Surviving our Catastrophes: Celebrating the Resilience and Renewal of Survivors with Robert Jay Lifton, M.D.

I speak with the acclaimed psychiatrist and my mentor, Robert Jay Lifton, M.D., about his new book, Surviving Our Catastrophes: Resilience and Renewal from Hiroshima to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Lifton’s research on thought reform and the psychology of totalism, specifically his study on “brainwashing” in China, has been widely regarded as groundbreaking. His book Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism (1961) was used in my deprogramming. It was Lifton who encouraged my career which has spanned 47 years. In this new book, Lifton delves into “Survivor Power” and the transformation from victimhood to survivorship. He emphasizes the importance of drawing on the knowledge and wisdom gained from surviving traumatic experiences to continue living meaningful lives. The book takes inspiration from historical examples of survivors who have endured unimaginable suffering and trauma. Lifton highlights the remarkable responses of individuals who, in the face of unspeakable horror, have created activist movements, converted their experiences into art and literature, and demonstrated the resilience of the human spirit. From the people of Hiroshima, who responded to the atomic bombing by creating an activist “city of peace,” to the survivors of Nazi death camps who combated mass killing and showcased their healing through art and literature, these examples serve as beacons of hope.

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