Episode #246 ... The Myth of the Self-Made Person - Alasdair Macintyre

The modern "common-sense" ideal of the autonomous, self-made individual obscures the fundamental reality that humans are "dependent rational animals." This perspective, rooted in Alasdair MacIntyre’s work, argues that vulnerability and dependence are not shameful failures but inherent, unavoidable features of human existence from birth through old age. True flourishing requires "virtues of acknowledged dependence"—such as generosity and *misericordia*—which are as essential as traditional virtues like justice or courage. Rationality itself is not an innate ability that transcends our animal nature; rather, it is a skill cultivated through social support and caregiving. Consequently, human success is best measured not by individual achievement or economic efficiency, but by the strength of communal "networks of giving and receiving" that prioritize the well-being of all members, including those who are currently dependent.