Societies define, reinforce, and pass on certain values, but perhaps more importantly, they provide the scaffolding for people to flourish according to those values. If human life requires the pursuit of authenticity, then we need a society that allows us to explore, redefine, and express ourselves. Society’s role here is not only reactive, however; it also forms us. By equipping us to pursue this vision of the good life, society also reinforces this vision of the good life. As a result of this mutual reinforcement, it is exceedingly difficult for us to envision an alternative to bearing the
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