Political Correctness and the Destruction of Social Order (eBook)

Chronicling the Rise of the Pristine Self

Howard S. Schwartz (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2016
XV, 199 Seiten
Springer International Publishing (Verlag)
978-3-319-39805-1 (ISBN)

Infos

This book develops a psychoanalytic theory of political correctness and the pristine self, which is defined as a self touched by nothing but love. It explores the damage that political correctness can do to social order. Applications include the breakdown of social capital, the financial crisis, and Occupy Wall Street. Long an issue for conservatives, alarm over political correctness has now spread to the liberal side of the political spectrum. As Schwartz argues, all have reason to be concerned. The psychology that underlies political correctness has the potential to be extremely destructive to social organization on every level. Schwartz discusses the primitive roots of political correctness and, through the use of case studies, shows its capacity for ruination. The book focuses on a transformation in the idea of the self, and specifically the rise of the pristine self. The problem is that, in truth, the world does not love us. This puts the pristine self at war with objective reality.

Howard S. Schwartz is Emeritus Professor of Organizational Behavior in the School of Business Administration, Oakland University, USA. He studied philosophy at Antioch College, USA, the University of Pittsburgh, USA, and University of California, San Diego, USA. He obtained a PhD in organizational behavior from Cornell University, USA. His previous books on political correctness are Revolt of the Primitive (2001) and Society Against Itself (2010). He and his wife Ann live in Jackson Heights, New York.

Inhalt

Trigger Warning 6
Acknowledgments 7
Contents 9
List of Figures 11
Chapter 1: Introduction: The Hedgehog is Embarrassed by his Riches 13
Reference 16
Chapter 2: The Pristine Self: Psychodynamics of the Anti-Bullying Movement 17
The Pristine Self 19
Oedipal and Anti-Oedipal Psychology 20
The Pristine Self and Social Interaction 23
The Emergence of Civilization from the Primal Horde 25
The Father of the Primal Horde 26
The Father and Social Order 29
Anti-Oedipal Psychology and the Destruction of the Paternal Function 31
Nightmare at South Hadley High 32
Conclusion: The Case of Organizations 37
Notes 39
References 39
Chapter 3: Putnam’s Paradox: Diversity, Destruction of Community, and Anti-Oedipal Psychology 41
Reflecting on Putnam and His Findings 46
Oedipal Psychology and the Paternal Function 47
Anti-Oedipal Psychology and the Destruction of the Paternal Function 49
Political Correctness and the Pristine Self 51
Some Considerations Concerning Microaggression 54
Microaggression in Common Usage 59
Conclusion: The Good Father and the Bad Father 67
Notes 69
References 69
Chapter 4: Analysis of a Racism Hoax at Oberlin College 71
Oberlin Under Siege 73
The Hoax 74
Anti-Oedipal Psychology and Social Justice 79
Dimensions of the Drama: Rules of Political Correctness 83
Oberlin College Redefined 87
The Convocation as Revival Meeting 90
The Vicissitudes of the Pristine Self 91
The Student Proposals for Institutional Change 94
Conclusion 96
Notes 98
References 98
Chapter 5: Anti-Oedipal Dynamics in the Sub-Prime Loan Debacle: The Case of a Study by the Boston Federal Reserve Bank 101
The Boston Fed Study 102
The Oedipal Framework 105
The Meaning of Credit Worthiness in the Oedipal and Anti-Oedipal Worldviews 109
Closing the Gap 109
The Undermining of Objectivity 110
Idealization of the Oppressed 113
Summary 116
Conclusion: The Legacy of the Father 117
References 119
Chapter 6: Analysis of the British Riots of 2011 120
Political Correctness 121
Psychodynamics of Riots 123
Oedipal and Anti-Oedipal Psychology 124
Anti-Oedipal Psychology and the Riots 126
What Happened to the Forces of Social Order? 130
The Castration of the British Police Through Political Correctness 130
The Case of Stephen Lawrence 131
Mrs. Lawrence’s Use of the Term “Racism” 136
The Power of Political Correctness 144
The Mother Versus the Machine 145
Mrs. Lawrence’s Story 146
Conclusion 153
Note 153
References 154
Chapter 7: What was the Occupy Wall Street Protest a Protest of? 155
Introduction 155
The Question of Capitalism 158
First Approximation 160
What is the Thing? 161
Scenario One: Communique #1 161
Scenario Two: The Matrix 163
Comparing the Thing and the Matrix 164
Scenario Three: Plato’s Cave 166
Scenario Four: The Classic Oedipus Complex 167
Scenario Five: The Anti-Oedipal 169
The Crux of the Matter 170
Alienation at Zucotti Park 172
General Implications for Work, Organization, and Revolution 174
Strike Debt: An Application 176
Social Control in the Occupy Movement 179
The Overwhelming Question: How Shall We See Society? 181
An Overview 183
Notes 183
References 184
Chapter 8: Conclusion: Christakis at Thermopylae 185
Nicholas and the Barbarians 188
References 197
Erratum to: Political Correctness and the Destruction of Social OrderHoward S. Schwartz 199
Index 200

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 20.9.2016
• Zusatzinfo: XV, 199 p. 2 illus.
• Verlagsort: Cham
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie ► Psychoanalyse / Tiefenpsychologie
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Politik / Verwaltung
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Soziologie
• Schlagworte: Oedipal Dynamics • Political Activity • Political Correctness • Psychoanalysis • self • self-consciousness • Social Justice • Social Order • Social Psychology
• ISBN-10: 3-319-39805-9 / 3319398059
• ISBN-13: 978-3-319-39805-1 / 9783319398051