Klaus Ottomeyer has updated his widely read study on social psychology and alienation in capitalism for the new edition. "The course of capitalist economy is difficult to predict in terms of stock prices; its impact on the human soul can be precisely calculated" (Max Horkheimer). The crisis of identity, so often invoked today in the media and by politicians, has its roots in systematic chaos, in the contradictory demands arising from the world of work, the market, and private consumption. The feeling of being torn apart is further intensified in the era of neoliberalism and globalization. In this situation, deceptive promises of salvation and healing are booming. Ottomeyer provides some insights into how psychotherapy and generally meaningful life practices are still possible.