DearWonderfulStudyGuideParticipants,
AsFourthofJulycelebrationsgetunderwaythisweekend,itseems@ittingto@ind
timethismonthtocontemplatesomeofthedeepermeaningsandfeaturesofthe
Americanexperiment.AndasIdiscoveredwhileresearchingPartIV:APovertyof
Meaning:CapitalismandConsumerismforAmericaontheCouch,oneofthecentral
featuresofthatexperimenthasbeenoureconomicstory.Indeed,asIwriteinmy
introductiontothissection,oneoftheimportantbackstoriestotheRevolutionary
Warandthestruggleforthecauseoflibertyconcernedthe“intellectualfermentand
creativeexpressionsofdissentandprotestthataroseamongtheearlycolonists
whenfacedwithaseriesofoppressivetaxandtraderestrictionsimposedupon
thembytheBritishinthedecadebeforetheRevolution.”Indeed,fromthebeginning,
theNorthAmericancolonieswere“enterprising,bold,andacquisitive”—
entrepreneurialtraitsthatremainingrainedinournationalcharactertothisday.
ButwhiletheearliestcolonistsandsettlerstoAmericafacedawildernesslackingin
anyofthegoodsandamenities(suchashouses,orstorestobuyclothes,food,or
dishes)they’dbeenusedtointheOldWorldthey’d@led,Americatodaybrimswitha
materialismvirtuallyunknowninthehistoryoftheplanet.FromTargettoK-Mart,
fromSafewaytoWholeFoods,weareanationofconsumersfacedwithadazzling
arrayofchoicesinthematerialsphereoflife.Andasthesixthinkersinterviewedin
thischaptermakeclear,thisrichnessofmaterialismandchoicedoesnotalways
equatetorichnessofqualityoflife.
EachofthefourselectionsI’vechosenforthismonth’sStudyGuidearepassagesthat
IhopewilldeepenourunderstandingofAmerica’sunderlyingcomplexesandmyths
aroundoureconomicsystemofcapitalism,andthatwillalsobroadour
consciousnessaroundthewaystheselargerforcesshapeourpersonalrelationship
tomoneyoutsideoureverydayawareness.InSelectionOne,psychoanalystPaul
Wachteldiscussesthe“pursuitofhappiness”clausefromtheDeclarationof
Independenceandhowitmightberede@inedinourtime,aswellasthe
psychologicalconceptof“dissociation”asitrelatestoourculturalpreoccupation
withmaterialism.SelectionTwodrawsfrommyinterviewwithJungiananalyst
ThomasSinger,inwhichhediscussesAmerica’s“moneycomplex”andhow,inhis
de@inition,becomingmoreawareofhowthatcomplexaffectsusasconsumersis
partofbeingagoodcitizen.And@inally,inSelectionThree,JungiananalystBud
Harrisexaminesmoneyandwealthasthe“falseselfofAmerica,”aswellashowthe
lingeringeffectsofthedeepculturalandpersonaltraumacausedbytheGreat
Depressionhelpedtocreatethat"falseself."Eachselectionincludesquestionsand
exercisesonhowweasindividualscanbringtothesurfaceourownhidden
personalnarrativesaroundmoneyandmaterialism,aswellastheancestraland
familystories(especiallyaroundprivationandscarcity)thathavecomedowntous
andthatcontinuetoshapeusaswell.
Asalways,Ihopethattheseselectionsinspireyoutoreadandstudytheintroduction
tothischapter,inwhichIgivesomehistoricalbackgroundonAmericancapitalism
andconsumerism,aswellaseachofthesixinterviews.Andforthosewhowould
liketosharetheirinsightsandre@lections,I'dwelcomeyourresponsesonthe
facebookpageI'vesetupfortheAmericaontheCouchStudyGuideGroup,atthis
link:https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=america%20on%20the%20couch
%20study%20guide%20group.
Inclosing,IwisheveryoneahappyIndependenceDayandFourthofJuly.
Withgreatappreciationforyourongoinginterestandparticipation,
Pythia
[email protected]
July2016AmericaontheCouchStudyGuide
PartFour:APovertyofMeaning:CapitalismandConsumerism
IncomeinequalityintheUnitedStatescontinuestoincrease.NewIRStaxdatafrom
EmmanuelSaez,aresearcheratU.C.Berkeleywhostudiesincomeinequality—
oftencollaboratingwithFrencheconomistThomasPiketty—showsthatincome
inequalitybetweenthetop1percentofincomeearnersandthebottom99percent
increasedagainin2015.
