puts in concrete a severely dysfunctional system.

a dysfunctional organization. It has to be cleaned out.

Perhaps nothing so accurately characterizes dysfunctional families as denial. The denial forces members to keep believing the myths and vital lies in spite of the facts, or to keep expecting that the same behaviors will have different outcomes.
Dad's not an alcoholic because he never drinks in the morning, in spite of the fact that he's drunk every night.

Whitman was Emerson translated from the abstract into the concrete.

Perhaps nothing so accurately characterizes dysfunctional families as denial.

He must've been severely disappointed to see the crowd's reaction.