Standing at the Global Crossroads
Why We Need the Ancient Paths
We often read about our globalized world, but the world isn’t fully globalized everywhere. Political and economic systems aren’t uniform, and goods don’t flow freely across all borders. But though American culture hasn’t spread equally to every corner of the globe, the digital age and the social media it has spawned are clearly reshaping how we humans see ourselves and how we consume, even coming to define who we are. Looking at our values today might help us understand whether biblical wisdom still offers guidance in a world that seems to be fundamentally changing what it means to be human.
During times of social upheaval, biblical messages often resonate: “You are standing at the crossroads. So consider your path. Ask where the old, reliable paths are. Ask where the path is that leads to blessing and follow it. If you do, you will find rest for your souls” (God’s words to His people through Jeremiah).
As I was thinking about these shifts, the work of sociologist David Riesman came to mind. Soon after World War II, he and his team wrote The Lonely Crowd: A Study of the Changing American Character. In many ways, their insights feel even more relevant now, 75 years later. They identified three basic social-character types and said that while a “tradition-directed” type once dominated, it no longer held much sway in Western life.
Two other patterns had taken center stage, Riesman wrote. He described “inner-directed” people as those who follow their own core principles and values—a kind of internal compass. By contrast, the “other-directed” person is basically guided by social “radar,” constantly adjusting to what others expect. Most people show traits of both; but Riesman believed we should instead value personal autonomy—the freedom to shape our beliefs and actions by reasoned values rather than by ingrained ideas (inner) or external pressure (other).
“I have set forth some thoughts about the middle-class world of work and play, in the hope of finding ways in which a more autonomous type of social character might develop.”
It’s easy to see why both types still exist today. People who are other-directed get their cues mainly from social media and peer judgment, and their attention patterns are being rewired as a result. The inner-directed, on the other hand, focus on personal authenticity and sometimes push back against the dominance of other-directedness.
Research shows that people who live by strong values—pursuing meaningful goals such as personal growth, relationships and community—feel less anxious and depressed than those who seek such external rewards as money, fame or image. These inner-directed people also handle disappointment, stress, chronic pain and trauma better than other-directed people.
But there’s more to the story. The growing dominance of other-directed behavior over inner-directed isn’t just an American phenomenon; it’s becoming a global export.
Life is increasingly centered on likes, shares and followers. Focusing on our personal brand is no longer seen as self-absorbed but as the new normal. Now the key to acceptance is expressing our identity on social media through the choices we make as consumers. Yet none of this is free choice but rather manipulation by algorithms that track and report our every move.
Is this new way of living really an improvement?
In Riesman’s analysis, many inner-directed people chose secular moral values over traditional religious ones. Today, secular inner-direction is being overtaken by consumer-driven other-direction through social media and online peer pressure. We’re also seeing more people struggle with mental-health issues—a growing problem for those who are caught in the social-acceptance trap.
So does religious truth still have something to offer? Riesman, coming from a secular viewpoint, saw autonomy—or personal freedom—as the solution, not rigid conformity. Biblical wisdom actually teaches freedom too. In Jesus’ words: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Jeremiah’s audience exercised their autonomy and refused to choose the reliable path. To their own hurt they said, “We will not follow it!”
What about us? Will we look for the old reliable paths? For true freedom? If you’re interested in exploring these ideas further, check out the Vision article collection, “A Question of Values.”