Eventhoughthe1percentarestilldoingbetterthantherestofus,seeing7.7
percentincomegrowthin2015,thereisalittlebitofgoodnewsinthedata:The
bottom99percentsawthelargestrealincomegrowthin17years.Averagepeople’s
incomesrosenearly4percentlastyear.–TheHuf>ingtonPost,Business.ByShane
Ferro,July1,2016.
SelectionOne:FromChapter21:TooMuchStuff,TooLittleHappiness:An
InterviewwithPaulL.Wachtel,Ph.D.
PythiaPeay:Andthatsubjectiveunderstanding,ofhowpeoplefeel,iswhat
psychologyaddstoourunderstandingofdemocracyandoureconomic
infrastructure.Isthathowyouwouldseeit?
PaulWachtel:Yes,Idoseeitthatway.Ithinkit’sinterestinginthisregardto
contemplatetheDeclarationofIndependence,andtheideaof“life,liberty,andthe
pursuitofhappiness.”Buthappinessisnotjustmeasurablebydollarsandcents,or
whethertheeconomyismoving.Itistruethatiftheeconomyisn’tmoving,andif
largenumbersofpeopleareunemployedandsoon,we’renotsohappyasacountry.
Butit’salsotruethatifwereallypaidattentiontothepursuitofhappiness,we
wouldhaveaverydifferentwayofevaluatingitandorganizingoursociety.
Questions:
--HaveyoueverreallycontemplatedthephrasefromtheDeclarationofIndependence
“life,liberty,andthepursuitofhappiness”?Whiletherearescholarlyde>initionstobe
found,whatdoesitmeantoyoupersonally?
--Howwouldyouinterpretthephrase“pursuitofhappiness”inyourownlife?Areyou
intouchwithwhatbringsyougenuinehappiness,inthissense,ordoesyourwayoflife
workagainstit?
--HowdoyoubelievethatAmericanculturede>inesthe“pursuitofhappiness”?If,as
Wachtelstates,wereallypaidattentiontothisphrase,we’d“evaluateandorganizeit
differently”whatwouldthepursuitofhappinessinAmericalooklikeonabroader
culturescale?
PP:Butisn’tpartofthefactthatwe’reevenhavingthisdiscussionduetothefact
thatthere’saprevailingvaluesysteminthecountrythatismoredriventobecoming
successfuleconomically,versuswhatyouwriteaboutinyourbook,psychologicalor
innerdevelopment?
PW:Yes,Ithinkinonesensethat’strue.ButIthinkanotherpsychological
phenomenonthatI’vewitnessedthroughoutmyprofessionalcareer,andthatplays
animportantrolepsychologicallyaroundhowtheeconomyisaffectingus,is
capturedbytheconceptofdissociation.AsI’vebecomeincreasinglyawareofthis
fact,I’vecometothinkthatpeoplearen’tsimplymaterialistic.Infact,Ithinkit’s
morethecasethatpeoplesimultaneouslyhavereallystrongwishesandpreferences
foralifethathasmorebreadth,morerelatedness,moretime,andmorebeingwith
friendsandfamilyevenwhiletheyceaselessly—andattheexpenseofthosewishes
—striveformaterialwealthandsecurity.Thesetwoaims,andtheircontradictions,
aredissociated.Thatis,whenwedon’tmaketheconnections,wefailinstillanother
waytoseethetotalpackage.Andnumbersandstatisticsaresoseductive,because
theyhelpustonotnoticethecontradictionsandtensionsbylayingouteverything
alongasingleaxisof“moreandless.”Andifthequestionisonly“Doyouwantmore
materially?”or“Doyouwantless?”theanswerisalmostalwaysthateverybody
wantsmore.
Butthethingaboutmoneyisthatitlendsitselftooeasilyto“moreandless.”It’s
muchharderforpeopletoknow,forexample,iftheirrelationshipwiththeirpartner
isbetternowthanitwas@iveyearsago,orifit’sworse,orthesame,orbetterthan
theirnextdoorneighbors’relationship.Thosearedif@icultthingstoevaluateifIhave
moremoneythanIhad@iveyearsago,orifIhavemoremoneythanmyneighbors.
Thesearetheareaswherewemeasureourselves,andindoingso,weendup
forgettingalotofotherthingsthataretrulyimportanttous.Inotherwords,Idon’t
thinkit’sjustthatwe’rematerialistic.Ithinkit’sthatwe’redrawntothatmore
materialisticsideofourselvesbyalotofforcesthatmakeusforgetourselves.
