Publisher's Synopsis
The journey began on the author's return from 30 years spent abroad, away from his native New York City. The first publications dealt with his personal assessment of just how much he had changed. Following that, he discovered just how much the US had changed. Somewhat alarmed by what he observed, he offered an insider/outsider perspective on his concerns and fears for the country. Next came the fundamental truth, that whatever the circumstance we have a choice. Failing to recognize that means embracing one's own powerlesnes. All these books were more focused on the social psychology of the country and how it works. Or doesn't, at least not in a healthy, productive manner, for the country is being overwhelmed with all sorts of fears, hostilities, resentments, gender conflict, drug use and abuse, a substantial increase in anxiety disorders acompanied by chronic pharmaceutical treatments, and ultimately, the opiod epidemic. Social divisions are tearing us apart as we forget the incredible experiment in self government that is our nationAlways driven to get to the root of things, for treating only symptoms is more heavily based on hope than expectation, The Problem With Problems takes an in depth look at why, even though we may be fully aware of what's wrong, and possibly even see a way forward, most people stop short of stepping over that line into a new and better future. There have been many attempts to explain this, but they have mostly remained on the surface, attributing these obvious failings to impersonal societal forces. That is not the case here. Working from his acquaintances and patients, the author has delved deeper than most and found unsuspected forces at work as part of an initial attempt to deal with a difficult situation which, over time, acquires a certain autonomy with a single purpose: prevent change. This is not a clinical work, for the author insists on retaining a vital connection to our own humanity. After all, we have survived a fair number of years using the tools we were given. The problem is how we have abandoned them in our rush towards delegating responsibility to instances we hardly understand or which exist only as a construct. These insights are alive with emotion an caring, revealed with a clarity and courage one doesn't often encounter.Written in a unique style combining introductory essays with related poems, Mr. Ritter has played on two very different channels. The rational, logical, linear presentation of an essay. And, as in times long gone when the greatest stories were told in rhyme. Why? Because rhyming, like music, can slip through the logical filter we deploy to better exercise conscious control over things that speak directly to our emotions. This is something the author's model - the famous Dr. Seuss - did deceptively, yet terribly well, teaching generations of young children, through his stories important moral and life lessons. It's quite simple. Prose is explicative. Poetry is evocative. Together, they work remarkable well, each reinforcing the message of the other. There is no question that Mr. Ritter has had a rather unique background, having degrees in clinical and developmental psychology, as well as having trained at the C.G Institute in Zurich, Switzerland. His career has taken him into disciplines where he has also acquired a certain scientific literacy. Together, this insider/outsider view on ourselves, insightful but never judgemental, is worth the journey.Organized as standalone commentaries, he often suggests they be consumed like Tappas - one at a time, the choice being guided by some invisible hand which is simply trying to get a message through. Learn to listen to it. You may be on the road to actually rediscovering who, regardless of what others have told you, you could very well become.
