Savages Among Us

 

 

Freud stated that sex and killing were the oldest and most powerful human desires. Within sex there can be aggression as in sadomasochism. Yes, for survival, sex and aggression play an important role. Moreover, aggression can be defined as hostile or violent behavior or attitudes toward another, readiness to attack, and to confront without provocation. Additionally, Murray, “Explorations in Personality” called aggression a need. His definition: To overcome opposition forcefully, to fight. To revenge.  An injury, to attack injure or kill another. To oppose forcefully or punish another. This essay pertains to the  primitive “thinking” of savages.  

To begin, let’s refer to the study of anthropology, missionaries, sociologists and others as to early origins of aggression and killing.  Fraser’s “Taboo and the Perils of the Soul” provides insight into these primitive and savage cultures around the globe. One definition of savage: a brutal or vicious person. Primitive: relating to, or preserving the character of an early stage in the evolutionary or historical development of something. The following description of taboo and treatment of killing enemies is not at all consistent with describing these peoples as savage. Primitive, in some ways.

Numerous places of study ,such as, but not limited to the island of Timor, the people of Paloo, the Gallas of East Africa  etc. ruthless cruelty was not directed toward their enemies .Killing a man was governed by a number of observances which were taboo. For our purposes, taboo is about a sense of something unapproachable and is generally expressed in terms of prohibitions and restrictions. “ For instance, when bringing back the head of the vanquished foe, the leader of the expedition is submitted to restrictions such as sacrifices that are offered to appease the souls of the man whose heads had been taken. These people think that some misfortune would befall the victor were such an offering omitted. The ceremony consisted of a dance accompanied by a song which the death of the slain man is lamented and his forgiveness is entreated-“be not angry” they say “because your head is here with us, had we been less lucky, our heads might now have been exposed in your village. We have offered the sacrifice to appease you. Your spirit may now rest and leave us in peace. Why were you our enemy? Would it not have been better that we should remain friends? Then your blood would not have been split and your head would not have been cut off.”

Another example of attitudes toward enemies, changing, after their death, into guardians, friends and benefactors was exemplified by bringing home a head from a successful headhunting exposition. “For months after its arrival that head is treated with the greatest consideration and addressed with all names of endearment of which their language is capable. The most daintily marshals of food are thrust into its mouth, delicacies of all kinds and even cigars. The head is repeatedly implored to hate its former friends and to love its new host since it has now become one of them. It would be a great mistake to suppose that these observances which strike us so horrible are performed without any intention of ridicule. Even in North America, when a Choctaw kills the enemy they go into mourning with certain severe restrictions. They mourned over their dead and they will mourn for their foe just as if he were a friend.”

It’s obviously apparent that these non-industrialized people employ animism (human qualities), magic, superstition, and the omnipotence or great power of their thoughts (ideas become more important in that they dominate and block out, distort external reality). These people, with their spirits, were benevolent and malignant. They attributed, in animism, as being able to cause natural events. They believed that animals, plants and all of the inanimate objects in the world were animated and powerful. They believed human individuals were inhabited by similar spirits such as souls which live in human beings and can have their habitations and even migrate to other human beings. These were vehicles of mental activities and were to a certain extent independent –dualistic in their bodies. The system of animism, spirits and souls were considered independent. In essence, the souls of animals, plants and objects were constructed on the basis of human characteristics. Thus, the problem of death, a natural occurrence, was prolonged. They believed in immortality. In other words, animism likely provided a basis or ground floor for traditional religion. Halloween – honoring the saints, praying for the recently departed souls who have not yet reached heaven - ghosts, goblins, skeletons-trick or treat? Death is scary. More about that later.

The 10 Commandments provided the attempt to thwart and prohibit the desire for aggression and killing. For example, the Commandments: I am the Lord thy God, thou shall not have strange gods before me; thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; honor thy father and thy mother; thou shall not kill; thou shall not commit adultery; and thou shall not steal morally pertain and counter hate, aggression, exploitation, disrespect and domination. On one hand we are not supposed to kill, but Sampson and David are heroes as they overcame great and significant odds. Protestants at war with Catholics for over 20 years with unparalleled killing; Crusades, called Christian, going to the “holy” land to kill Muslims are  just a few examples of contradiction, irrationality, hate and death. Both Moses and Jesus did not, in any way, pursue aggression, death and destruction toward others. However, with religion we have soul, immortality, sin and other examples of the supernatural and magical thinking. And these ideas came first from savages!

