Preface
Introduction
Acknowledgements
Interlude: The Emperor’s New Clothes
Chapter 1. Toward an Understanding of Madness
Interlude: Cheshire Cat Logic
Chapter 2. Ethics and the profession of Psychiatry
Interlude: Pinocchio: Always Let your conscience be your guide.
Chapter 3. The Madness of Crowds
Interlude: Julius Caesar and Seditious Conspiracy
Chapter 4. Madness and Misinformation: Social Media, AI, and the Perversion of Reality
Interlude: Gaslighting
Chapter 5. Madness and the Moral Inversion
Interlude: The Rolling Stones
Chapter 6. Madness and the Human Condition
Interlude: Richard III’s plea for “A horse, a horse”: Enough Is Never Enough
Chapter 7. Terror, Terror Management, and Threats to Existence
Interlude: Captain Ahab’s Obsession: Rage Trumps Reason
Chapter 8. Narcissism Reconsidered: Toward a Stable View of Self in Society
Interlude: Call me Ishmael
Chapter 9. Conclusion - Sanity and Survival
Epilogue: The Quest for Justice
Coda: To Thine Own Self Be True
Biography
Allen R. Dyer is Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at The George Washington University. He is a graduate of Brown University and received MD and PhD (Ethics) degrees from Duke University. He is Distinguished Life Fellow of the APA. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Nancy Roeske Award in Recognition of Outstanding and Sustained Contributions to Medical Education, an award and recognition for humanitarian services to the Iraqi people, and the Bruno Lima Award for disaster psychiatry.
“Drawing upon his training and extensive experience in both psychiatry and ethics, Allen Dyer shows us how various forms of madness have infected our understandings of ourselves, our politics, and our world. Anyone interested in living in the real world rather than the simplistic and comforting fantasies of our times will relish Dyer’s most insightful book.” - Larry R. Churchill, PhD; Stahlman Professor of Medical Ethics, Emeritus Vanderbilt University
“Madness and the Political Divide merges philosophical inquiry with real-life narratives, distilling urgency from the epidemic of social fragmentation. As an Episcopal priest, I see its relevance not only for mental health professionals but also for every institution seeking reconciliation and hope. Dyer’s engagement with justice and care provides a timely roadmap through fractured cultural terrain.” - The Rev. John T. Harwood, Ph.D.; Emeritus, Penn State; Rector, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Lewistown, PA
"With brilliant insight into the current political muddle, Allen Dyer’s Madness and the Political Divide provides cogent explanations informed by his years of experience as a mental health authority and his deep spiritual core. Wildly creative Interludes based on fairy tales, Shakespeare plays and archetypal figures add lively commentary. If you’ve been struggling with the daily barrage of nonsensical speech and events, this is for you." - The Rev. Dr. Victoria R. Sirota, Episcopal priest, musician, librettist and author (Preaching to the Choir: Claiming the Role of Sacred Musician, Church Publishing)
