Psychologisation and Critique in Modern‐day Western Culture. Issue 5 (May 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Madsen, Ole Jacob
• Is Part Of: Social and personality psychology compass. Volume 8:Issue 5(2014:May)
• Page Start: 193
• Page End: 200
• Publication Date: 2014-05
• Subjects: Social psychology -- Periodicals; Personality -- Periodicals; 302
• DOI: 10.1111/spc3.12103
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-9004

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>The paper reflects on the advancement of the <italic>psychologisation</italic> of Western society through the notion of «<italic>the therapeutic ethos</italic>» and discusses political and moral implications of its "triumph". It is argued that the attempt to exorcise a "therapeutic Zeitgeist" showcases the problems of <italic>critique</italic> of contemporary culture. The Zeitgeist reveals itself as much in the tools of critique as the objective of critique. I therefore conclude that popular critical methods like <italic>discourse analysis</italic> have itself become a hegemonic discourse, which rarely equals its philosophical originator Michel Foucault's imaginative radical ambition.</p> </abstract>