--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pragmatism, consumerism, self-help…" description: "\"“Pragmatism, consumerism, self-help moralism, and narcissism are simply the symptoms of a disease that is, at its heart, theological:”\" — Michael S. Ho..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/798/michael-s-horton-7082_quote_pragmatism-consumerism-self-help-moralis_1986530.jpg" --- # Pragmatism, consumerism, self-help moralism, and… ![“Pragmatism, consumerism, self-help moralism, and narcissism are simply the symptoms of a disease that is, at its heart, theological:” quote by Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/798/michael-s-horton-7082_quote_pragmatism-consumerism-self-help-moralis_1986530.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/798/michael-s-horton-7082_quote_pragmatism-consumerism-self-help-moralis_1986530.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/798/michael-s-horton-7082_quote_pragmatism-consumerism-self-help-moralis_1986530.jpg) > ““Pragmatism, consumerism, self-help moralism, and narcissism are simply the symptoms of a disease that is, at its heart, theological:”” [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that modern cultural trends like pragmatism, consumerism, self‑help, and narcissism stem from a deeper theological problem. **In simple terms:** Modern trends reflect a hidden religious issue. Key Takeaway Address underlying beliefs, not just surface behaviors. Themes culture psychology theology ethics Mood critical analytical Type observational critical When to use this quote - media analysis - personal counseling - church teaching - social critique Key Concepts secularism identity spiritual void Questions to Reflect On - What theological assumptions drive these cultural trends? - Can secular solutions address the root causes? A Different Perspective It may overlook non‑theological explanations for these behaviors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Narcissism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narcissism/) [Pragmatism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pragmatism/) ## Related quotes > [Oh, how rare are the Christians who speak with a tender heart and have a theological backbone of steel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/oh-how-rare-are-the-christians-who-speak-with-a-tender-heart-and-have/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [If theological ideas prove to have a value for concrete life, they will be true, for pragmatism, in the sense of being good for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/if-theological-ideas-prove-to-have-a-value-for-concrete-life-they/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“Many Christians assume that we can just experience God in a personal relationship apart from doctrine, but that’s impossible. You cannot experience God without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/many-christians-assume-that-we-can-just-experience-god-in-a-personal/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [...never let a passion for the perfect take precedence over pragmatism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/never-let-a-passion-for-the-perfect-take-precedence-over-pragmatism/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“Don’t be deceived when they tell you things are better now. 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Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“The orthodox hold the mean between these extremes, maintaining that the providence of God is so occupied about sin as neither idly to permit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/the-orthodox-hold-the-mean-between-these-extremes-maintaining-that/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“This may be the most valuable and the most challenging thing we can learn from Calvin’s ecclesiology today: that the church is not something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/this-may-be-the-most-valuable-and-the-most-challenging-thing-we-can/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“The same word that is faith-producing and life-generating for some is for others an occasion to become more resolute in unbelief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/the-same-word-that-is-faith-producing-and-life-generating-for-some-is/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“We can be grateful that Jesus embraced the cross and then entered his glory instead of demanding glory first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/we-can-be-grateful-that-jesus-embraced-the-cross-and-then-entered-his/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“I’m not saying that there is something wrong with moving to the city to pursue an adrenaline-racing calling. And I understand the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/i-m-not-saying-that-there-is-something-wrong-with-moving-to-the-city/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“Our natural reason tells us that good people finish first and cheaters never prosper. However, believers have no right to God’s common grace any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/our-natural-reason-tells-us-that-good-people-finish-first-and/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) [Explore all 95 Michael S. Horton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) ## More Narcissism quotes > [I don't know if it's naivete or just narcissism, but I start out with this notion that I can do anything. It's not until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-pfeiffer/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-naivete-or-just-narcissism-but-i-start-out-with/) [Michelle Pfeiffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-pfeiffer/) > [“Sugar is for the body as narcissism is for the soul. 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And that's what's missing from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janeane-garofalo/listen-young-people-i-understand-narcissism-clearly-but-at-least-i/) [Janeane Garofalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janeane-garofalo/) > [Criticism is the fountainhead of control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-forward/criticism-is-the-fountainhead-of-control/) [Susan Forward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-forward/) > [There's like a little bit of a narcissism - I think there's more than a little bit of narcissism about it, but it's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-harrison/there-s-like-a-little-bit-of-a-narcissism-i-think-there-s-more-than-a/) [Patti Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-harrison/) > [Well-being is possible to the degree to which one has overcome one's narcissism; to the degree to which one is open, responsive, sensitive, awake,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/well-being-is-possible-to-the-degree-to-which-one-has-overcome-one-s/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Often, her mate is the child of a narcissist, already indoctrinated to regard exploitation and disregard as love. Others lured by the narcissistic aura…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elan-golomb/often-her-mate-is-the-child-of-a-narcissist-already-indoctrinated-to/) Elan Golomb > [Never underestimate the narcissism of a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elia-kazan/never-underestimate-the-narcissism-of-a-writer/) [Elia Kazan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elia-kazan/) > [“If I’m my biggest fan, the only person in the stadium is probably me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/if-i-m-my-biggest-fan-the-only-person-in-the-stadium-is-probably-me/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [Adolescents swing from euphoric self-confidence and a kind of narcissistic strength in which they feel invulnerable and even immortal, to despair, self-emptiness, self-deprecation. 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But I have this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/it-would-have-been-convenient-to-be-gay-just-because-of-the-grooming/) [Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/) [Browse all 398 Narcissism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narcissism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Pragmatism, consumerism, self-help moralism, and narcissism are simply the symptoms of a disease that is, at its heart, theological:”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael S. 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