44 min

14. "On Our Best Behavior" With Elise Loehnen The Terrible Reading Club

    • Books

What does it really mean to be a good person? Have you ever wondered why you consider one public figure to be “good” and another “bad”? Where those frameworks for so-called goodness came from?
Turns out they date all the way back to the fourth century, as journalist Elise Loehnen found out while researching her new book “On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good.”
Contrary to popular belief, the seven deadly sins — lust, greed, envy, sloth and the rest of the crew — weren’t actually a Biblical decree from on high. Regardless of their proximity to God, the expectations set by the infamous sins have been holding women back ever since. So where do we draw the line between “good” and “good enough?” Elise and Nora discuss the origin of sins, why women bear the brunt of these expectations and how to reframe your view of “goodness.”
Wanna read the book? When you purchase from Apple Books or Bookshop.org, you help support our show!
For book discussion guides and a community of Terrible bookworms just like you, join The Terrible Reading Club on Substack! It's free!
Got a book recommendation? Send it our way by emailing us at terriblereadingclub@feelingsand.co.
Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co.
The episode transcript can be found here or at the episode website link.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it really mean to be a good person? Have you ever wondered why you consider one public figure to be “good” and another “bad”? Where those frameworks for so-called goodness came from?
Turns out they date all the way back to the fourth century, as journalist Elise Loehnen found out while researching her new book “On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good.”
Contrary to popular belief, the seven deadly sins — lust, greed, envy, sloth and the rest of the crew — weren’t actually a Biblical decree from on high. Regardless of their proximity to God, the expectations set by the infamous sins have been holding women back ever since. So where do we draw the line between “good” and “good enough?” Elise and Nora discuss the origin of sins, why women bear the brunt of these expectations and how to reframe your view of “goodness.”
Wanna read the book? When you purchase from Apple Books or Bookshop.org, you help support our show!
For book discussion guides and a community of Terrible bookworms just like you, join The Terrible Reading Club on Substack! It's free!
Got a book recommendation? Send it our way by emailing us at terriblereadingclub@feelingsand.co.
Find all our shows and our store at feelingsand.co.
The episode transcript can be found here or at the episode website link.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

44 min