The idea of God, the son of God and he died for your sins are examples of a belief in magic. If you’re good, you go to heaven and if you’re bad you go to hell. If you pray, you can control the reality or fragility of nature within human existence. Sports provide examples of magical thinking. What is supposed to happen when followers from different teams pray to the same God? How is waving a white, or blue piece of material, in unison, supposed to result in a touchdown? How is yelling “Go Team Go” supposed to result in some magical act on the field? Often, the opposing coach calls a timeout just before the kicker attempts a field goal. The timeout is supposed to make the kicker miss the field goal. At the recent NBA finals, the opposing fans started counting when Giannis was about to attempt a free-throw. Their counting, out loud .That action was supposed to make him miss his shot.

Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Sir Thomas Moore and many others believed in the power of their thoughts and in fact even died for their beliefs. After Henry cut off their heads, he displayed them how? I forgot, the king can’t be a savage. His thinking is supreme, just ask God. Unfortunately, having a belief with consensus, willing to die for the thought or being king or God like doesn’t mean that it’s the truth, logical, or insightful. Thoughts and beliefs can express the primitive, the uneducated, paranoid, hate, lies and sickness.

 

Animism, magical thinking, and omnipotence of thought is the attempt to employ “thinking” by narcissists to not only protect inner anxiety, conflict and insecurity but additionally to “exert power over “or to control the unpredictability and dangerousness in the reality of living. In omnipotence of thought, this level of “thinking” is characterized by structural conditions within a person’s mind (the projection of emotional impulses) into the external world. Thus commonly, this form of ”thinking “is characterized by the following - assumptions: a distortion of factual information; employment of illogical and non-rational connections; creation of falsifications, instead of facts; invention of fabrications in an attempt to bring mental relief from an unchangeable and rigid emotional position {Trump won, election was stolen}. Not surprisingly, spirits, demons, and a dualistic soul is the strategy of the mind’s attempt to bring mental relief from the emotional mental conflicts. Note, the absence of intellectual, rational, objective or scientific thinking. Related, to the primitive form of “thinking,” do not forget the interpersonal behavior that accompanies this deficit. With aggression, hate and scapegoating, the following is found: appeasing, making amends, propitiating, robbing of power, subduing, incurring favor, manipulating, exploiting and even killing. It is not surprising that omnipotence of thought can also be found with a diagnosis pertaining to obsessive-compulsive, paranoid, delusional {conspiracies} and phobic disorders.

 Let’s turn to politics for a moment. Mitch is the head Republican in the Senate. He controls how the Republicans vote. His stance, since January, can be described as anal retentive or withholding. He is against legislative support for the majority. His stance has been “no.” Yes, he was one of 11 Republicans that voted to keep the government operating until December. That debt was primarily established by Donald’s tax reduction for the wealthy. Trickle-down economics is an example of magical thinking. The majority of people are not entitled but the private sector of: coal, gas, farming, pharmaceuticals and powerful others are entitled to government benefits. By the way, Kentucky received approximately 9.7 billion in federal-aid which is about 38.5% of that state’s general revenues. Sounds like entitlement to me.

Our mores, tradition, customs, in many ways, are savage. Yes, we wiped out the Indians. Who are the savages?  Our Pentagon requested $715 billion for the defense budget in 2022. We have the best killing machine military in the world. We even use artificial intelligence to kill.  We are good at waging war and killing and employ many slogans, magic and omnipotence of thought for justifications. Killing our own is called “friendly fire.”  There is nothing friendly about killing it’s a savage act.   What about “collateral damage?” Collateral is defined as additional but subordinate, secondary.  Depicting others as subordinate and secondary is savage as well.  Let’s kill them there is supposed to accomplish what? Let’s get rid of the Saddam; wipe out Iraq; wage war in Afghanistan so we can accomplish what? 

