The Fundamentalist Mind: How Polarized Thinking Imperils Us All

by Stephen Larsen, Phil Cousineau (Foreword)

We are all fundamentalists whether we acknowledge it or not. We were born into a world of myth and metaphor and have come to internalize the stories we were told as children as the literal interpretations of much greater and deeply symbolic lessons. When we fall into such patterns, according to author and psychotherapist Stephen Larsen, we lose all flexibility and freedom of thought. We become split by dualistic thinking—bad versus good; black versus white—and are weighted down by definitive, concretistic principles and behaviors that alienate us from one another. Dr. Larsen explains that we can avoid such pitfalls by identifying our “inner fundamentalist” and becoming more open-minded individuals.

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

H. Stephen Larsen is a psychologist and author who, with Robin Larsen his wife, was on the founding board of advisors of the Joseph Campbell Foundation, and also founded the Center for Symbolic Studies, to carry on with the work of Joseph Campbell. He is best known for his work in Mythology, and for being a pioneer in the field of Neurofeedback.

Reviews

[David]

Highly recommended for those trying to sort out the pathology of fundamentalism of all stripes, The Fundamentalist Mind builds on the basis of Joseph Campbell's seminal works on mythology to describe how current research in neurobiology is increasing our understanding of belief. Turns out, the pathology of fundamentalism is a risk no matter what your belief system is, and Larsen devotes a chapter describing how atheists succumb to fundamentalist attitudes. While not required, this book is greatly enhanced if you're already familiar with Joseph Campbell's work.