The Trap of Identity

When the great ideologies of the last century collapsed, attention shifted not to the social and the mass, but rather to the private, to the individual, to the self-determination of every single person. Many of those who were persecuted for their differences from the majority for centuries found in their identity a source of pride and made it the basis of their worldview.

By the 2020s, questions of personal identity had permeated the political mainstream. Today, for many leftists and liberals in Western countries, the idea of unity in the fight for their rights has been replaced by what American political scientist Yascha Mounk calls "identity synthesis." Within this ideology, the central elements of human life are skin color, sexual orientation, and ethnic affiliation — and the unique becomes more important than the unifying, while those who do not belong to oppressed minorities are asked to be silent and listen.

But in reality, these good intentions lead only to increased divisiveness among people and alienate many from leftist ideas, which plays into the hands of the right and conservatives.
In this book, translated into seven languages, Mounk closely examines the history and secrets of the success of identity synthesis, uncovers the dangers of modern woke culture, and offers ways out of the identity trap that can help people build a healthy society together.