In therapy sessions with my patients, it has become almost routine for politics and economic concerns to compete with their more personal anxieties. Initially, I treated this as a temporary distraction from the therapy process. Yet over time, I've come to realize that these issues are not separate; they are interwoven aspects of our daily experience. The world has become increasingly unsettled, in ways that mirror our more personal issues.
Institutions we have relied upon to provide stability, conventional ideas about how to navigate major life decisions, even the the news outlets we have looked to for reliable information no longer seem relevant or trustworthy. True, we also live in a time of medical miracles, astounding technological innovation, and unlimited sources of entertainment. But overall, a feeling of uneasiness surrounds us. Even among the most fortunate of us, we often feel deeply dissatisfied, and filled with resentments of each other. How is that possible? How does that even make sense?
Economic, political, and sociological expertise can help us make some sense of this. But more is needed. The problems we are facing are psychological as much as political or economic. For this reason, we need a psychological perspective on our world to fully understand where we are and how we can regain our bearings.
As a practicing clinical psychologist for more than forty years, I have spent my entire professional life trying to understand how otherwise rational people can become overwhelmed by disturbing conflicts in their subconscious minds. I have also learned how facing painful truths can restore people to healthy functioning. However, I have now come to realize that the same processes that torment individuals can infect whole societies, even entire nations.
This book is intended to provide an overview of the psychodynamics of societies, and how things can go terribly wrong. I begin with a discussion of how our personalities are formed, how different personalities create narratives that shape their perceptions, and how the flaws in their narratives keep them from facing realities they don't want to admit. The process by which this individual dynamic becomes operative in whole societies is then explained. I go on to apply these psychological insights to understand revolutions, political extremism, moral relativism, propaganda, and war.
As with individuals, societies cannot heal themselves if they do not understand the nature of their dysfunction. We must look deeper into ourselves. I believe our societal problems can be remedied, but only if we understand the irrational forces that distort our best intentions. My hope is that this book will contribute to that understanding.
