Psychosocial Wednesdays: U.S Democracy In Transition – A Jungian Perspective

Betty Sue Flowers argues that US democracy faces crises on multiple fronts. Citing the Chinese proverb, “A crisis is an opportunity riding a dangerous wind,” Flowers identifies three key crises: in masculinity; in the nation’s implicit values foundation; and—viewing the country as an entity undergoing individuation— in its development. She raises thought-provoking questions: What are the challenges in the country’s origin and adolescence that must be faced and transcended? Which aspects of the American dream require more conscious exploration? What new story of American identity is needed? Is there a better form of democracy that would deliver “a new birth of freedom?”