A small arms survey stated that US citizens account for 393 million or about 46% of the world’s total of civilian arms fire. This amounts to 120.5 firearms for every 100 residents. Could there be a relationship of guns and death? Figures from the U.S. Census for disease control and prevention show a total of more than 38,300 deaths from guns in 2019. More than 23,900 were suicides. We’ve had more than 711,000 deaths from Covid-19. Many of these deaths are the result of the omnipotence of thought -I’m healthy, I’m young, I’m strong, I believe in Donald, I can take bleach, ivermectin, I don’t have to wear a  mask, I am going to pray etc. Omnipotence of thought is a primitive animism belief compared to believing in science, wearing a mask and getting vaccinated. For these Covid-19 dead, their fragile internal thought and emotional system dominated the external, scientific and perceptual world of reality.

Aggression and killing remains a most powerful human desire. Not surprisingly there’s been much research around frustration, conflict and stress as it relates to aggression. Briefly, frustration is an emotional state arising as a natural course in life’s events. With aggression, we find typically anger and attack. 1.  The intensity of the aggression is related to the strength of the instigation (stolen election) 2. The degree of frustrated response for an unsuccessful goal attainment (Trump lost) 3. Inverse function of anticipated punishment or threat of punishment -omnipotent thought (Trump and capitol police are on our side). 4. Degree of insecurity coupled with underlying anxiety.

Aggression can be directed toward the frustrating agent, against another person or self. Often the aggression is displaced anger {father or some other authority figure} on a scapegoat. It’s so easy not to take responsibility or admit self as being the cause of one’s problems. Therefore, find another to blame. Minorities and parents are often blamed for the misfortune of others. If one typically uses verbal aggression that becomes the habitual mode of action. Related, if one anticipates minimal aggressiveness in return, that results in aggressive reaction like in the capitol riot on the sixth and attacking a place of worship or some other vulnerable venue.

In summary, the United States has too many savages. In 2020, hate crime data submitted by law enforcement agencies totaled 15,136. Of this number, almost 62% were race or ethnicity related. The FBI stated that hate crimes reached its highest level 12 years. Not a good sign. With the Republican response to Covid 19, economic, social and political stress and conflict levels or aggression have been exacerbated in the milieu per hate and scapegoating. Animism, magical thinking, omnipotence of thought continue and remain at primitive levels. Just listen to Fox news, social media and hate radio. Sorry Ellis and Beck, Cognitive therapy, the challenging of irrational modes of thinking appear to be in a losing battle. Lies, conscpiriousy, and paranoia run rampant. Too many remain emotional, thinking savages and God can’t help them.

Reference

Freud, Sigmund, Totem and Taboo .W.W. Norton and Company

Life Style

 

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This essay incorporates motivational concepts put forth by Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler. Adler was one of the founding members of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society but left and developed his ideas of personality. My style of life can be explained, in part, by concepts of consciousness, unconsciousness, ego ideal, identification, and striving for superiority.

Freud postulated, in his theory of the mind, consciousness, preconscious and unconsciousness. Within the unconsciousness we find repression. Repression means that there are forces that oppose ideas from becoming conscious. That doesn’t mean that all ideas are repressed and cannot nor are capable of becoming conscious (latent). Freud, also postulated the superego. The superego is an internal representation of the values and ideals found in society. These values and ideals are initially interpreted to the child from his parents and are reinforced by means of rewards and punishments.

The unconscious ego ideal, a subsystem, is found in Freud’s superego. The ego ideal represents the ideal rather than reality and strives for perfection rather than pleasure. Parent’s rewards and approval thus become incorporated into the ego ideal through mechanisms of introjection and identification. For the male, it is important that his first male identification becomes intensified in a healthy fashion with his father. Strong male identification can be seen in the development and found in a masculine character. Further, according to Freud, our ego ideal is a representation of our relationship with our parents. Within psychological development, the role of father later becomes carried out by teachers, coaches and others in authority. Injunctions and prohibitions remain powerful in the ego ideal and continue to form, in the super ego, a conscience which exercises moral censorship.

 Within the superego, conscience and guilt is based on disapproval of parental values and doing things contrary to parents’ wishes. However, with the ego ideal, the individual can be rewarded based on parental affection, love, approval, and acknowledgment. With reward, the person feels proud of self. In other words, the perfection or ideal is influenced by parental rewards of approval.

 Alfred Adler, on the other hand, hypothesized that aggression was perhaps more important than sex in understanding man’s motivation. He believed that man mainly pursues fictional ideas that have no counterpart in reality. For example “all men are created equal; honesty is the best policy; the end justifies the means” essentially are fictitious but allows man to deal more effectively with his reality.

