The Emergence of the Empty Self

[Olm the Water King]

Why the Self Is Empty: Toward a Historically Situated Psychology by Philip Cushman, California School of Professional Psychology, Berkeley/Alameda

May 1990 - American Psychology

. . .

The Emergence of the Empty Self

Many authors have described how the bounded, masterful self has slowly and unevenly emerged in Western history. This is a self that has specific psychological boundaries, and internal locus of control, and a wish to manipulate the external world for its own personal ends. I believe that in the post-World War II era in the United States, there are indications that the present configuration of the bounded, masterful self is the empty self. By this I mean that our terrain has shaped a self that experiences a significant absence of community, tradition, and shared meaning. It experiences these social absences and their consequences "interiorly" as a lack of personal conviction and worth, and it embodies the absences as a chronic, undifferentiated emotional hunger. The post-World War II self thus yearns to acquire and consume as an unconscious way of compensating for what has been lost: It is empty.

One can see evidence of the empty self in current psychological discourse about narcissism and borderline states, the popular culture's emphasis on consuming, political advertising strategies that emphasize soothing and charisma instead of critical thought, and a nationwide difficulty in maintaining personal relationships. Broad historical forces such as industrialization, urbanization, and secularism have shaped the modern era. They have influenced the predominant psychological philosophy of our time, self-contained individualism; constructed the current configuration of the bounded self, the empty self; and developed the professions that I believe are most responsible for filling and healing the empty self, advertising and psychotherapy. Thus, the ideologies, subjects, and businesses of modern psychology have historical antecedents, economic constituents, and political consequences. They do not float suspended in time and space: They have a context.

. . .

Thoughts?

 

[Pionart]

I liked the title (of the thread), but what was quoted sounded like an essay some kid wrote for school which is just like, stringing words together. I'm probably in a very close minded mood right now.

Brings to mind

"When you think you know who you are, think again."

 

[Olm the Water King]

This is the full paper: http://nimnod.org/prose/worth_reading/why_the_self_is_empty.pdf

 

[Tengri]

Interesting paper. It's not clear whether the overall trend is emergence per se, or unguided social engineering since the Reagan era. It reminds me of a (conservative) opinion piece from a Notre Dame professor Patrick Deenan, "How a Generation Lost Its Common Culture." While it definitely sounds like Gen X's cane wagging, Deenan makes a lot of insightful connections:

The main object of modern education is to sand off remnants of any cultural or historical specificity and identity that might still stick to our students, to make them perfect company men and women for a modern polity and economy that penalizes deep commitments.

And more related to your topic:

Our education system produces solipsistic, self-contained selves whose only public commitment is an absence of commitment to a public, a common culture, a shared history. They are perfectly hollowed vessels, receptive and obedient, without any real obligations or devotions.

And more about empty selfhood:

They won’t fight against anyone, because that’s not seemly, but they won’t fight for anyone or anything either. They are living in a perpetual Truman Show, a world constructed yesterday that is nothing more than a set for their solipsism, without any history or trajectory.

I just wanted to add another level to your discussion, but maybe you've already considered this.