Schwartz is hardly unique in that regard. For some odd reason, fields concerning human behaviour, from mental health to sociology, are dominated by collectivist ideologues. Rather than focusing on internal factors, they focus on external factors, and have been peddling this idea that people are so unhappy because they are "alienated" from their natural state by "the system," thus using their entire practice as a smokescreen for political activism. This is because their political position is their own "theory of everything," and this phenomenon isn't limited to politics. For example, Gabor Maté has this strange idea that everything can be explained by trauma, and for that reason, holds to that hilariously outdated idea that bullies suffer from an internal sense of inadequacy. He's gone from doing excellent work treating addiction to talking absolute bollocks and becoming a massive lolcow on Substack.
Ahh yes, I knew this survey of my qualms with IFS and introspective ramble would draw you out! I have missed your insights and characteristic spark and snark, even though I do keep up with your excellent offerings over on the other realm😊
I've noticed that the realm that is the social sciences is very focused on Systems Theory and collectivist ideology at every turn. Anything contrary to that is lucky to get a mention or if they do it is like how some disrespectful soul talks about their doddering elderly grandmother. I get amused by the supposedly erudite world's constant obsession and promotion of what's in vogue, right now DBT is getting kicked off its pedestal in the mental health world, as is all things trauma, (It's in the beginning phase of falling out of fashion) and I find myself wondering if the pushback on a lot of that is due to the political winds shifting or if the world is just traversing from one trend to the other. Sometimes it's hard to tell.
The funny thing is, I am in a trauma class right now that is covering everything from Van Der Kolk to Schwartz to Mate, and while I find the concept of developmental trauma fascinating, the way its adherents ascribe it to absolutely everything kind of reminds me of medicine's past adherence to everything being completely pathological and symptoms-based. It makes me wonder about so many things.
But, I am rambling, which is to be expected as I had to lead DBT skills training today, craft some reports, and draft a case study. It's been a day. Hopefully yours has been rather splendid!
!PIZZA
!BBH
Speaking of the other realm, I finally resumed my fiction writing, and I decided to start with a clean slate, as it were. I haven't started over, I've just gone back to the beginning and started sharing the deeper lore. In case you didn't get the message in the subscriber chat, here is where you can find it: