Sometimes there are no excuses to be found

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by mapuc

Sometimes there are no excuses to be found. It's typical psychology trying to find some kind of excuses.

There are always something there, my sister replied.

Saying this as a former psychologist myself: you are both generalizing.

However, in psychology, there is a strong tendency for claiming general authority indeed, and to claim validity for each and every aspect of human life. But that is for historical and political reasons. One can have them nicely summarized in this (German) book which I think has been a dissertation originally, then got published in an academic publishing house: Michael Sonntag: Die Seele als Politikum. Psychologieund die Produktion des Individuums. Dietrich Reimer Verlag Berlin, 1988, Reihe Historische Anthropologie Band 3. I found this book not before I had finished studying and got my diploma. Possible that if I would have found this book 2 or 3 years earlier, I never would have studied until the end (if I would have had the courage to break and start all new). If your sister happens to understand German, you could to her a favour by trying to get her a copy of this book. It is hard to find, though (I would not lend my copy of it, at least not yet).

Edit: Ah, here it is, second hand:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Die-Seele-al...+als+politikum