Adler also believed that man is motivated by expectations occurring in the future which are conscious strivings. Strivings define the man. He thought that pursuing power was masculine and was an over compensation for feelings of inadequacy and inferiority. He referred to this as a striving for superiority. It’s important for man to be aggressive, powerful and superior or striving for perfect completion, societal good or self-actualization. It’s pathological and destructive when pursuing selfish leadership roles in society. The neurotic was one who selfishly pursued power, possession, self-aggrandizement and other egotistic goals. Adler believed that positive social goals of cooperation, and working for the common good were motivations which defines a healthy man. Therefore, a striving for power and superiority can be a greater good when society benefits as in concert with one’s style of life as in employing power of reason, respect, justice and truth.

Revisiting childhood, clues to my ego ideal and striving for superiority are traced, in part, back to elementary school. My favorite childhood author was John R. Tunis. This author, prior to writing fiction, graduated from Harvard, was a member of the tennis team and pursued study of law at Boston University. He also reported on sports for the New York Evening Post and later covered tennis for NBC radio including the first US broadcast from Wimbledon. I read “The Kid from Tompkinsville,”  “Rookie of the Year,” “All-American,” “High Pockets,” and “Go Team Go.” In his stories, there was conflict, stress, adversity and overcoming with the protagonist being the hero. Obviously, I coveted both phantasy and recognition too.

One way to receive recognition, being a hero and approval was through participation in sports. I played high school and college football and my father attended my practices and games. He was even president of the Denby Dads Football Club. I got to be a hero and displayed physical dominance on the football field. Another way to receive recognition, approval and superiority was by attending the University, participating in 3 graduation ceremonies and obtaining a PhD. A third way, later in life, to receive recognition, approval and praise was through my 100 mile Ride and Tie completion; 100 mile Tevis completion and 100 mile Western States endurance run. Of roughly 20,000 to have entered the Tevis and Western States, 67 have buckled in both. Warren and I are two of four to have buckled in all three 100 mile events.

A couple of Saturdays ago, Linda, Teddy and I went to the Cool Ride and Tie event. An event we formerly hosted but now run by my former ride and tie partner and friend Sue and her husband Bill. We chatted with world-class runners Jim Howard and Dan Barger. Incidentally, my first ride and tie experience, was hosted by Dan and called the Mustang Classic that began on Mount Hamilton. There I met Tony, Jeff, Curt and Robert in 1997. So many memories. Unfortunately, so many are no longer with us. I miss dear friends and ride and tie partners Bob Edwards and Jonathan Jordan and other friends like Jim Steere, Thom Christofk, Mark Richtman and Warren Hellman. Additional stories can be found in “It Has Nothing To Do With Age”  or watching our TV show on YouTube. Tony handled that part of the job too. The quote by Lao Tzu “A journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step” fits. What a terrific game changing journey it was.

Also related to motivation was my identification with father. Examples: 1. Dad was an undefeated union Pres. over 21 years. When home, Dad was often on the phone or had visitors over. Union business centered on getting promotions within the system and dealing with various discriminatory policies. The word discrimination was implanted in my brain. I attended one of his retirement parties.  At that event, I learned so much about what he accomplished as a union president. I had no idea since he didn’t talk about those victories. I was amazed and felt proud. It’s no surprise that I’m writing about discrimination as well 2. Dad loved California. Prior to age 5, I made my first trip to California with my parents. Dad talked about California throughout and visited often. I had family member residents of California, Aunt Sarah, Uncle Max, Aunt Sissy and Uncle Paul. In fact, I was with my father visiting Aunt Sarah and Uncle Max when my name appeared in the Detroit Free Press regarding the announcement of my football scholarship. It’s no surprise that I moved to California, accepting an assistant professorship at Cal State San Bernardino after graduation. 3. Dad said “get an education because they can’t take that away from you” and “work with your brain and not your back.”

Also, in my style of life, was the writing of “It Has Nothing to Do with Age” and “Bo’s Warriors- Bo Schembechler and the Transformation of Michigan Football.” Moreover, Thom Darden and I have a motivated movie script writer. The goal is to bring the story to the big screen.

