Boston Bombing: A Case of Anomie?

VICTORIA, British Columbia - April 19, 2013 - PRLog -- With the secular view that only material things are real, combined with the undermining of theism and spirituality, individuals in postmodern societies are facing the loss of meaning resulting in anomie and despair.

Since the introduction of Darwinian evolution, the public school and university systems have promoted scientism and naturalism without offering a balance of the search for meaning.

This imbalance has contributed to the secularization of society and increasing incidents of anomic depression especially among youths and young adults. Associated with anomic depression are drug abuse, rioting, terrorism, vandalism, bullying, promiscuity, depression, self-harm, and suicide that, although associated with the adolescent stage of development, are exacerbated by the loss of meaning, spirituality, and community that is increasingly replaced by an internet connection.

With the introduction of Darwinism, Friedrich Nietzsche and Friedrich Lange in the late 19th century  predicted the gradual descent of societies into nihilism associated with the loss of meaning and values. Nietzsche wrote about the collapse of society, disintegration of meaning and values, and the rise of anomie. (See Islamic Terrorism:From Retrenchment to Ressentiment and Beyond (http://irows.ucr.edu/conferences/pews02/pprlangman.doc) by Lauren Langman and Douglas Morris, and also Radical Evil and the Scarcity of Hope: Postsecular Meditations (http://books.google.ca/books?id=LiBWFdWTye0C&pg=PA221...) by Martin Beck Matuštík and Martin Joseph Beck Matuštík).

Democratization also contributes to secularization and the loss of former values. This movement has challenged Islamic societies and resulted in terrorism to defend against change and the loss of identity.

In the wake of collapsing values, the emptiness of anomie may be temporarily filled by terrorist outbursts from disenchanted individuals, survival groups, cults, and members of religious group who feel threatened by the loss of identity. The fight or flight model helps explain the direction of groups suffering anomie: Muslim groups sometimes fight against the threat to identity while aboriginal people may withdraw into depression, substance abuse, and suicide.

The adolescent and young adult children of immigrants caught between cultures or immigrants unable to assimilate, may also experience anomic depression and either strike out against the new culture (as may have occurred in the recent Boston bombing) or withdraw into a depression that may result in suicide (See http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/youthandthelaw/roots/volume5/chapter06_strain.aspx).

Wolfgang Jilek, emeritus professor of psychiatry at the University of British Columbia, has identified anomic depression among indigenous minorities who have lost their language and traditional practices, values, and beliefs http://www.mentalhealth.com/mag1/wolfgang_hp.html

In human development, anomie occurs normally with individuation from parents when the individual loses his sense of family identity often during early adulthood and becomes directionless and depressed before reconstructing a new identity and sense of meaning or purpose.

At this period of development, and for anyone who suffers anomic depression or who lacks spiritual direction, the introduction of a faith community provides the sense of hope and meaning needed for identity reconstruction and for making healthy choices in life and relationships.

The recent confusion about what constitutes marriage and healthy sexuality, and the legalization of same-sex marriage in several states in the US, is an example of what happens in a growing secular society lacking spiritual direction. Confusion resulting from this issue alone, contributes further to the sense of anomie in the most vulnerable population: adolescents and young adults. With the addition of increasing family breakdown in society, the sense of confusion and anomie for this vulnerable group is multiplied.

To introduce the beginnings of a secure spiritual foundation as a balance to the increasing secular loss of meaning, the College of Mental Health Counseling offers this free download book https://www.box.com/lovegod

Daniel Keeran, MSW, is the author of several books, President of the College of Mental Health Counseling (http://www.collegemhc.com), and provides free Christian counselling in Victoria, Canada http://www.counselingdirectory.net