The Schizoid Era

2025-09-03

Most are familiar with the term zeitgeist, the spirit of an age. It has been applied historically in a number of ways and psychology is one. The 1970s were famously described by author Tom Wolfe as the "Me" decade and Christopher Lasch wrote a book at the end of that same decade titled The Culture of Narcissism exploring it in even greater detail. It's hard not to see this in egotism and consumerism of the 80s. Another psychologist, Elinor Greenberg, extends this idea by referring to the mid 60s to 70s counterculture as the Borderline era for its embrace of spontaneity, sexual liberation, and rebellion against norms. But she also describes the 90s to now in way I agree with strongly, having arrived at the same feeling independently, as the Schizoid Era:

It is now easy to avoid face-to-face interpersonal intimacy without appearing unsocial or odd. Right now, the cultural field embraces the use of new technology, such as the computer and its various manifestations, which allows us to avoid direct contact with others. Instead, it supports various types of more distant and controllable forms of intimacy, such as communication by email, texting, on-line chats, etc. Individuals who have made Schizoid adaptations and who fear intrusion from others now have many ways of relating to others that can feel safer than face-to-face, in person communication.

For those of you who don't know, Schizoid is a personality disorder. It is too complicated to get into here, but it is generally characterized by an apparent lack of interest in social relationships. I say apparent, because things get much deeper from there, but I will leave that for another time. The term itself refers to its resemblance to schizophrenia, though this mainly refers to the way schizophrenics retreat from society, and is based on a Greek word meaning "to split." Literally, schizophrenia is "a splitting of the mind" and schizoid is something which resembles a splitting of the mind. I think this is an excellent way of describing the spirit of our times.

I think this fits in a couple of clever ways. On one hand, the internet and social media make the claims that we are more connected than ever. This is somewhat true, but many of us have realized that in a much deeper way we have never been more alienated. I believe that part of the reason for that is that we really are doing something that resembles splitting our minds. Recently, we have been offloading cognition arguably core to the human condition to AI. For a lot longer, though, we have been bifurcating out identities. For many people this is done through an inauthenticity in their social media presence or on dating apps. For me, it is this username I have used for decades and the way it represents my ideal self in a radically authentic, but painfully isolated disembodied Mind. For still others, it is through gender identities in conflict with bodies or even sexualities in conflict with their species. I find myself thankful I avoided some of these splittings when I share so many conditions with those who did not.

The ones I didn't avoid, I want to address. Call it reintegration of the shadow or whatever you like, but I want to slow or cease the splitting and become whole again. Reforge the sword that was broken. That is the purpose of this capsule, insofar as I have one in mind. Geminispace provides a unique opportunity, almost a second chance at the early web when people poured themselves into it in an uncontrolled manner. I did the same, just in a fearful way while deluding myself otherwise, because I wasn't on this app or sharing that bit of traditional information. I won't be boldly announcing myself to all of geminispace via the largest platforms here, either, but I also don't want to hide parts of myself back. The barrier to entry and small population here makes for a perfect balance where I can be more authentically myself with less worry of someone in close geographic or social proximity accidentally stumbling on it.

But if I do that, alone, it's just the same old Schizoid adaptation. The trick this time around is less about the electronic end and more about how I conduct myself in the real world. Compared to my last go around, I am farther away from the family who didn't want my feelings and who forced me into coping behaviors. I am closer to friends who care about me, respect my needs, and continually grant me opportunities to become closer. I can tell them about the existence of my gemlog and even share the things I think about and write there without fear that they will coarsely invade it. I am lucky and will be luckier still if I can take advantage of it. Even as the world swirls around in a hurricane of Schizoid spirit, there is an eye of stillness in the middle, if we can find it.