"There have been many versions and nuances of the idea that there may in fact be an in­timate relationship between madness and civilization; that civ­ilization itself is bound to growing exi­sten­tial challenges and an escala­ting inner chaos: Marx’s alienation; Durkheim’s anomie; Weber’s iron cage and disenchantment; Fr­eud’s idea that civilization forces us to lock up …"

I can’t tell what to make of this piece—the Tyler durden cover, the assumption of “increasing complexity,” that graph positioning “criminals” on the side of worse “psychological health.” It’s true that we may not be able to handle the empty/mythified/mystified state of things, but I don’t think this piece really does anything to cut through or explain that.