One Nation Under Therapy

1. Therapism Undermines Self-Reliance and Moral Responsibility

Therapism tends to regard people as essentially weak, dependent, and never altogether responsible for what they do.

Erosion of accountability. Therapism, with its emphasis on external factors and psychological explanations, diminishes personal responsibility. By framing behaviors as products of circumstance or illness, it undermines the idea that individuals are moral agents capable of making choices and being held accountable for their actions.

Dependence on experts. This perspective fosters a reliance on therapists and other helping professionals to navigate life's challenges. It suggests that individuals are ill-equipped to cope with adversity on their own, requiring constant guidance and intervention. This dependence can be disempowering and prevent individuals from developing their own coping mechanisms.

Moral inertia. The emphasis on tolerance and non-judgmentalism, while seemingly compassionate, can lead to moral paralysis. A reluctance to condemn harmful behaviors, even atrocities, can stem from a fear of being perceived as intolerant or insensitive, hindering the ability to take a stand for ethical principles.

2. The Myth of the Fragile Child Harms Development

Children must have independent, competitive rough-and-tumble play. Not only do they enjoy it, it is part of their normal development.

Overprotection hinders growth. Shielding children from all forms of stress and competition deprives them of essential life lessons. Overprotected kids do not flourish. They need opportunities to develop resilience, problem-solving skills, and the ability to cope with disappointment.

Importance of competition. Competitive games and activities teach children how to deal with winning and losing, how to strive for goals, and how to handle adversity. Eliminating competition in the name of protecting self-esteem can leave children unprepared for the realities of the world.

Sensitivity censorship. The practice of expunging potentially distressing topics from textbooks and classroom materials, while intended to protect children's feelings, can be counterproductive. It deprives them of the intellectual challenges and exposure to diverse perspectives needed for healthy development.

3. Self-Esteem Education Often Violates Privacy and Hinders Learning

Teaching children to moderate their emotions is helpful to them. Forcing them to obsess over feelings and to share them with others, on the other hand, is meddling.

Intrusive self-revelation. Self-esteem exercises that require children to disclose their feelings and personal experiences can be ethically problematic. These assignments can be perceived as demands for self-revelation, pressuring children to share information they may prefer to keep private.

Focus on feelings over ethics. The emphasis on emotional self-expression can overshadow the importance of ethical development. Children need guidance on how to be civil and ethical, not just how to be self-obsessed.

No connection between self-esteem and achievement. Research suggests that there is no direct link between high self-esteem and academic achievement, kindness, or good personal relationships. In fact, unmerited self-esteem can be associated with antisocial behavior and criminality.

4. The Human Potential Movement Oversimplified Self-Actualization

I sometimes think that the world will either be saved by psychologists—in the very broadest sense—or it will not be saved at all.

Psychology as a religion-surrogate. The human potential movement, with its emphasis on self-discovery and personal fulfillment, sought to replace traditional religion and ethics with a science of man. This approach oversimplified the complexities of human nature and the importance of moral and spiritual values.

Misapplication of Maslow's theories. Maslow's ideas about self-actualization were often distorted by his followers, leading to bizarre and antisocial behaviors. The emphasis on liberating human urges, without the constraints of morality and law, proved to be a recipe for chaos.

Rogers's nonjudgmentalism. Rogers's call for radical empathy and total acceptance, while seemingly compassionate, could lead to the condoning of harmful behaviors. The failure to make moral judgments can have devastating consequences, as seen in the Catholic Church's child abuse scandal.

5. Medicalizing Wrongdoing Obscures Moral Accountability

What the Victorians considered self-destructive behavior requiring punishment we consider self-destructive behavior requiring treatment … . America has most definitely entered a new era in which virtue and vice are redefined in term of public health and addiction.

Shifting blame. The tendency to medicalize wrongdoing, such as drug addiction or criminal behavior, shifts the focus from personal responsibility to external factors. This can lead to a diminished sense of accountability and a reluctance to condemn harmful actions.

The "Real Me" doctrine. This concept, prevalent in therapism, suggests that individuals are not truly responsible for their actions because their "Real Me" is separate from their behavior. This allows them to evade accountability and attribute their actions to external forces or psychological conditions.

The abuse excuse. The use of psychological syndromes, such as battered-child syndrome, as defenses in criminal trials undermines the legal system. It invites juries to focus on the defendant's mental state rather than the objective evidence of their actions.

6. Emotional Openness Isn't Always Healthy or Adaptive

The free expression by outward signs of an emotion intensifies it.

Venting can be counterproductive. Contrary to popular belief, expressing anger or other negative emotions does not necessarily lead to catharsis. In fact, it can often intensify those emotions and reinforce negative behaviors.

Reticence can be adaptive. Recent findings suggest that reticence and suppression of feelings, far from compromising one's psychological well-being, can be healthy and adaptive. For many temperaments, an excessive focus on introspection and self-disclosure is depressing.

Respecting individual differences. Victims of loss and tragedy differ widely in their reactions. Some benefit from therapeutic intervention; most do not and should not be coerced by mental health professionals into emotionally correct responses.

7. The Trauma Industry Can Pathologize Normal Reactions

The trauma industry operates on the assumption that the principal lesson to be learned from suffering is that one must exorcise it.

Overdiagnosis of PTSD. The trauma industry often applies the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) too liberally, even to individuals who have not experienced life-threatening events. This can pathologize normal reactions to stress and create a sense of fragility.

Grief brigades. In the wake of mass tragedies, "grief brigades" often descend on victims, offering counseling and support. While well-intentioned, these interventions can be intrusive and may not be beneficial for everyone.

Ignoring resilience. The trauma industry often overlooks the natural resilience of human beings. Many people are able to cope with adversity without professional help, and some even experience post-traumatic growth.

8. Relativism Undermines Moral Judgment and Civic Education

Students are not learning much of what they need to know … there’s another problem that may be even closer to the heart of the matter. This has to do with the capacity for positive feelings towards one’s society, with a sense of attachment, a sense of affiliation, a sense of love for noble purposes larger than oneself, and a sense of inspiration fostered by one’s role as citizen … since the time of the ancient Greeks, [this sentiment] has been known as patriotism.

Moral equivalence. The tendency to present all cultures and civilizations as morally equivalent can undermine students' ability to condemn atrocities and make ethical judgments. This can lead to a paralysis of moral judgment and a reluctance to defend universal values.

No-fault history. The requirement that school materials should help children feel good about themselves has led to a "happy talk" version of history. This approach avoids difficult topics and downplays the importance of American exceptionalism.

Ignorance of American ideals. Many students lack a basic understanding of American history and the principles of constitutional democracy. This ignorance undermines their capacity for patriotism and their ability to defend the nation's values.

9. Resilience and Moral Clarity Are Essential for the Nation's Future

[We] derive our sense of national identity [from] the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the inaugural addresses of our presidents, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, and Martin Luther King’s [“I Have a Dream”] sermon at the 1963 March on Washington—not so much the documents themselves as the felt sentiments tying us to them.

Moral clarity is needed. In a world facing grave threats, American children need moral clarity and a strong sense of national identity. They must be educated to take pride in their country's way of life and to defend its principles of freedom.

The importance of civic education. Schools must prioritize civic education, teaching students about the history, values, and institutions of American democracy. This will help them become informed and engaged citizens.

Rejecting the presumption of fragility. Human beings, including children, are best regarded as self-reliant, resilient, psychically sound moral agents responsible for their behavior. This is the foundation for a healthy and thriving society.

Last updated: February 4, 2025