The American psyche
In earlier cultural epochs, many people derived their self-worth from their relationship with God, or from their ability to be a winner in the commercial marketplace. But in a therapeutic culture people’s sense of self-worth depends on their subjective feelings about themselves. Do I feel good about myself? Do I like me? This ethos often turned people into fragile narcissists. It cut them off from moral traditions and the normal sources of meaning and identity. It pushed them in on themselves, made them self-absorbed, craving public affirmation so they could feel good about themselves. The traumatized person is cast as a passive victim unable to control his own life. He is defined by suffering and lack of agency.Left or right, apparently we’re all victims now.
The instability of the self has created an immature public culture — impulsive, dramatic, erratic and cruel. The least mature voices dominate and hurl accusations, while the most mature lie low, trying to get through the day.
Mature people are calm amid the storm because their perception lets them see the present challenges from a long-term vantage. They know that feeling crappy about yourself sometimes is a normal part of life. They are considerate to and gracious toward others because they can see situations from multiple perspectives. They can withstand the setbacks because they have pointed their life toward some concrete moral goal.