Identity is at the Intersection of Responsibility & Faith

[December 14, 2025] There is an intriguing idea that has been discussed philosophically since mankind first walked on Earth, but it hasn’t gained much traction in recent times. That is the idea that our identity lies at the intersection of responsibility and faith.  

For those who listen to Dr. Jordan Peterson, you might be familiar with the fringes of this idea. At a conference in London a couple of years ago, he gave a short talk in which he encouraged us to adopt a life of responsibility and sacrifice, believing it leads to a meaningful and fulfilling life. By adopting this perspective, we can make a positive impact on the world.

“We find ourselves in the midst of a so-called culture war.  It’s a psychological and social minefield.”

What Dr. Peterson offers us to help navigate the minefield is a useful, inviting, productive, and generous solution. He presents this as a starting point because “we’re at odds with one another about identity.” To reduce tension and promote “proper social peace,” we can’t just criticize recent identity issues. We must offer an alternative.

He asks, “What should identify must and should be?” He says that this is the “answer” to the issue of identify, and that faith and responsibility are the foundation upon which it must exist.  

Faith, he notes, is a form of courage that allows you to embrace the possibilities of the future with open arms. “Possibility” because the future is the outward expression of potential becoming reality. The possibility of the future is what we face: the unknown of what could be. We ask ourselves how best to handle it. One answer is courageous faith because we cannot know the future. We act on the belief that existence itself is inherently good, no matter what.

What we should do is look toward the future and create a vision that provides us with hope and security, then take responsibility to turn that vision into reality. Our identity is the union of faith and responsibility.  

Dr. Peterson then asks the question we all should consider: “How does a proper identity unite faith and responsibility?” Our identity does this in a “hierarchical subsidiary manner.” He believes this is reflected in the stories of Heaven and Earth in the Bible, where the Earth and its inhabitants live within the bounds of goodness and godliness. To rise and improve oneself can be seen as a scaffold, metaphorically, and it is that scaffold that forms our identity.

Dr. Peterson shares a story about his young son to teach him how to tidy up his room. He shows his son how to see his teddy bear, then how to pick it up, carry it to the shelf, and place it on the shelf. This marks the start of learning micro-routines that are part of the process of cleaning his room. It also demonstrates how we teach children to understand this idea and then actually clean their rooms. In doing so, his child learns to be cooperative, polite, useful, and how to please his parents.

“That is part of the proper role of being in the family, which is a broader form of sharing, and the start of his ability to play properly with others. It also marks the beginning of his potential to become a friend within the community and mature. As he matures, his vision expands step by step until it covers not just his immediate wants but also what is good for him in the medium to long term. His vision broadens not only so he can achieve what benefits him, but also so he includes more people within the scope of his vision. By the time he reaches adulthood, he can take responsibility for himself. He knows how to be hospitable, how to play with others, and how to take responsibility for a partner—and they do the same with him. Together, they take responsibility for their children, which provides them with satisfaction, adventure, a sense of responsibility, burden, and purpose in life. This can then be embedded into the community, allowing them to take on even greater responsibilities.”

The spirit that permeates the entire hierarchy and resides at the top is akin to the spirit of goodness itself. It is usually linked with the highest and traditionally associated with God.  

Your identity encompasses everything, from the lowest to the highest at once. This is what psychologists call genuine human flourishing. He also notes that one of the disservices that clinicians have done to the Western world and beyond is that mental health is somehow subjective. Dr. Peterson firmly states that this is not true. And we know it’s not true even if we cannot always express it in words.

Some people feel miserable because their lives lack purpose. Life isn’t just about chasing immediate, self-centered goals and desires. These pursuits aren’t fulfilling because they ignore your long-term well-being, who you will become in the future, or your social responsibilities. 

This is what harmony in serving others truly means: from small acts, like putting the teddy bear away, to helping your community. All of it defines who we are. This is how we earn nobility and courage. We do this by bearing the weight of the world and struggling uphill. It’s through that struggle that the true meaning of life appears.

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Please read my books:

1. “55 Rules for a Good Life,” on Amazon (link here).
2. “Our Longest Year in Iraq,” on Amazon (link here).