The myth of human fragility

Humans are not fragile creatures. They are resilient. And trauma is almost certainly not a widespread cause of mental illness.

Written by Bo Winegard and Ben Winegard.

Bessel van der Kolk, an affable octogenarian, has emerged as an unlikely spiritual guru and minor celebrity.  His book, The Body Keeps the Score, has spent 240 weeks on the New York Times best seller list and sold more than 2 million copies worldwide. It is currently number 7 on Amazon Charts, a list of the week’s best sellers. Over 66,000 readers have reviewed the book on Amazon. Most reviews are effusive, calling the book “ground breaking,” “life changing,” and “transformative.” The book itself is a compelling blend of anecdote, myth, and self-help bromides generously seasoned with scientific terminology (e.g., epigenetics, hypothalamus, amygdala, anterior cingulate). van der Kolk’s message: Trauma is the root of much of our suffering. Often we evade this reality–our minds warp, distort, and repress. Our bodies and brains, however, produce a steady stream of symptoms: panic attacks, depressive episodes, bipolar illness, borderline personality, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia. Fortunately, this suffering is not inevitable. By acknowledging our trauma we can be healed and made whole.  

The power of the trauma myth is undeniable. It validates mental suffering, provides meaning, and offers the hope of salvation. Humans suffer not because they are fallen or because of difficult-to-understand impersonal forces such as genes, but because they have been violated and victimized. They are fragile and the world’s slings and arrows often cause permanent damage.