Since my
birthday, I have been thinking about a few dynamics pertaining to Homo sapiens
In our Western culture. This brief post is an overview of those dynamics. For
instance, generally speaking, life as an embryo can be or not be idyllic- i.e.
drug use, alcohol use, tobacco use and congenital complications. However,
regardless of race, socioeconomics, when the umbilical cord, at birth is cut, things
dramatically change and that has been referred to as the trauma of birth. The
helpless and dependent infant experiences a tension or anxiety state and is
totally at the mercy for his survival from an individual in the environment.
Feeding, warmth, rocking, etc. assist in the physiological drive or anxiety reduction.
This helplessness, dependence and insignificance exists for quite some time,
along with varying degrees of an accompanying unpleasantness or anxiety state.
We start out with the unpleasantness of tension and then its various degrees of
reduction and then pleasure. Hopefully, we learn to trust ourselves and to
trust others in this initial fluid and changing process.
Competition,
competitiveness or mastery follows. Initially, our physiological needs require
to be met or reduced. This is followed by competing with others for food,
safety, warmth, attention, etc. Others can include siblings, parents, and
significant others. In school, there is competition, within the peer group,
academics, play, sports, friendships, etc. With competition, results with a
tendency for mastery and dominance.
However, mastery,
and dominance is also accompanied by hostility and aggression unfortunately
directed toward another. Our culture is all about winning, as a second-place
finish is considered being the first loser. Winning or being the best is taught
extremely early and lasts a lifetime. Take a look at any college coach, and
their facial expressions and their body language tell a story of
uncomfortableness, anxiety and hostility. Winning is synonymous with success
and losing with failure.
To Be
Continued
No comments:
Post a Comment