ABSTRACT
The theory of cultural complexes is one way to think about how the soul of America is forged in interactions between the psyche and politics. The first part of this essay defines the soul of America as the living interface between the experience of individual souls and that of the national soul and explores the space between the personal soul and the collective soul accompanied by Walt Whitman’s poem “Song of Myself,” which shares memories of a personal journey and reflects on the Mississippi River and the American landscape. Through Walt Whitman’s verses and Toni Morrison’s prose, Thomas Singer turns to the depths of the American soul. The second part of the essay outlines the seven potent cultural complexes that revolve around: Money/commerce/consumer goods; the natural environment; the human community, including family life, social life, and the life cycle from conception to death; the spiritual realm; race, ethnicity, and gender; speed, height, youth, progress, and celebrity; and, finally, the world beyond the American borders. It exemplifies how psychological analysis, with its intuitive and imaginative approach, can provide critical insights while evoking empathy and compassion.
