I Do, Therefore I Am
From identity‑as‑function to identity‑as‑recognition.
The old contract
For centuries, identity rode on function. You were what you could do: your trade, output, usefulness. That contract made sense in a world where doing was scarce and difficult.
What’s changing
As tools eat function, “I do, therefore I am” collapses. If machines can do almost everything, what’s left of us? A lot—if we ground identity in recognition, not production.
The new center: recognition
- Witness: attention has value. Seeing truly reduces harm.
- Discern: choose low‑curvature actions; leave people lighter.
- Repair: when you bend something, make it right fast.
- Rhythm: live by cadences that keep you clear and kind.
Practices to shift the center
- Daily two‑minute listen; one tiny act of service; one repair if needed.
- Weekly coherence block (walk, worship, shared meal, or silence).
- Monthly simplification: remove one obligation that adds more strain than it gives.