In summary, I write about issues pertaining to motivation, health, wellbeing and discriminatory issues affecting man. This has become an important part of my life style.  Employing the ego ideal, in the unconscious, and the implacable pursuit of conscious goals also describes my behavior. As in elementary school, I read, write and involve myself in running.  I continue to enjoy praise, acknowledgment, achievement and strive for ideals. Two quotes, the first by Epicurus and the second by Socrates “He who is not satisfied with a little, is satisfied with nothing” and “The unexamined life is not worth living” are meaningful to me.

PS

Tony is now in my age group. However, he’s still complaining about his sore leg.

A Limited Republic

 

 

Today’s essay applies individual dynamics that result in neurosis to the origin of our founding. Yes, I’m going to take liberties in the process and hope to provide additional insight. In the study of individual neurosis, early events in development are of extreme importance because of non-cognitive and cognitive development of words and language and its effect on memory or memory traces. Not necessarily true with our origin. Also important, is the belief that early events or conflicts affect individuals differently based on constitutional differences etc. As a result, early experiences of trauma are forgotten or repressed in a latency stage. Thus, these traumatic experiences become dormant and unquestionably express themselves at a later date in distorted, deformed and abhorrent manner. With that brief overview, I’m going to apply them to today’s state of affairs.

In the 1770s, the power structure that established our form of government pertained to white, well-to-do males. They formed a government which they called a Republic. However, this Republic was held by a few .The power, of the people, was not evenly distributed. There were voting limitations based on arbitrary and discriminatory thought at the time pertaining to women, Marines, Indians etc. The countries first two Senators from the state of Pennsylvania, were elected by its legislature. The framers also decided to provide two Senators per state regardless of population. These powerful white men established rules, procedures and traditions for their descendants. These founding “fathers” owned slaves and slave ownership helped establish powerful economic rule for the South. Slavery was based on economics and not on religious principles. The Judeo-Christian commandments are not racist. They established a curbing of sexual and aggressive instincts with prohibitions and commandments prohibiting the ill treatment of man. In fact a compromise, for the South, was to count a black as 3/5 of a person for census purposes. A political compromise at best. What a representation.

The South, with its racist lawmakers, created a powerful geographical block. In fact this group is so powerful and so righteous, it had no difficulty creating laws, rules, regulations, prohibitions and punishments for the nonhumans. Racism, slavery was economically important for these few wealthy. They had no trouble in rationalizing their cause with the power of their cognitive omnipotence. These others were not worthy and inferior. Their beliefs were above the laws of morality, fairness, and human treatment of man. Neither science nor logic was a match for the emotional state of hatred, racism and slavery. The emotions of hate, dominance and exploitation were supreme for these Christians in name only. What kind of Christian nation? It’s not about belief, it’s about policies, laws, education, social mores and not what’s read in church.

Slavery, exploitation, inhumane treatment of black skinned became the mores, culture and tradition. Indians were also exploited, and massacred. Wikipedia lists massacred events, the last occurring in Nevada in 1911.  The bad guys are? Linda and I viewed “Cheyenne Autumn” with Richard Widmark depicting the inhumane treatment of the Indians. Can you imagine , according to legend, Manhattan was purchased from the Native Americans for $24 worth of trinkets and beads, or for $1,1000 in 2012 dollars? And, we purchased the territory of Louisiana from France for $15 million. And how did it happen that France had the land title?

 Manifest Destiny and the Monroe Doctrine furthered exploitation by white power. So, historically our traditions and exploits were well established based on European dynasties and available for all to know. Our white, hate, slave masters racist and discriminatory Immigration Acts furthered the Republic’s stance. Even more recently, in the 20^th century, per the article “Doing More with Less” in August 29, 2021 edition of The New York Times described racist policies pertaining to college and university. A few examples: 1. Some college presidents lobbied to close black colleges to absorb their funding 2. A few states paid to send black students seeking graduate education to neighboring states 3. Missouri sent 32 across state lines in 1935 4. Kentucky appropriated $5,000 to send black graduate students out of state and cut funding to one of its own black colleges to make up for the difference. 5. Norman, Oklahoma was a sundown town. Black people faced legal action physical abuse or both when discovered after dark. Not until January, 2020 did the city of Norman condemn and apologize for its status as a sundown town which lasted into the 1960s.

The   Civil War loss resulted in a massive narcissistic injury to the white elite. However, the symbolic confederate flag and statues still remain important for those inadequate white racists. A little over 20 years ago, I visited one shop that sold Civil War and Nazi memorabilia. White hate was displayed in full view at that shop. Incidentally, these 11 states seceded: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Of these seceding, only Virginia has a respectable Covid-19 vaccine rate. The southern racists continue to express self-hate.

