Our economic system doesn't just organize our society. It shapes our psychology as well.
are on the rise. While these may seem like unrelated phenomena, a recent paper takes the position that they draw from the same wellspring. To wit, capitalism. How might capitalism be giving rise to the many psychological ills of our day? Karim Bettache of the Chinese University of Hong Kong argues that capitalism as a systemic structure does more than just organize our society.
It’s shaping our psychology—how we feel, what we believe, and how we behave. In particular, he zeroes in on key principles of capitalism, and makes a case for how they are fomenting mental health problems. His three"capitalist syndromes" are summarized below.This malady derives from the profit motive of capitalism, that is, the drive for continuous capital accumulation and economic growth. Dr. Bettache argues that it governs how we think about ourselves and the world. For example,success is measured in terms of income and net worth, and people internalize societal messages that they are a “brand” that constantly needs to be improved upon. How does a capitalist mindset permeate our psyche? Dr. Bettache maintains that the very language of investment, returns, and optimization has become the prism through which we see the world. We talk about—the need to beat out rivals for advantages in the marketplace. Dr. Bettache contends that the competitive mindset of capitalism is making us more adversarial with each other, and damaging our relationships as a result. In support of his argument, he cites research demonstrating that competitive environments heighten negative feelings, decrease trust, and harm social bonds when compared to cooperative environments. People in more market-oriented societies are also more prone tothinking, seeing others gains as taking something from them. Such thinking erodes empathy and mutual support, which are essential for healthy relationships., in which people prioritize possessions and wealth. The research on materialism's negative mental health effects is well-established: It is linked to lower The pressure to buy and have more is all around us. Dr. Bettache points to the car industry, as an example, which sells anas much as it does a mode of transportation. Luxury automobiles are a signal of status and success. High fashion similarly communicates exclusivity and belonging to a particular social tribe. We live in an environment saturated with messages that possessions and presentation is the road to self-worth. Dr. Bettache concludes his article by suggesting ways to mitigate capitalism's effects on mental health. For instance, within education, learning has become secondary to ranking, test scores, and the like. But research shows that cooperative learning doesn't compromise academic performance—and it promotes social bonds. Similarly, at the workplace employee ownership and worker cooperatives could motivate workers more than the pressures of individual competition and performance. And within the practice of psychology, Dr. Bettache proposes something radical. Perhaps clinicians should help their clients distinguish between what constitutes personal issues and those that require a collective response. It may well be that the distress people are feeling is a proportionate response to an economic system that undermines mental health.Find a TherapistSelf Tests are all about you. Are you outgoing or introverted? Are you a narcissist? Does perfectionism hold you back? Find out the answers to these questions and more with Psychology Today.
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