You Are What You Do – Review
I told my wife I was reading a book titled You Are What You Do and she told me that she definitely didn’t want to read that. Then I revealed the subtitle: And Six Other Lies About Work, Life, & Love. That changed things.
This is one of the most timely books in that it captures so many of the current trends. This may end up being a weakness in that we have no idea how long many of these trends will still be around.
Ultimately it doesn’t really matter. Although the book is illustrated by certain aspects of society and life that are currently trendy, it is really about timeless principles. None of these seven myths are ever going to stop being temptations.
Here are the seven myths:
- You are what you do.
- You are what you experience.
- You are who you know.
- You are what you know.
- You are what you own.
- You are who you raise.
- You are your past.
In some ways this was a difficult book to read. Not because of the style, as Daniel Im is a gifted writer. Rather some of the myths hit too close to home.
I found myself pushing back at certain points. For example, I really value experiences and the gaining of knowledge. Those, and some of the other things he mentions, are not necessarily bad. In fact they are worthy goals.
I had to keep reminding myself about the first part of the myth: “You are…” The point is not that these things are bad, the point is that we shouldn’t find our identity in them.
For example, it is good for us to want to raise successful children. But our identity should not be wrapped up in the choices they make.
Daniel Im has presented these important reminders clothed in current trends, such as the gig economy. Im has his finger on the pulse of culture but also on the message of the Bible.
Jesus calls us to rise above the things that the world offers for our identity. We can benefit from these things without being defined by them. This is a message we all need to hear even if you might not want to.
