ABSTRACT
The suicide of the tormented idealist is not the same as the suicide of those driven to the precipice by abject circumstances, or those so brutalized and maimed that they hold life empty and cheap. The idealist is tormented by his or her own achievements, which are always lacking. The materialist is more likely to be satisfied with whatever she or he can get, even while trying for more. This chapter provides the example about a girl named as Doris. When Doris realized that she had failed to die, she was filled with shame. She couldn't do anything right—not even kill herself. She was supposed to be able to do everything herself. Being in therapy meant that she was a failure as a person. It also meant that her parents were failures. Doris amazed herself by staying in therapy after her life stabilized and she was no longer in danger.
