The Cultural Review

Cultural Norms

1 article

A person in a tense meeting, maintaining a calm facade while subtle visual cues hint at underlying stress and emotional struggle, representing the high cost of composure.
Wellness

The High Cost of Keeping Calm: Our Cultural Obsession With Composure Is Harming Us

Our society often rewards unwavering composure under pressure, but this cultural ideal may be doing more harm than good. Discover how the relentless pursuit of calm can mask deeper issues like suppressed trauma and high-functioning anxiety.

Yasmin El-Sayed·April 2, 2026