William Butler Yeats Was Wrong

"Yeats penned those lines in the aftermath of World War I and the devastation of the Spanish Flu, channeling the unease and uncertainty that defined his era. Phrases like "the falcon cannot hear the falconer" and "mere anarchy is loosed upon the world" evoke the breakdown of societal structures and the dawn of a darker, more chaotic age. The poem's "rough beast" symbolizes not a rebirth, but an unsettling transformation-the end of familiar certainties."

"Fast-forward to today: many of those I'm privileged to work with are wrestling with similar existential turbulence. These individuals are not isolated by disadvantage or intellect; rather, they feel an acute responsibility to use their resources to elevate human dignity. They understand why anxiety persists in our shared society, yet often struggle to find hope, compassion, and a renewed sense of direction."

"My clinical work as a marriage and family therapist is focused on helping clients reclaim their moral compass-by detaching from the intense, polarizing rhetoric of modern media and reconnecting with the communities, values, and relationships that provide grounding and peace. A significant portion of our work examines the same systemic and existential issues Yeats highlighted: chaos, loss of meaning, breakdown of communication, and future anxiety."

William Butler Yeats' lines about things falling apart captured postwar and pandemic uncertainty, depicting societal breakdown and an unsettling transformation. Contemporary, educated individuals experience similar existential turbulence, feeling responsible to elevate human dignity while struggling with anxiety, hope, and compassion. Therapeutic work focuses on reclaiming a moral compass by detaching from polarizing media and rebuilding ties to communities, values, and relationships that provide grounding. Emotionally focused family therapy encourages embracing and processing strong emotions together, addressing systemic issues like loss of meaning, breakdown of communication, and future anxiety to deepen connection and direction.

Read at Psychology Today