The social havoc wreaked by unfettered economic greed comes to be interiorised as the personal weakness and irresponsibility of those principally affected.

David Smail
About This Quote

The more of our social, personal and professional lives are internalised, the more we are willing to make sacrifices of our own comfort and wellbeing. This is because our inner selves are not simply our own or even of any real importance, but are instead seen as distinct from the people whom we meet on the peripheries of our lives. Our internalisation allows us to accept that our life can be controlled by others and limits the possibility of challenging their authority. Having internalised the idea that we must give up some of what we need in order to maintain our relationships with others, we tend to make greater sacrifices in order to maintain those same relationships.

Source: Power, Interest And Psychology: Elements Of A Social Materialist Understanding Of Distress

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