Guns and Tension Systems

In the past few weeks, gun terror and fires in California have made the headlines. It’s clear that natural disasters and cultural violence are the cause for varying disagrees of disaster or doom and gloom. One aspect of man’s nature rests with his desire to master his life space. He’s motivated to control with efficacy those unpleasant [anxiety-based] barriers, challenges, situations or negative issues which confronts him. There also exists the fear of failure. In essence, we have these two forces working against each other often but not always at the conscious level. Think of a motivational operating tension system. On the one hand we have anxiety and we are motivated to reduce or eliminate that anxiety or tension. Tension is unpleasant and the reduction takes away the unpleasantness. Thus, we are motivated to reduce or attempt to eliminate the unpleasantness in order to achieve some form of mastery, goal attainment, well-being, safety or reward. However, the “why” or the in-depth understanding of the insecurity, fear of failure is generally at the unconscious level. To illustrate, an individual may be motivated to make the team, and fears being cut. His motivation results in developing more strength, speed and endurance. The extreme competitive unconscious dynamic or the why of making the team, is often based on earlier experiences and/ or interpersonal interactions. The fear of being not good enough or not being able to master the situation is generally at the conscious level. Accomplishing the goal or desire of making the team results in pleasure and satisfaction for the moment. It doesn’t take long before another threat, anxiety or fear to occur. It could be “can I make the traveling squad?” or “can I become first string.” In other words, our anxiety-based tension system operates frequently. Man is motivated to pursue pleasure, but frequently has to deal with the danger, fear or anxiety that interferes. Obviously, uncontrolled or potential fire creates tension with the opposing desire and motivation to protect one’s life space, regardless of the many barriers in the way. For example, my residence is adjacent to a vast Bureau of Land Management [BLM] area with its trees, brush or fuel from the forest. My tension system [fear of forest fire] motivates me to continue to clear more and more space by cutting down trees and brush around the perimeter of my home each year. The state recommends at least 100 feet of clearing, but I’ve exceeded that a long time ago. Do I know how much of a firebreak that I need to protect my loved ones and belongings? No, but I continue each year to clear and remove more and more trees and brush. My fear and anxiety is greatest during the summer and fall periods. During these seasons, my vigilance never wavers. Only during the rainy season, am I without an operating anxiety or fear tension system as I don’t think about fire danger terror. Let’s turn to gun violence terror. For many, not having a firearm or a number of firearms with ammunition, creates a tension system. Conscious thought about attaining a weapon centers around the ability to hunt, pursue target practice, for freedom, a Second Amendment right, for protection, etc. At the conscious level, there exists the dynamic or drive to control, master, or to experience security. Any perceived or anticipatory perception or threat of not having a firearm creates tension, and/or anxiety, insecurity and fear. Attempts are then established to reduce the unpleasantness of insecurity and tension by purchasing a firearm, ammunition, etc. Now, how many weapons, and how much stored ammunition can satisfy or resolve the tension system dynamic? Don’t forget there is a “why” or unconscious dynamic underneath the conscious thought of owning a gun. To Be Continued