfaction, a subjective experience can now bring a psychological dissatisfaction. A clear example can  be shown in homosexual behavior. As one decides to engage in homosexual behavior they engage in physical behavior but also in a psychological behavior. Because the self is psychological, attacks against homosexual behavior is intricately tied to self identity and respective psychological health. If one attacks one’s homosexual behavior, they actually attack their identity. Homosexuality is intimately tied into one’s psychological self identity. Merely attacking behavior does not carry as much emotional significance, but if individual behavior is linked to identity, personal attacks against that behavior is more so an attack against that person’s identity. Homosexuality is tied so closely to self identity in our modern culture that critiquing that behavior is really an attack on the psychological self, causing psychological unhealthiness.

Part 2 and 3 continue expounding on the individual progressing factors, based on this psychological self. The significant ideology that stood out to me in these two parts was how self was psychologized, then that psychologized self is sexualized, and finally the sex itself was politicized. We see here a shift from the philosophy of self. This philosophy of self is then sexualized, as we are sexual beings and sex is the most intimate and numerically important thing to our society, as it propagates it. To derive hedonistic pleasure from sex, and to normalize immortality, one has to politicize it. Politicians need to address same sex marriage and transgenderism, and this leads to media covering those same issues, both in informative and entertainment fashion. 

Part 4 is more specific in nature, not biographical philosophy, but political action. Chapter 8 he discusses the “Triumph of the Erotic”. How has so much of what we do been sexualized? This is due to not merely permitting or expanding your (general use) sexual code, but rather obliterating it completely. Once we don’t have a sexual code to stand on...well we can truly do what we want. Trueman covers the history of the LGBTQ+ movement and how the inclusion of transgenderism in a binary sexual ideology, has risen problems among feminists. In conclusion, he offers three things that ought to mark the church as she moves into this new world. 

It was a bit hard to summarize each part, because there are so many interesting points that all connect. The biggest thing I learned was that the foundation of our cultural moral shift is that the self is idolized. We are psychologized, and then we express ourselves how we want, to ensure psychological well being. As said before, radical subjectivity ensues once the self is psychologized. It is a necessary conclusion. 

Trueman has an interesting way of writing. I noticed that he’ll explain a topic, use a quote, and then analyze it, and I will sometimes walk away confused; but then he adds one of two sentences to conclude his analysis of a quote or a point. He communicates well. 

A brief note of respect. I am quite impressed by how hard it must have been to write this. I can imagine Trueman being educated knows where to look in general, but to collect all the right sources, read them, and sift through them to make his points...Respect. This type of book (academic, readable, and expansive) is hard to write and takes many dedicated hours of study. So my hat to you, Trueman. 

Why you should read this book.

1. It will give you a basic grasp of how we are where we are. Again it is a historical analysis of how, instead of why. Trueman doesn’t address the evil nature of man and total depravity, but rather focuses on a historical narrative on how various factors have lead to current social culture. 

2. It will be a relatively enjoyable read. As stated before this is not an immensely practical book. It’s probably not going to change the way you behave per se, but will give the reader an understanding of culture shift. The style of writing can grip the reader, as they are curious to see how Trueman “summarizes” his thoughts.

3. I just think it’s a timely book. Have you ever seen a movie that had a gay couple or read some insane thing in the news about the newest celebrity coming out as a transgender, etc, and wondered ‘how on earth did we get here? Why is everybody so sensitive? What about cancel culture and feminism?’ The questions keep coming. There is no end. Trueman merely see the problem and traces it through history and obverse how various philosophies intertwine. I think it important for the Christian in his public witness and also private devotion to have some knowledge of how we have arrived where we are currently. One can easily explain this rise of sexual subjectivity, as a mere consequence of sin. That is a correct analysis, but that doesn’t explain how the philosophies came to be. We may be interested in what factors lead to WWII. Sin lead to WWII. True, but that doesn’t really lead to how it came about. All biblically based Christian historians know sin is the foundation of all the pain and evil in the world. But they have inside them to know how. We are creatures of curiosity. Learning history also leads to potential lessons we can learn from failures. Trueman lays out the historical narrative. It is now our responsibility in how we respond. Will we see the truthfulness of his argument, (that everything has ultimately shifted to expressive individualism and psychological self), in acceptance without change of mind and behavior? Or will we see the dire state we’re in and try to encourage those around us to be less self centered and more other centered, leading them to the selflessness of the Cross? I choose the latter? What do you choose?