A World Without Anchors

Imagine a traveler navigating a vast ocean without a compass or map. Each wave brings a new direction, each current a new course, yet no destination can be seen, nor a guiding star to follow. This is the experience of someone immersed in the postmodern or relativist worldview—a world where the very concepts of self, truth, and meaning are questioned or denied. C.S. Lewis, in The Abolition of Man, foresaw this existential drift when he warned of a culture where individuals, severed from their metaphysical roots, might question not only truth but even the existence of their own selves (Lewis, 1943).

This essay takes the reader on a philosophical journey through the implications of the postmodern worldview. Along the way, we highlight its consequences and explore how thinkers like C.S. Lewis and classical philosophers offer a way back to a coherent and meaningful vision of the self, love, and reality.

Step One: The Postmodern Abyss—Questioning the Self

Postmodernism denies fixed identities and universal truths, claiming that reality is constructed through language, power structures, and cultural narratives. The self, once understood as a unified and substantial being, becomes fragmented and contingent (Foucault, 1977).

C.S. Lewis on the Loss of Self

In The Abolition of Man, Lewis critiques modern relativism, describing it as a philosophy that "deconstructs the Tao" (natural law or universal truth). Without the Tao, individuals lose not only a moral framework but also their understanding of themselves as coherent beings. He writes, “We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst” (Lewis, 1943, p. 34). This deconstruction of the moral and metaphysical order leads to individuals who, having rejected their essence, question their very existence.

Practical Implications

1. Identity Crisis: Without a fixed self, people feel unmoored. The explosion of self-identification categories in modern culture reflects both a search for meaning and an inability to find it.
2. Mental Health Epidemic: Rates of depression and anxiety have surged as people struggle to define their place in a fragmented, relativist world (Twenge et al., 2017).

Vignette: Imagine a young woman scrolling through social media, inundated with competing narratives about what it means to "be herself." She feels compelled to constantly reinvent her identity, yet each new attempt leaves her feeling hollow and disconnected.

Step Two: The Illusion of Liberation

Postmodernism promises liberation by rejecting the "oppressive" frameworks of truth, morality, and essence. Yet, this supposed freedom often devolves into chaos and despair.

Freedom Without Grounding

Lewis, in Mere Christianity, notes that freedom without moral grounding is not true freedom but bondage to chaos. He uses the analogy of a fleet of ships: for the fleet to sail successfully, each ship must be seaworthy (individual morality) and follow a common course (universal truth). Postmodern relativism abandons both, leaving ships adrift and prone to collision (Lewis, 1952).

Consequences of "Liberation"

1. The Tyranny of Power: Foucault’s postmodern analysis reduces all relationships to power dynamics. Without universal truths, power becomes the only arbiter of meaning (Foucault, 1980).
2. Moral Paralysis: Relativism paralyzes ethical decision-making. If no action is inherently good or bad, how can one justify any course of action?

Analogy: A person offered unlimited choices in a grocery store without prices, labels, or guidance will likely feel overwhelmed and unable to choose. Postmodernism offers infinite "freedom," but without direction, it leads to indecision and frustration.

Step Three: The Collapse of Love and Relationality

Postmodern Redefinitions of Love

Postmodernism reduces love to a social construct or power negotiation. Genuine love, which requires substantial beings capable of giving and receiving, is impossible in a framework where the self and the other are fluid, fragmented concepts (Bauman, 2003).

C.S. Lewis on Love and Relationality

In The Four Loves, Lewis explains that love is only meaningful when it is grounded in a reality greater than ourselves. He writes, “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken” (Lewis, 1960). Love requires risk and trust, both of which presuppose the existence of a stable self and other.

Without substantial being, love collapses into self-serving utility or ephemeral pleasure. Relationality becomes shallow, as no "other" exists to truly encounter.

Step Four: The Nihilistic Horizon

The Final Consequence: Nihilism

Postmodernism’s deconstruction of self, truth, and love leads to nihilism—the belief that life is devoid of meaning or value. Nietzsche foresaw this collapse when he declared, “God is dead” (Nietzsche, 1882). Without God or a metaphysical framework, all that remains is the "will to power."

C.S. Lewis and the Abolition of Humanity

Lewis warns that rejecting the transcendent leads to the abolition of humanity itself. In The Abolition of Man, he predicts a future where humans, having dismantled their essence, become tools of their own technological or ideological creations. He writes, “What we call Man's power over Nature turns out to be a power exercised by some men over other men with Nature as its instrument” (Lewis, 1943, p. 55).

Step Five: The Journey to Restoration

Rediscovering the Self

The way back from the postmodern abyss begins with a rediscovery of the self as a substantial being. This involves embracing the metaphysical reality that we are created with intrinsic worth and purpose.

Reclaiming Love and Relationality

True love and relationality require a stable foundation. By affirming the existence of substantial beings, we can restore relationships to their proper depth and dignity.

Example: In a marriage, the commitment to love "in sickness and in health" presupposes the enduring existence of the spouses as substantial beings, not as transient constructs.

Anchoring in the Transcendent

Lewis argues that only by acknowledging a reality beyond ourselves can we find true meaning. In Mere Christianity, he writes, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world” (Lewis, 1952, p. 136).

Conclusion: From Fragmentation to Fulfillment

The postmodern journey begins with the rejection of Being and ends in nihilism. Yet, there is a way forward—a path of restoration through the rediscovery of substantial being, love, and the transcendent source of all meaning. C.S. Lewis and classical thinkers provide a roadmap for this journey, inviting us to move beyond the shifting sands of relativism to the solid ground of truth. Only by anchoring ourselves in this reality can we reclaim the fullness of our humanity, our relationships, and our purpose.

References

• Bauman, Z. (2003). Liquid Love: On the Frailty of Human Bonds. Polity Press.
• Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. Vintage.
• Foucault, M. (1980). Power/Knowledge: Selected Interviews and Other Writings, 1972–1977. Pantheon Books.
• Lewis, C. S. (1943). The Abolition of Man. Oxford University Press.
• Lewis, C. S. (1952). Mere Christianity. HarperOne.
• Lewis, C. S. (1960). The Four Loves. HarperOne.
• Nietzsche, F. (1882). The Gay Science. Vintage.
• Twenge, J. M., et al. (2017). "Increases in Depression and Anxiety Among Adolescents and Young Adults." Psychological Bulletin, 143(8), 1036-1054.