Burnout Society – Dr. R.J. Snell
Dr. R. J. Snell analyzes our “burnout society” as an achievement-obsessed culture that drives people to anxiety, depression, and exhaustion by demanding endless self-optimization while starving them of leisure, contemplation, and a meaningful narra...
March 13, 2026
50 min
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March 13, 2026
Burnout Society – Dr. R.J. Snell
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50:13This episodeBurnout Society – Dr. R.J. Snell
Summary
<p>Dr. R. J. Snell analyzes our “burnout society” as an achievement-obsessed culture that drives people to anxiety, depression, and exhaustion by demanding endless self-optimization while starving them of leisure, contemplation, and a meaningful narrative for their lives.</p><p><br /></p><p>This lecture was given on December 8th, 2025, at University of Pennsylvania.</p><p><br /></p><p>For more information on upcoming events, visit us at <a href="https://thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events" target="_blank">thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>About the Speakers:</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">R. J. Snell is Editor-in-Chief of Public Discourse and Director of Academic Programs at the Witherspoon Institute in Princeton, NJ. He has been a visiting instructor at Princeton University, where he is also executive director of the Aquinas Institute for Catholic Life. He's written books and articles on Natural Law, Education, Bernard Lonergan, Boredom, Subjectivity, and Sexual Ethics for a variety of publications.</span></p><p><br /></p><p>Keywords: Achievement Society, Attention Economy, Burnout and Depression, Byung-Chul Han, Disenchantment and Meaning, Existential Poverty, Leisure and Contemplation, Sabbath Rest, Student Anxiety, Thin Soul</p>





























