We may be overly accustomed to the contemporary phenomenon of self-help, a genre of ideas that claims that any problem can be overcome with positive thinking, good vibes, and pseudo-spiritual strategies. This trend may seem harmless, but it often fills people with false hope. Human life is way more complex than that. Alarmingly enough, this kind of pseudo-thinking has seeped into virtually every realm of contemporary life, replacing facts with feelings and realistic plans with empty promises. This shift is not limited to the United States; it is a global phenomenon.
Now, this trend is far from new; it echoes patterns as old as humanity itself.Augustine of Hippo, the prominent church father known as the Doctor of Grace, offers valuable insights into these issues –and many others. Augustine’s doctrine of original sin (often sadly misunderstood) is particularly relevant because it addresses success, failure, and human nature in ways that resonate with contemporary concerns.
St. Augustine, born in 354 A.D. in Roman North Africa, was a theologian and philosopher whose works shaped Western Christianity –and philosophy. His writings, especially Confessions and City of God explore themes of sin, grace, and human nature. If properly understood, Augustine’s concept of original sin suggests that all human beings are born with a tendency to sin: human beings are inherently flawed and in need of divine grace for salvation.
Augustine’s view of sin highlights the human capacity for evil, but also makes room for drastic, oftentimes dramatic and sudden improvement. By acknowledging our flaws, we can strive for advance through self-knowledge, discipline, and the seeking of grace. This dual capacity is crucial to understanding human behavior and social dynamics.
In modern times, the self-help industry’s emphasis on positive thinking often neglects the deeper, more complex aspects of human nature that Augustine addressed. His works remind us that while optimism and positive thinking might have their place, they must be balanced with a realistic understanding of human imperfection. Augustine’s perspective suggests that true improvement, first and foremost, implies an (often painful) recognition of our limitations (our sin, and even our own willed evil) before we can even think of working on overcoming them. Augustine’s realism makes it clear: one cannot just rely on superficial solutions.
Augustine’s insights have implications in our everyday public, social, and familiar life too. Our contemporary tendency to replace factual, actionable plans with feel-good rhetoric falls victim to the same superficiality criticized in the self-help culture. Augustine would argue that owning our lives requires a sober understanding of human nature, acknowledging its conflictive, dual nature.
A six-minute video from The School of Life (see below) succinctly explains Augustine’s doctrine of original sin and its relevance to success, failure, and everyday life –both private and public. It provocatively suggests that Augustine’s ancient wisdom can offer profound lessons for our contemporary struggles –easily debunking widespread superficial solutions.
And today we celebrate...