Mind, Modernity, Madness - Conversation with Professor Liah Greenfeld, Part 2

Religion in Praxis Conversation Series

This is the twenty-third episode of the Conversations Series, and in this second episode in the ongoing triology of conversations with the renowned award-winning sociologist Professor Liah Greenfeld, Greenfeld unravels the dark side of the American dream. We dare to question if the very essence of the ambition-driven culture, built on limitless self-fulfillment, could actually be causing a wave of mental distress. Tornike Metreveli’s second episode with the esteemed scholar in modernity and nationalism, Liah Greenfeld, provokes a compelling hypothesis. Professor Greenfeld suggests a link between the egalitarian society we cherish and the escalating rates of mental illness. By interweaving philosophy, psychology, and history, Greenfeld's audacious insights shatter conventional notions of what it means to live in the land of the free.

In the conversation, we delve into the principles that modern nationalism is built upon - popular sovereignty, equality, and secularism. This paradigm celebrates the power of individuals to steer their own destinies. But with this empowerment comes the stress of constant self-evaluation, desire management, and social comparison. Taking us further into the abyss, Greenfeld traces a connection between these societal pressures and mental illnesses such as manic depression and schizophrenia. She proposes these are not just medical conditions, but dysfunctions of selfhood inflicted by the overbearing societal demands for self-realization. In this episode, prepare to be taken aback, challenged, and ultimately, enlightened. Greenfeld reveals a nuanced perspective of humanity, enriching our understanding of who we are and what we aspire to be.

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Music for the Conversation Series is generously provided by the Shavnabada Choir . The project author and the host of the Conversation Series is Dr. Tornike Metreveli.

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Religion and Theology is produced by Joel Kuhlin for the Center for Theology and Religious Studies. If you have comments or critique of this episode, or any other episodes of R&T, please contact us via the podcast's twitteraccount: @reloteol.