Dislocation is identified psychologically as a “lack of attachment, belonging, identity, meaning, [and] purpose”. Everything is working to dislocate us.

Dislocation is identified psychologically as a “lack of attachment, belonging, identity, meaning, [and] purpose”. Social and economic forces beyond the control of the individual – among them free-market capitalism, ecological devastation, consumerism, gross inequality, [LMIC] “development,” corporate culture, high speed [sic] technical change, financial market crises and more – work to alienate and dislocate the individual from structures of meaning. Our modern social arrangement, Alexander argues, means that we have to sacrifice “family, friends, meaning, and values” in order to be more “efficient” and “competitive” in the rat race. In this framework, addictive behaviors are adaptive responses meant to fill that void of meaning and purpose. Using substances can provide a temporary sense of community (with other users), purpose (to acquire the substance), and meaning (feelings of euphoria or calm from using the substance) [emphasis mine]. Substance abuse and addiction help to fill the gaps in meaning and purpose left by modern society. (View Highlight)