Abstract
Robert Jay Lifton has devoted a lifetime to research and clinical work with individuals subjected to evolving historical trends, disasters, and sustained conditions of control and terror. Partly as an outcome of his research and partly as a result of his own experiences, Dr Lifton gradually came to an understanding of "proteanism," a conceptualization of the self in the modern world. He defines it, saying, "Without quite realizing it we have been evolving a sense of self appropriate to the restlessness and flux of our time. This mode of being differs radically from that of the past, and enables us to engage in continuous exploration and personal experiment. I have named it the 'protean self' after Proteus, the Greek sea god of many forms." He maintains that the older and more familiar version of personal identity, characterized by "stability and sameness," was appropriate to an environment rooted in tradition and
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
More From: JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.