‘Character Disturbance’ at Psychology, Philosophy and Real Life, Page 2

It appears the truth about human nature lies somewhere in the middle of the various extremes espoused by psychologists, behavioral scientists, philosophers and religious thinkers.

The most pressing socio-cultural issue of our time is not poverty, injustice, or brain biochemical imbalances. It’s character.

There is no automatic connection between regret and having the motivation to change oneself for the better. Regret alone is not enough to prompt a person to change their ways.

For modern civilization to flourish again, responsible people need to be burdened much less and the irresponsible individuals among us need to be held more accountable than they have been.

Much of my practice over the years has involved treating individuals with significant disturbances of character. What they need most is to learn self-regulatory skills and self-discipline, but quick-fix medications rob them of the opportunity to make meaningful investments in personal development.