Economically, politically, and socially our racist and discriminatory traditions are clear and well established. Might is white. Segregation policies changed little for the black skinned individuals until the 1960s. Kennedys, King Jr, Malcolm X., Johnson and others began implementing change. Voting, economics, and affirmative action was initiated to give black skinned individuals a potentially better chance. College football coaches began to recruit black athletes and not because of a sense of morality. Black athletes were recruited because they provided skill and gave these coaches a better chance to win.  Ernie Davis, for example was the first black American Heisman trophy recipient. When his Syracuse team played the University of Texas, segregation prevailed. During the game, Davis was treated dirty by the white Texas Longhorn players and fans. Hate racism and discrimination was exemplified on the gridiron. However, his play pierced white supremacy like an Achilles injury .Davis’s play foreshadowed college football dominance by black athletes. Happily, Don Canham a University of Michigan track coach and A.D. totally embraced black athletes.

Back in the day, there were a few black skinned musical artists, actors, actresses or entertainers. During that time period, blacks were there to entertain. They were not a threat. Even white folks had black painted faces. No disrespect. It was performance. Black’s threaten those insecure white folks and cannot be rivaled   anymore No longer can that fact be rationalized because they are dominating football, basketball and become commonplace on TV and the movies. Politically, the election of Barack Obama was a test of reality. No longer, could educationally and emotionally inadequate white folks be seen as supreme. Things were changing in this country and were no longer latent .Grievances, racism, and hate became more readily activated and surfaced. With consensus, modeling an overt display of discrimination surfaced. Once again, moral and ethical values and behavior have become decimated by insecurity and hate. So when a Republican Party nominates a racist for president, overt racism becomes the norm and the slogan “make America great” pertains to our country’s racist and exploitative beginning. Democracy then was not for all and today democracy today is also not for all. The white power structure and not the people should determine elected officials. John C .Calhoun would be happy for giving power to the states over the federal government.

Back to our model for an understanding of why an adult with no history of breaking the law would act out, and  be prosecuted for a non-ethical or criminal act? 1. Take the case of this one female currently awaiting sentencing for her January 6 involvement in the capitol riot. She, never arrested prior, became part of the mob that attacked the capitol. She was on tape stating “let’s find Nancy and put a hole in her brain” or something similar. She had her picture taken with her make America great hat. She sent that picture to her children and then told them to erase the picture. 2. There were a number of attorneys including Rudy that submitted false claims to the court regarding the stolen election lie. Rudy stated that he was told, something to the effect, that the Dominion Voting Machines were compromised. When asked what, when and how he heard this information, he claimed he didn’t remember, added that he didn’t verify the information to see if it was accurate, and didn’t seek to disprove that conspiracy claim. Other attorneys are facing criminal actions as well as the voiding of their license to practice law because of their frivolous election lie lawsuits.

Employing our model, we would expect to find repressed sexual or aggressive emotional trauma dating back to the first five years of their development. The repressed trauma would be unconscious and not available to memory. Then, the period of latency follows. Some significant event or events like supporting the election lie for Trump would trigger those past emotional conflictual traumas. The aggressive trauma would come to the surface and be expressed in a distorted, altered, unrecognizable and altered form. In other words, neurotic symptoms of an aggressive and/ or sexual nature can surface at any time. Thus, self-defeating behavior turned inward can be traced to unconscious childhood psychosexual development. One does not, one day, as an adult decide to engage in criminal behavior. Look into the past for clues to explain and understand.

In essence, we were never a full-fledged democracy and began our government with racist principles. Nowhere are God’s teachings witnessed, only with words. The power of the people has to be curtailed because they will elect the undesirables who will take the power. Take what? This is a white country that has established laws and traditions to keep the status quo. Because its written history, the traditions are known to all. Overt racism is no longer latent and repressed but exhibits itself with rallies, Congressional Republican voting; restrictions around voting laws etc. Overt racism is a neurotic symptom and threatens the wellbeing of the majority.

PS

I understand democracy as something that gives the weak the same chance as the strong stated Mohandas Gandhi.

Democracy is not the law of the majority but protection of the minority stated Albert Camus.

