A practicing psychiatrist, Dr. M. Scott Peck,
wrote this book. It is the author’s explanation of mental illness and of his
thoughts on religion, grace, and God. The importance of “true love” is a
continuing theme throughout the book. Indeed, the author contends that love is basic
to healing. In the early sections of the book, the author illustrates some
forms of mental illness with therapeutic sessions he has had with a few of his
patients. In the latter sections he presents his ideas on how the human conscious
and unconscious play a part in man’s relationship with God. Although the book
is interesting and easy to read, some readers may struggle with how the author
repeats himself and with his attempts to link ideas throughout the book.
The
author reminds us that life is difficult. We all deal with problems; some daily.
He emphasizes that problems do not go
away. “They must be worked through or else remain a barrier to growth and
development of the spirit.” To solve
life’s problems, the author emphasizes that discipline is the “basic set of
tools” required. “These tools are techniques for suffering, means by which we
experience the pain of problems, work them through, and solve them successfully;
as we do so, we learn and grow in the process”.
The
tools of discipline are “delaying gratification, acceptance of responsibility,
dedication to truth and balancing.” He stresses that this kind of discipline is
not the one a child experiences. Discipline from loving parents, however, is
superior to the discipline of unloving parents. Delaying gratification is mentioned
several times. It seems to be an underlying theme throughout the book. It is
defined as “a process of scheduling the pain and pleasure of life in such a way
as to enhance the pleasure by meeting and experiencing the pain first and
getting it over with.”
The remaining tools of discipline, acceptance
of responsibility, dedication to truth and balancing, are not as frequently
mentioned, but are assumed to be lesser, supporting themes throughout the book.
As a supporting theme, responsibility does make an appearance and is presented
as a first step in problem solving. However, the author notes that trying to
determine what we are and what we are not responsible for may be the greatest
problem of all. He states that “the tendency to avoid problems and the
emotional suffering in them is the primary basis of all human mental illness.”
In chronic or long-term mental illness,
one stops growing. He or she becomes sick. And without healing the human spirit
begins to die. The ability to solve life’s problems is not perfect. However,
unless one is mentally disabled, anyone can solve any problem. To get started
in the problem solving, the author stresses that the suffering individual must
know or learn that he or she is valuable and loved, very important requirements
for mental health. They are basic to the structure of self-discipline.
Mental illness is caused by an absence of
or defect in love; not the romantic love we first think of but “true love.” For
successful maturity and spiritual growth, children require love from their
parents or guardians. The list of ways we perceive and respond to the world is
developed in childhood, which is normal.
There are two conditions of the human mind
the author identifies as “neurosis” and “character disorder.” These are
disorders of responsibility, and they are opposite styles of relating to the
world and its problems. “The neurotic assumes too much responsibility, the
person with a character disorder not enough.” In a sense all children have character disorder
conditions. However, transference of these conditions into adulthood is not
desirable. The author notes “neurotics make themselves miserable; those with
character disorders make others miserable. He gives hope to neurotics because
there are much better chances of success in healing for them than for those
with character disorders.
Individuals with character disorders seem
to naturally deny responsibility for many conflicts in their lives. Throwing away
responsibility helps them feel more comfortable. They choose to not solve the
problems of living and to not try to grow spiritually; eventually they “become
dead weight for society.” However, they don’t realize that giving up their responsibilities
to society or to specific individuals means giving up their freedom.
In beginning his thoughts on love, the
author defines love as “the will to extend one’s self for the purpose of
nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth. The absence of love is the
major cause of mental illness - the presence of love is consequently the
essential healing element in psychotherapy. The only true end of love is
spiritual growth.”
“Falling in love” does not fall under the
author’s definition of love. It takes no effort to fall in love, and it is not
deliberately chosen. It is important to the survival of our species but offers
very little improvement or spiritual growth. It may begin relations from which
real love can blossom; but as the author insists, “a good deal more is required
to develop a healthy, creative marriage, raise a healthy, spiritually growing
child or contribute to the evolution of humanity.”
The author expands on his thoughts about
love by stating, “love is not simply giving; it is judicious arguing,
struggling, confronting, urging, pushing, and pulling in addition to
comforting. In marriage it is judicious praising and judicious criticizing - spouses
should be each other’s best critics. And each must strive to understand the
problems of the other from the inside with consistent patience. Two people love
each other only when they are quite capable of living without each other but
choose to live with each other. A good marriage can exist only between two
strong and independent people.”
The author writes a good deal on religion.
He states that everyone has a religion. We receive our perception of world
views, including religion, from our unique childhood experiences. And, so, the
problem of religion versus reality may affect our spiritual growth. “Spiritual
growth is a journey of knowledge and not of faith. During this journey we must
continually expand our realm of knowledge and our field of vision through the
digestion and incorporation of the latest information. The path to holiness
lies through questioning everything.”
Regarding grace the author rightly tells
us that grace opens the door to spiritual growth. Grace or God’s love, as the
author puts it, feeds the human capacity to love and the will to grow. The
existence of grace is major to the reality of God and of His will for the
growth of the human spirit. As Christians we have read that there will be many individuals
on this earth who will not listen to the call of grace and will reject the
offer of eternal life. As evidence of this fact the author cites Christ’s own
words, “Many are called, but few are chosen.”
Expanding on grace and its importance to
spiritual growth, the author presents the theory of entropy, defined as the ongoing
movement of everything in the universe from a state of organization to a state of
disorganization. “Spiritual growth is difficult and takes effort because it is
being resisted by entropy. The force of entropy uses laziness to do its work.”
The author proposes that laziness is
humankind’s original sin. It is a natural resistance to change, to take the
easy way out of a human problem, and to not grow in this life and in the
Spirit. Love is the only force against laziness. It is a miracle that Love stands
up against the natural law of entropy.
In the final pages of the book the author concludes
that the connection between the human consciousness and unconscious is the connection
between God and humankind. “Our unconscious is God. God within us. We were part
of God all the time. God has been with us all along, is now, and always will
be. It is because our conscious self resists our unconscious wisdom that we
become ill.” Mental illness occurs when the conscious will of the individual does
not follow the will of God but follows its own path.
As stated earlier, love is the theme
throughout the Road Less Traveled. The author reviews love’s importance in its
final pages. To be loved, an individual must prepare him or herself for true love
by becoming loving and disciplined. Love should not be sought; love should seek
us. If we search for love, we will become dependent and not really loving. But
when we help others and ourselves without reward on the journey of life on
earth, not expecting love, “the reward of true love will find us.”
