Foucault’s philosophy about the importance of confession in the West is completely fascinating. I have never considered this, even though the evidence that we are indeed a confessional society is everywhere. Would talk shows even be entertaining without confessions or self-help advice for those who are coming to terms with their innermost desires? I don’t think so. It seems as though everyone is trying to “find” themselves, and many believe that the truth to one’s being is buried deep inside and must be uncovered in order to live one’s life to its fullest potential. Dr. Phil and other therapists make tons of money by listening to people confess their fears, dreams and desires and interpreting them in order to help the person in question come to terms with their existence.
The difference between the Occident and the Oriental interest me, especially in relation to this topic. I just happened to be reading The Art of Happiness by The Dalai Lama. He speaks on what he believes to be the main psychological difference between the East and the West.
“I think that in modern Western society, there seems to be a powerful cultural conditioning that is based on science. But in some instances, the basic premises and parameters set up by Western science can limit your ability to deal with certain realities. For instance, you have the constraints of the idea that everything can be explained within the framework of a single lifetime, and you combine this notion that everything can and must be explained and accounted for. But when you encounter phenomena that you cannot account for, then there is a tension created; it’s almost a feeling of agony,” (6).It seems as though people of the West use the act of confession to relieve the tension we accumulate because of our fear of the unexplainable, especially in relation to emotions and desires. It does seem as though we live by the clock, and as time seeps through our fingers we are left feeling anxiety due to our lack of self-knowledge. This is why psychological therapy is so important in Western society. I never would have thought of these obvious cultural factors had I not read Foucault’s thoughts on the Western obsession with confession.
Sources:
His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The Art of Happiness. Riverhead Books: New York, 1998.