Who Are You, Really?
Summary
Host Shankar Vedantam interviews Eric Oliver, author of *How to Know Yourself, who argues that the quest for a single, static self is a modern illusion. Oliver explains that humans are complex processes comprising conflicting biological, animal, and social selves, not fixed entities. He suggests that true self-knowledge involves recognizing these internal divisions and using contemplative practices to navigate them, rather than seeking a singular, perfect identity.
Topics discussed
Introduction: The Mirror of Erised and the quest for self
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Eric Chaisson on his journey to know thyself
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The biological reality of the self: Cells and microbiome
Internal conflicts: Animal self vs. linguistic self
System 1 vs. System 2 thinking and politics
Personas, masks, and the illusion of a unified self
Contemplative practices to understand the self
The cat philosopher and interconnectedness
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Scott Barry Kaufman on IQ tests and intelligence
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Listener stories on labeling and giftedness
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Redefining intelligence and self-actualization
Closing credits and final ads
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