Essay Series “Kokoro’s Forefront and the Layers of History” (Vol.22) by Prof. Kawai Published in the Minerva Correspondence: Kiwameru

Essay series “Kokoro’s Forefront and the Layers of History” (Vol. 22) by Prof. Toshio Kawai was published in the June 2018 issue of Minerva Correspondence: Kiwameru.

This month’s theme is “dissociative disorder and modernity”.
A question was posed in the previous month’s essay: why is it that many of the types of dissociative disorder and spirit possession that were found in the 90s seem to have disappeared? This month’s essay offers an answer to the question: it is due to fluctuations of the integration of kokoro.
Context for the increase in dissociative disorder included the initiation of people using usernames (nicknames) and multiple online accounts, which suggests that the continuity of personality became less important. The essay uses the revelation of their inner selves to the world by bloggers and Instagram users as examples of changes in people’s consciousness.
One of the reasons why dissociative disorders appeared to decrease might be that people felt more accepted and less pathological to society in their various selves in various situations.
However, a weakened sense of integrity in personality might be another reason. Alternatively this weakened integrity might be reflected in the increase in developmental disabilities in which the lack of individuality leads to an inability to make choices.

（Commentary：Hisae Konakawa, Research Fellow）

Kokoro’s Forefront and the Layers of History” (Vol. 22) [Dissociative disorder and modernity]Toshio Kawai
A question was posed in the previous month’s essay: why is it that many of the types of dissociative disorder and spirit possession that were found in the 90s seem to have disappeared? This month’s essay offers an answer to the question: it is due to fluctuations of the integration of kokoro. A weakened sense of integrity in personality might be another reason.
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（Excerpt from the essay）

The Publisher’s website:
https://www.minervashobo.co.jp/book/b369912.html

2018/06/20