On Feb. 26, 2020, the , in partnership with the and the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein Honors Program, hosted Dr. Eli Gottlieb for a presentation on 鈥淚dentity in the Digital Age.鈥 Dr. Gottlieb, currently a visiting associate professor at George Washington University, previously ran the Mandel Leadership Institute in Jerusalem and is an expert in both philosophy and the psychology of religion.
Contrasting self-definition prior to, and in, the current digital age, Dr. Gottlieb鈥檚 talk drew from the research of William James鈥 writings in the 1890s on 鈥渆mpirical selves,鈥 Erik Erikson鈥檚 concepts of 鈥渋dentity crisis and identity formation鈥 and Kenneth Gergen鈥檚 critique of Erikson鈥檚 belief in a stable identity.
Offering a definition of 鈥渋dentity鈥 as 鈥渨ho you are,鈥 as opposed to New York Times鈥 ethicist Kwame Anthony Appiah鈥檚 definition of 鈥渨hat you are,鈥 Dr. Gottlieb demonstrated how unprecedented tensions within the realm of authenticity and individuality have arisen, with a particular focus on the effect of digital media and our phones (鈥渁 portal that is ever-beckoning鈥) on one鈥檚 ability to fully be in one place at one time.
Sharing research on loneliness, civic engagement, happiness and friendship, Dr. Gottlieb encouraged the audience to maximize offline time in a meaningful way and utilize the resources and camaraderie of religious communities to counter the social disconnection caused by our connected devices.
Dr. Eli Gottlieb
Dr. Eli Gottlieb
