In her work "Slouching Towards Bethlehem," Joan Didion explores the concept of self-deception regarding our desires and needs. She warns that when we convince ourselves that our wants are not just personal choices but moral obligations, we risk losing touch with reality. This shift can lead to a collective hysteria, where the boundaries between necessity and obsession become blurred, indicating a precarious situation for society. Didion suggests that this phenomenon is already prevalent in contemporary culture.

The author points out that this state of mind transforms desires into perceived moral imperatives, leading to irrational behaviors and thoughts. Such self-deception creates a pervasive climate of hysteria, where people feel compelled to act on their "moral" convictions rather than pragmatic reasoning. Didion’s analysis serves as a cautionary reflection on the dangers of allowing our wants to dictate a false sense of ethical urgency, highlighting a deeper societal malaise that we must address.