Seeking to draw parallels between the one and the whole, this work is as
much a study of individual character as a critique of society and its
institutions. Viewed through the lens of the enneagram, a personality
system that divides people into nine character types, this analysis
aligns each of the ailments and difficulties of the individual
characters with the broader "ills of the world." In addition to
providing a discussion of the theological and psychological background
of the enneagram, this work examines the interaction between the various
ennea-types and theology's deadly sins. Each character type is presented
in light of specific habits and behaviors that diminish a person's
ability to give and receive unconditional love. The ensuing essay on the
character of nations and cultures presents a commentary on the perennial
flaws of modern society and the "defective operation" of social
institutions and governments. Rather than proposing a political or
revolutionary agenda as a solution, this text advocates a healing
process that begins with individuals and associations of people as the
ultimate means of effecting the habits of larger social spheres.