In “Against Autonomy,” T.M. Suffield writes about the present cultural emphasis on autonomy, that is, being one’s authentic self without regard to how it may affect others and society. We see autonomy most vividly as the underlying philosophy behind the transgender movement, where mostly young people, contrary to all facts or exterior authority, declare themselves to be something they are not based on how they imagine themselves to be at the moment. Suffield asserts the foolishness of such thinking and advocates following Jesus Christ.
[O]ur desire for autonomy is an intrinsically terrible one. Why should we be trusted to rule our own lives and decide what constitutes our truest selves? Have you met us? To think this is a good idea, a good story to base a culture on, shows that we are terrible judges of character and demonstrates a remarkable lack of self-awareness.
