Is the journey to self-discovery pointless?

The Gray Area with Sean Illing

Vox Media Podcast Network

Society & Culture, News, Politics, News Commentary, Philosophy

4.6 • 10.8K Ratings

🗓️ 17 July 2023

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

There are many ways people are trying to know themselves these days – from taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test to analyzing their astrological birth charts to identifying their attachment styles. But are any of these methods helpful? Allie Volpe, a senior reporter at Vox, discusses this with Mitch Green, a philosophy professor at the University of Connecticut and author of the book Know Thyself: The Value and Limits of Self-Knowledge. Together they explore why there’s an increased interest in self-knowledge, the merits of self-discovery, and the best way to truly know ourselves. Host: Allie Volpe (@allieevolpe), Senior Reporter, Vox Guest: Mitch Green, Philosophy professor at the University of Connecticut References: “A personality test can’t tell you who you are” by Allie Volpe (Vox, Jun. 2023) Know Thyself: The Value and Limits of Self-Knowledge by Mitchell S. Green (2017, Routledge) “Why the Meyers-Briggs test is totally meaningless” by Joseph Stromberg and Estelle Caswell (Vox, Oct. 2015) Strangers to Ourselves: Discovering the Adaptive Unconscious by Timothy D. Wilson (Harvard University Press, 2004) Enjoyed this episode? Rate The Gray Area ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Subscribe for free. Be the first to hear the next episode of The Gray Area. Subscribe in your favorite podcast app. Support The Gray Area by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts This episode was made by: Engineer: Patrick Boyd Editorial Director, Vox Talk: A.M. Hall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Ali Volpi and today I'm sitting in for Sean Elling.
0:04.0	I'm a senior reporter here at Vox covering lifestyle and culture.
0:08.0	I'm also a Virgo and anxiously attached INFJ,
0:13.0	a Neagram type 9, a Slytherin, and my love language is Acts of Service.
0:20.0	Based on these descriptors, you might deduce that I am judgmental but with good intentions.
0:26.0	Idealistic and principled, easygoing and accepting,
0:32.0	cunning and determined, and thrilled my partner picks up the slack around the house.
0:38.0	I wouldn't say that's entirely inaccurate but these labels don't tell the whole story of my personality either.
0:45.0	In my reporting, I cover a lot of topics but there's something I keep coming back to,
0:51.0	these questions of who we are and why we do the things we do.
0:56.0	Over the last few years, I've noticed a lot of people discussing various aspects of their personalities
1:01.0	by using succinct identifiers, everything from their zodiac sign to attachment style.
1:07.0	These terms are especially popular online.
1:11.0	Myers-Briggs personality types are often featured in dating at profiles.
1:15.0	People love to share their Buzzfeed quiz results like,
1:19.0	what succession character are you? And there are so many ticktocks about attachment style.
1:24.0	Your attachment style could determine the fate of your relationship.
1:28.0	Here's a really easy way to understand why you have the attachment style you have.
1:32.0	Yes, I'm going to blame your parents.
1:34.0	Great, disorganized attachment. This one trips a lot of people up.
1:37.0	The best way to describe this one is come here.
1:41.0	These descriptors are a shorthand for those also in the know.
	...

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