--Inwhatwayshaveyoubecome“dissociated”fromtheeffectsoflivingina
predominantlymaterialisticculture?Doyoubelievethatthosewho“havemore”are
byculturalde>initionhappierandmoreful>illedthanthosewho“haveless”?
--Wheredoyouplaceyourselfonthecontinuumof“wantingmore”or“wantingless”?
Areyousatis>iedwithyourlifematerially?
--Whatoutside,largerculturalforcescanyounamethat,againstyourwill,may
pressureyoufrombeingcontentwithyourlifeasitisnow,orthatmakesyouforget
yourinner,deeperselfanditsneeds?
SelectionTwo:FromChapter23:IsAmerica’s“MoneyComplex”BankruptingIts
Character?AnInterviewwithThomasSinger,M.D.
TomSinger:Alittleskepticismandironyisasteptowardsconsciousness.Acultural
complexiseverywhere;itsurroundsyouandyouswiminit.Andsotobebothofit
andnotfullyofitisdif@iculttoachieve.Thismeansbothappreciatingallthegood
thingsthatmoneycanbuy,butalsothatwe’reallcaughtinthiscomplex,weall
partakeofit,andweneedsomesortofself-re@lectionsothatwedon’tbecome
totallyidenti@iedwithit.Toomuchmoneyisoftenatremendousburdenandcanget
inthewayofindividualdevelopment.
PythiaPeay:IsbecomingconsciousofAmerica’smoneycomplexoneofour
“psychologicaltasks”asacitizen?
TS:Forme,awarenessofourculturalcomplexesisthebeginningofbeingagood
citizen.Becausetheydon’tjustdisappear,it’sapsychologicaltasktobothidentify
thecomplexesthataredrivingthecollectivepsycheandthentrytoaddressthemin
athoughtfulway,ratherthanbeingblindlypossessedbythem.Whateverthe
complexis—whetherapowercomplex,oramotherorfathercomplex—wecan’t
eradicatethem,sowehavetodevelopahumanrelationshiptoourpersonal
complex,aswellaswithaculturalcomplex.
PP:Soit’[email protected]
historyontheirfamilystoryaroundmoney.
TS:Whenweaddressmoneypsychologicallyit’sadoubletask,becauseit’sgotboth
apersonaldimensionandaculturallayer.Soit’samatterofcitizensexaminingtheir
ownupbringingandthevalueofmoneyintheirfamily,whethertheywerebornwith
toomuchmoneyornotenough.Howdidtheirexperiencearoundmoneycompareto
whattheysawaroundthem?Diditmirrortheculture,orwasitdifferent?But
ultimately,it’simportanttobecomeawareofwhatthecultureisinundatinguswith,
andthentodifferentiateourownindividualrelationshiptomoney.Andthat’sno
easytask.
Questions:
--InwhatwaysdoyounoticeAmerica’s“moneycomplex”atworkinthelarger
culture?
--Howhasthis“moneycomplex”shiftedorchangedoveryourlifetime?
--Canyoulistsomeimages,symbols,movies,books,orotherculturalnarrativesthat
expressAmerica’s“moneycomplex”asSingerdescribesit?
--Asapersonalexercise,describeyourownfamily’s“moneycomplex,”usingSinger’s
ownquestionsasaguide:
a.Werethey(yourparents,orevenyourgrandparentsandotherrelativesorancestors
whomayhaveaffectedyourfamilystory)bornwithtoomuchmoneyornotenough?
b.Howdidtheirexperiencearoundmoneycomparetowhattheysawaroundthem?
c.Didit(theirexperience)mirrortheculture,orwasitdifferent?
SelectionThree:Chapter24:AnalyzingtheAmericanDream:AnInterviewwith
BudHarris
PythiaPeay:I’vehearditsaidthatmoneyisthesoulofAmerica.
BudHarris:Iwoulddisagree.Idon’tthinkmoneyisthesoulofAmerica.Ithink
moneyisthe“falseself”ofAmerica,inthewaythatpsychoanalystHeinzKohut
[email protected]’safalseselfthat’sdevelopedbecausewe’velosttouchwithhowto
developourtrueself.It’scompensatoryforalotofwoundingstemmingfromour
history,particularlyaroundtheDepression.
IrememberreadingtheanthropologistLorenEiseley’sautobiography,Allthe
StrangeHours,inwhichhetalkedabouthisfather’sgenerationasbeing“storm
drivenmen.”It’satermthatI’veusedinmyownwriting,becausemyfatherwasalso
a“stormdriven”man.Hehadthatwoundedmasculinitythatcamefromscarcityand
thelossofhisfather,whodiedwhenhewasyoung.Sohewasdrivenbyaconstant
senseofanger.Andthatconstantsenseofangercamefromhisfear.Insomeway,he
wastryingtocompensatefortheinsecurityofnothavingafather.Butheachieveda
lot,andwentfrombeingasmalltownboytobecominganathlete,andthenthe
presidentofasmallcollege.
