Man's Dilemma Part 2

However, each of these outstanding football player athletes had suffered major physical injuries, self-defeating behavior, as a result of their participation with this sport. Although these terrific athletes are about 10 years younger than I am, I still physically run circles around them and have more endurance. Asked if they would do it again, the answer is “yes.” One interpretation is the Pleasure Principle. The Pleasure Principle is based on the satisfaction of impulses and wishes-it’s illogical, without morality, and does not differentiate between good and evil. It is one of the guiding irrational principles in the unconscious. This takes precedence over the Reality Principle. The Reality Principle is associated with reason, understanding, truth and the postponement of gratification, satisfaction or reward .It’s focus is that which takes place in the external world.  In essence, the Reality Principle modifies the desires and wishes of man’s requirements within his life space.  In reality, we are most aware of the difficulty of ex- players adjusting to the regular world; of the significance of CTE concussions, short term careers and the physical injuries sustained which are part of the sport. Consciously, those realities did not seem to deter behavior.

Other examples of the Pleasure Principle, its irrationality, and self-defeating behavior being dominant over Reality Principle can be illustrated by individuals joining military service during the last 18 years or so, of wars in the Middle East. These individuals are likely, if they are to return, to a troubled home life, to loss of limbs and a posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis. This group of warriors also have the highest rate of suicide as well. Yes, abasement, achievement, affiliation, aggression, counteraction, defendance, dominance, are some of their need structures met by joining the military. Do not forget their Abasement needs.

Two thirds of the US population are overweight and/or obese. Is there anyone, at this juncture, that does not know of the harmful and deadly physical effects of lack of exercise, poor nutrition and excessive weight - the Reality Principle? Yes, I watched the NBA playoffs that was interspersed with commercials of beer, gigantic burgers, and large bag of fries with enormous cups of Coke. Linda just returned from the Shakespearean Festival in Ashland and commented on the large sized people in the audience. She talked about it over and over again.

I’ve heard people say that their knees are bad and exercise and diet are just too hard or they don’t have enough time to exercise. They deny reality and tell me their blood pressure is terrific and also admit that they’re stressed. For the most part, they eat too well and way too much. Once again the Pleasure Principle remains dominant along with their Abasement need. Today’s food is processed with unhealthy and addicting components like sugar. The food industry is smart and knows how to market and addict our food dependency consumers. These unhealthy individuals do not seem to care.

Is there any doubt of the frailty and irrationality in our thinking? Passion needs can easily over rule behavior along with the defense mechanisms that reinforce our irrationality, prudent choice, self-defeating and harmful behavior. Our needs are dominant and rule behavior.  Aggression or self-destruction turned inward are a good example. Yes, life is filled with inconsistencies and irrationality.