Of all the emotions that I have lost friends over guilt seems to be the most corrosive. Anger and sadness, to the contrary of what may be expected, are often easily forgiven and surpassed. Guilt, however, eats away at the psyche; it forces its host to push away loved ones, it blames others as to avoid being dealt with, and it will lead to a slew of many other subsequent emotional reactions. Countless friends have faded away because they find themselves feeling guilty over choices that affect none other than themselves. An endless number of arguments have erupted because people choose to sublet their emotional responsibility onto others instead of dealing with their problems directly. Guilt can act like a cancer, quickly growing in the mind if not dealt with. Worse, even, is when the guilt is passed on to another and so carried through generations. American society can feel these effects directly.