Damaged life

Tod Sloan

The Crisis of the Modern Psyche

What are the psychological problems caused by modernization?
How can we minimize its negative effects?

Modernization has brought many material benefits to us, yet we are constantly told how unhappy we are: crime, divorce, suicide, depression and anxiety are rampant. How can this contradiction be reconciled?

Damaged Life presents a powerful and progressive analysis of modernity’s impact on the psyche. Tod Sloan develops an integrated theory of the self in society by combining perspectives on personality development and sociohistorical processes to explore our complex response to
modernization. He discusses the implications of postmodern theory for psychology and proposes concrete responses to address the issue of mass emotional suffering. His book should be read not only by those working within psychology and related disciplines such as sociology and social
policy, but also by anyone seeking enlightenment about the predicament of the self in contemporary society.