You Will Never be Good Enough Ep7

To close out this mini-series on What do we owe to one another?, I’m turning the question inward—what do we owe to ourselves?

In this episode, we take a critical look at self-improvement culture. From extreme morning routines to endless wellness trends and diet hacks, we’re constantly told that becoming our “best self” is just one more habit, product, or mindset shift away. But are these practices really helping us live more authentic lives, as Beauvoir would encourage? Or are we being pulled into a journey of self-deception, carefully packaged by companies that profit from our insecurities?

With Beauvoir’s focus on authenticity and freedom as our guide, we’ll unpack how capitalism shapes the way we think about personal growth, and ask whether chasing constant “improvement” is actually keeping us from living genuinely.

If you’ve ever felt exhausted by the pressure to optimize every part of your life, this episode might offer a different perspective, and maybe even permission to just be.

Show Notes

Beauvoir, Simone de. (1947) 2018. The Ethics of Ambiguity. New York: Open Road Integrated Media.

“Everything You Need to Know about the 75 Hard Challenge.” 2023. Cleveland Clinic. November 9, 2023. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/75-hard-challenge-and-rules.

Maria Santa Poggi. 2024. “The ‘Morning Shed’ and the Prison of Being Perpetually Hot.” Allure. Allure. July 26, 2024. https://www.allure.com/story/tiktok-morning-shed-beauty-trend.

Pitcher, Laura. 2023. “TikTok Diet Culture’s Unhealthy Obsession with Protein.” Nylon. July 27, 2023. https://www.nylon.com/beauty/tiktok-diet-culture-unhealthy-obsession-with-protein-animal-based.