DisConnected: The Roots of Human Cruelty and How Connection Can Heal the World

by Steve Taylor

'Essential reading in this day and age.'  Bernardo Kastrup, philosopher, author of Why Materialism is Baloney DisConnected offers a new vision of human nature and a new understanding of human behaviour and social problems. Connection is the most essential human trait - it determines our behaviour and our level of well-being. Cruelty is the result of a sense of disconnection, while “goodness” stems from connection. Unfortunately, the most disconnected people gravitate to positions of power, which leads to “pathocracy,” the most common form of government during the 20th century. Disconnected societies are patriarchal, hierarchical and warlike. Connected societies are egalitarian, democratic and peaceful. We can measure both social progress and personal development in terms of how far we move along a continuum of connection. At the most essential level, we are always interconnected. Altruism and spirituality are experiences of our fundamental connection. Regaining awareness of our connection is the only way by which we can live in harmony with ourselves, one another, and the world itself.

Genres: Psychology, Sociology

228 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2023

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Steve Taylor is a senior lecturer in Psychology at Leeds Beckett University, UK. His latest books in the US are The Calm Center and Back to Sanity: Healing the Madness of the Human Mind. He is also the author of The Fall, Waking From Sleep, and Out Of The Darkness. His books have been published in 19 languages. His research has appeared in The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology, The Journal of Consciousness Studies, The Transpersonal Psychology Review, The International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, as well as the popular media in the UK, including on BBC World TV, The Guardian, and The Independent.

Reviews

[Brian Cham · Rating 5 out of 5]

DisConnected is a comprehensive yet easy to read book about the spectrum of empathy in human societies, spanning from psychopathic individuals/societies to connected individuals/societies.

Starting with some basics of psychology, it then explains the destructive and impulsive traits of power-hungry people who are attracted for positions of power and end up making everyone's lives miserable. Covering areas as diverse as serial killers, CEOs, politicians, cult leaders and middle management, this section will answer everyone's questions about why their bosses are so mentally screwed up. It then goes on an equally expansive tour of social structures, human history and spirituality that shows how these traits affect the ways that humans organise and relate to each other. At times it feels like it's stretching its generalisations a bit far (especially the archaeology section), but the premise is still sound throughout.

Finally, it describes the other end of the spectrum - those with hyperconnected tendencies and an ideal kind of society called a "empathocracy" where everyday people rule (already half-achieved through democracy) and psychological disconnection is no longer an advantage to one's social advancement. The author hopes that we can nurture our connectedness for the sake of our future before we destroy our own global ecosystem, and I agree. The strength of the book lies in how it covers an incredible breadth of topics with global examples yet makes it all interesting and breezy without overwhelming the reader. It also covers many questions and doubts the reader might have, like skewering the "good psychopath" myth, or explaining why the socialist dictators of the 20th century were just as bad as the worst modern day capitalists even when they espoused benefits for all society.

The drawbacks are very few and not enough to detract from the five star rating. The main confusion I had was about how hyperconnected people aren't power-hungry, yet it gives the example of the benevolent Angolan president who attained power to achieve justice. So, they're not exactly allergic to power either. Does that mean that despite being described as quite passive and blissful people, they can selectively amass a lot of power, wealth or influence to achieve positive aims as well? This is a paradox I wish the book had explored a bit more.

[Jordingdong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leído en español, eh?? Que mi inglés no da. Pero muy bueno, pese al ramalazo de espiritualidad , buen análisis de liderazgos en democracia...

[Mackenzie Mccoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Great read for anyone interested in humanity.