Germany is doing well – so why are so many people dissatisfied, insecure and disgruntled?
Germany finds itself in a troubled mental state. Many people are doing well and feel like their country is an island of prosperity in a world of crisis-like change. Yet there are rumblings of dissatisfaction, naked fury and hatred – and not only on social networks. Social cohesion is dwindling, radical parties are gaining ground. An increasing number of citizens feel like the future can only get worse. But what has infuriated people to this extent?
Using thousands of in-depth psychological interviews, Stephan Grünewald, “the nation’s psychologist” (FAZ), draws up a startling psychogram of the nation. He examines many people’s increasing distrust of politics and the elite, their suspicion that they are not valued enough. He examines the sources of anger, impotence and exhaustion in everyday life, which is influenced increasingly by expectations of perfection and the digital illusion of feasibility. Thanks to its original viewpoint, the book offers readers many “aha!” moments regarding their own everyday lives and social contexts. It explains the unconscious psychological mechanisms behind our behaviors. And, in the process, it opens up new perspectives for how to meaningfully shape the future.
