Why the worship of the self leaves us more afraid

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 18 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In an era of rapid change and rising extremism, we often retreat into the safety of the individual. But Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks argues that this focus on the 'I' creates a profound vulnerability. To face the future without fear, we must pivot from the politics of self to the politics of 'all of us.'

Sacks identifies a modern crisis of anxiety fueled by divisive elections and divided societies. He suggests that our current predicament stems from a shift toward 'the worship of the self.' He predicts that future anthropologists will look at our self-help literature, our obsession with individual rights, and even the 'selfie' as evidence of a new religious ritual that prioritizes the individual over the collective. This inward turn creates a fundamental conflict with our social nature. Sacks argues that humans have an inherent need for friendship, trust, loyalty, and love—elements that are eroded when the 'I' dominates the 'we.' When we prioritize our own comfort and surround ourselves only with familiar ideas, we suffer from a lack of growth and become more susceptible to fear and loneliness.

Sacks suggests bolstering the 'future us' across three distinct areas: 'us of identity', 'us of responsibility', and 'us of relationship'. He exemplifies the 'us of relationship' by recounting how a woman who contrasted with him shaped his personal development. He concludes that the only way to save ourselves from our own anxieties is through the collective—the only people who can save us from ourselves are the people, all of us together.

Sacks's perspective is rooted in the idea that growth requires engaging with those who are not like us. In a world of 'narrowcasting,' where we choose only what is comfortable, we lose the friction necessary for development. By moving toward a collective identity, we move from a state of existential angst toward a shared resilience.

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