PP:DoyouregardtheGreatDepressionasapsychologicaltraumaforthecountry?’’
BH:[email protected],particularlymen,very
wounded.ThemenwhocameoutoftheGreatDepressionweretryingtobecome
unchainedfromaprisonoftheirpastandawoundingthattheywerenotabletogo
insideandlearnhowtoheal.Sotheycamebackafterthewarandtheywantedto
createaculturethatwasaf@luent,thatwassafe,andwhereyouheardnothingabout
troubles.Andtheyheldontothatattituderightthroughthe@iftiesandintothe
sixties,whichturnedintoadisaster.Andeventhentheystillhadtroublegivingup
theideathattheydidn’twanttohearabouttroubles,theyjustwantedtogoforward.
ItwasacompensatoryreactiontotheDepression,anditstillhasn’tbeenworked
through.
Questions:
--HowdidtheculturaltraumaandtragedyoftheGreatDepressionaffectyourown
familystory?Somefamilieslosteverythingforexample;whileothersactuallymade
pro>its.Howdiditaffectyourparents,grandparents,orauntsoruncles?Myfather’s
experienceduringtheDepression,forexample,issomethingthatchangedthecourse
ofhisentirelife,andfactorsprominentlyinmymemoirofhim.
--HowdoesyourpersonalfamilystoryaroundtheGreatDepressioncontinueto
resonateinyourrelationshiptomoney?
PP:...Iwonderifyoucouldbringthissamekindofthinkingtobearonthe
Americandreamthateachsuccessivegenerationhastobebetteroffthanthelast
generation.
BH:....afterWorldWarII,asaculturewegotcaughtupinapatriarchaldreamof
successfulidentityandsuccessfulaccomplishmentmaterially.Westoppedthinking
aboutwhatsuccessmeansintermsofcourage,love,andtransformation.SoIthink
thatweneedtochangethisAmericanbeliefthateachgenerationmusthaveabetter
lifematerially,andbegintodreamforourchildrenthattheyshouldhavebigger
heartsthanwedid;todreamforthemtohavemorecouragethanwedid;todream
forthemtohavemorecreativitythanwedid;andtodreamforthemtocaremore
aboutlifethanwedid.
Andalthoughitmakessensetowantourchildrentogobeyondwhereweare,there
isalimittomaterialism.Andinfactwemaybeinatimeandaplacewheregrowth
needstobeseenmoreasamatterofheartandamatterofspirit.
PP:Whyisthisrede@initionoftheAmericandreamsoimportantatthisparticular
time?
BH:Becausewe’rereachingthelimitofhowmuchbetteroffourchildrencanbe
thanusmaterially.
PP:Because?Ithinksomeofusmightneedtohavethatspelledout.
BH:Becausethereisalimittohowmuchbettermaterialismcanmakelifeinthis
countrycomparedtotherestoftheworld;andIthinkwe’vereachedthatlimit.We
simplycan’thavemorethingsthanwealreadyhave,andhaveabetterlifebecauseof
morethings.
Sowecanhopethatourchildrenhave@inancialsecurity.Butwecanalsohopefor
themthattheyhavebiggerheartsthanwehave,andthattheyhaveagreater
concernforlifeingeneral,whichwouldincludetheenvironment,butalsothe
environmentofhumanbeings,andpeoplewhocanbarelygetbyontheminimum
wage,likethosetheauthorBarbaraEhrenrichwroteaboutinherbookNickeland
Dimed.
Questions:
--Uponre>lection,whatwouldyousayhasbeenyourbaselineunderstandingofthat
commonlyusedphrase“theAmericandream”?
--Wouldyousayyourde>initionoftheAmericandreamhasbeenprimarilyde>inedas
materialwellbeingandsecurity?
--DoyouagreewithHarris’premisethat,especiallygivenclimatechangeandtheneed
toreduceouruseoftheplanet’sresources,we’vereachedapointwhereweneedto
rede>ine,andbothbroadenanddeepenwhatwemeanbythe“Americandream”?
a.Whatwouldadeeperde>initionof“livingtheAmericandream”looklikeinyour
personallifeasyouliveitdaytoday?
b.Whatwouldthatlooklikeinthehopesanddreamsyouholdforyourchildren’s