Psychotherapy, American Culture, and Social Policy : Immoral Individualism

A lively indictment of American culture's pervasive use of the psychotherapeutic metaphor to explain behaviours, a habit that has crossed the Atlantic in recent years, arguing that psychotherapy and excessive individualism has only ensured the continuance of social problems. Psychotherapy, American Culture, and Social Policy provides a lively indictment of psychotherapy and individualism by examining American cultural structures-child-rearing, family life, mental illness, and education. Throop advances a complex argument that American reliance on psychotherapy to explain these structures is a poor justification which neglects those most in need and pain. Both interdisciplinary and solidly anthropological, this study is sure to provoke discussion from both the right and the left and cause serious consideration of Throop's call for cultural change and just social policies.--Résumé de l'éditeur Front Matter....Pages i-viii American Culture in Cross-cultural Context....Pages 1-23 Psychotherapy and Hyperindividualism....Pages 25-40 Poverty Is Just a State of Mind....Pages 41-57 The Kids Aren’t All Right....Pages 59-79 Those Who Can’t Teach....Pages 81-100 The Sacrifice of Our Children....Pages 101-116 Still Crazy after All These Years....Pages 117-139 Color Blind Hearts and Minds....Pages 141-156 Conclusion....Pages 157-169 Back Matter....Pages 171-192 This book is a lively indictment of American culture's pervasive use of the psychotherapeutic metaphor to explain behaviors. Throop argues that the use of psychotherapy and excessive individualism is profoundly unjust, working only to ensure the continuance of social problems