Best-selling author James Hillman (The Soul's Code) and psychotherapist Ben Sells engage in a mind-stretching conversation about the American experience. What does it mean to be a citizen of this country? Many think that individuality and independence are the cornerstones of American identity. However, these two mavericks point out that this view leads to marital contracts; an adversarial relationship with neighbors, employees, and strangers; an exploitative use of land; and a skepticism about community and obligation to work for the well-being of the nation.
Instead of independence, Sells suggests an emphasis upon ways we are in dependence on others. Hillman argues that we don't really live in any specific place but reside in a dream, a myth, and a belief system about America. This secular religion leads to an exalted view of individual rights, predatory capitalism, and an image of the U.S. as set apart from the rest of the world. Hillman and Sells come up with some ideas on ways to restore the social contract and to deal honestly with "the shadow" of America — our relationship with the blood of Native Americans, slaves, witches, and other outsiders that reside in the land.