Robert Christopher Lasch / 1932–1994 / Omaha, Nebraska, USA / Historian, Social Critic
American Character
Our society is absolutely intolerant of the display of genuine emotion. We avoid it, because it’s extremely disturbing.
Interview, The Christian Century, 1990.
The American Dream has become a relentless pursuit of material success, often at the expense of meaningful relationships and a sense of purpose.
“The Culture of Narcissism Revisited,” The New York Times, 1990.
In a culture that prizes novelty, celebrity, and success, there is little room for the cultivation of character or the development of a moral sense.
The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy (1995).
Economics
The obsession with efficiency and productivity has led to a devaluation of the importance of leisure, contemplation, and the pursuit of the higher things in life.
“The Lost Art of Political Argument,” The Nation, 1985.
Without a truly moral compass, the economy will disintegrate into purely self-interested actions, unrestrained by any sense of responsibility to the common good.
“The Lost Art of Political Argument,” The Nation, 1985.
Expertise
The modern world has created a cult of experts who claim to have all the answers, but true wisdom often resides in the collective wisdom of ordinary people.
“The Eclipse of the Public,” Salmagundi, 1978.
Family
The family is not just a social institution. It’s also the school of sentiment, the school of emotion.
Interview, Hartford Courant, 1985.
The family is the most effective and important social safety net. It is the first and most important welfare agency.
Haven in a Heartless World: The Family Besieged (1977).
The family is a haven in a heartless world.
Haven in a Heartless World: The Family Besieged (1977).
Lasch on Lasch
The pursuit of happiness, as I conceived it, was a heroic pursuit, and that implied a lifetime vocation.
The Minimal Self: Psychic Survival in Troubled Times (1984).
Moral Psychology
The pursuit of happiness has traditionally been linked to the idea of personal responsibility.
“The Lost Art of Argument,” The New Republic, 1985.
Every age develops its own peculiar forms of pathology, which express in exaggerated form its underlying character structure.
The Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations (1979).
Cultural renewal requires a reconnection with our history and traditions, as well as a willingness to confront the moral and social challenges of our time.
Interview, New Perspectives Quarterly, 1992.
Modern society is characterized by an excessive focus on the self and an erosion of a sense of community and shared responsibility.
The Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations (1979).
Nostalgia
Nostalgia for a bygone era has a way of distorting the truth. In any case, there’s nothing magical about the past. What’s magical is the future.
“Nostalgia and Progress,” The Public Interest, 1977.
Public Life
To revitalize American democracy, we need to encourage the formation of public spaces where citizens can come together to discuss common problems and share a sense of community.
“The Lost Art of Argument,” The New Republic, 1985.
The history of American politics is littered with bodies of people who took so pure a position that they had no clout at all.
Interview, in Bill Moyers, A World of Ideas (1989).
The Left has shifted its emphasis from economic inequality to issues of identity and representation, but in the process, it has lost touch with the economic realities faced by working-class Americans.
The Revolt of the Elites and the Betrayal of Democracy (1995).
Democracy encourages the formation of self-reliant individuals who can participate actively in public life.
Source unknown.
A democratic society requires a shared moral vision, a set of values that unite its citizens and guide their actions.
The True and Only Heaven: Progress and Its Critics (1991).
The pursuit of individual happiness should not come at the expense of the common good or the well-being of the community.
The True and Only Heaven: Progress and Its Critics (1991).
A just society requires not only the protection of individual rights but also a commitment to social justice and the common good.
The Minimal Self: Psychic Survival in Troubled Times (1984).
Self-Knowledge
The key to self-reliance is self-knowledge.
The Minimal Self: Psychic Survival in Troubled Times (1984).
Therapeutic Culture
The rise of the therapeutic culture has encouraged a preoccupation with self-help and self-improvement, often at the expense of addressing larger societal issues.
“The Eclipse of the Public,” Salmagundi, 1978.