Reference

Freud, Sigmund. The Ego and the Id, W.W.Norton.

Malignant Narcissism

 

For the past two weeks, my interest has been on the impaired moral development of many Republicans. First with Freud’s superego or conscience and then with research findings from Piaget and Kohlberg on the development of conscience. Today’s essay incorporates a few of Freud’s ideas pertaining to primary narcissism, secondary narcissism, and conscience

In Freud’s model, the newborn is anxious and helpless on arrival and dependent on caretaker for survival. In the beginning, the vulnerable newborn exists in a state of primary narcissism. The infant’s world is self and self only. At about six months or so, the infant becomes able to psychologically separate and experiences separation anxiety. That infant now becomes able to differentiate self from objects in the external world. Freud referred to this development as proceeding to secondary narcissism.

Secondary narcissism is extremely important as the young infant begins to develop the capacity to relate to others in his world. This capacity is based on a plethora of transactional interactions. The young infant initially employs various senses like touch, sound, vision, smell, and taste etc. in his interactions. His behavioral interactions are of various intensities of strength of positive comfort, pleasure or pain and discomfort. It’s true that the young infant has not developed a cognitive memory at this point. Therefore, any memory of an event has an emotional component, not something that can be put into words and not affected by dementia. That does not mean that these events are not significant. It means psychologically they can be traumatic, latent and long-lasting. In essence, they become activated, strengthened and exhibited with the occurrence of a new conflictual, stressful event.

There is an occurrence of harmful, hurtful and painful events. These traumatic experiences add up and are carried, in the mind, like a diseased tumor. They are capable of surfacing anytime during one’s life. Just consider the number of harmful and inappropriate unions that occur over and over again. Despite high and loving expectations, at the beginning, the outcomes of the unions remain the same. The same unfortunate dynamic repeats itself irrespective of the new object. Freud called the same repetitive behavior a “repetition compulsion. “Repetition compulsion includes reenacting the event or putting oneself in the situation where the event is likely to happen again. Interpersonal unions are good examples. Just look at the divorce statistics.

This brings to mind training my border collie to become fearful of rattlesnakes. The training consisted of introducing Sherry to a live rattlesnake. When introduced to the rattlesnake, Sherry was given an electric shock. As a result, when around the snake, she associated the shock with the snake and became fearful. It worked, Sherry was scared by the snake as a result of the electric shock. She had no words for that scary snake, but she did have the hurtful emotional memory stored in her hypothalamus of her mammalian brain. So, if she encountered a rattler on our trail runs, she would not dare to get near and instead avoid that danger. Likewise, we like Sherry, have a mammalian brain that stores our traumatic, fearful and scary emotional memories. This is why we are so fearful and driven by anxiety. We have developed many techniques, irrational and self-defeating choices while attempting to protect ourselves.

In Freud’s model, he and others found and reported on childhood traumas and its effect on character development. With psychoanalysis, they uncovered the trauma of the forgotten memories and its harmful effect on adult personality. Freud found that childhood trauma, more often than not, had a sexual and aggressive component. This non remembered sexual and/ or aggressive trauma resulted in neurosis and later expressed itself as a memory trace in a distorted and altered manner. As a result, much case history research traced obsessive, depressive, paranoid, phobic, mother and father fixations and symptoms to early emotional trauma which later surfaced and expressed by adult behavior. These painful emotional traumas existed latently, were concealed, dormant but later strongly revealed themselves quite clearly. For additional in-depth information, consult Freud’s “Three Case Histories” pertaining to the Wolf Man; the Rat Man and the Psychotic Doctor Schreber.

The consequence of early child trauma interferes with ability to proceed from primary to secondary narcissism. However, early primary narcissistic status is different from an adult primary narcissistic status. Within cortex development, cognition, words, symbols and the like evolve as well as the physiological characteristics and the individual becomes capable of great harm. If there is too much deleterious trauma, the adult individual’s primary narcissism expresses itself in troubled unions. These troubled relationships are characterized with a tendency to either withdraw or avoid others and/ or to interact aggressively toward others. In other words, the individual has not been able to develop a sense of trust when it comes to interpersonal unions. These Impaired relationship with others demonstrate mistrust, suspiciousness and paranoid thinking. These factors result in anxiety and frustration with behaviors associated with sadomasochism, exploitation, domination, taking and controlling. As a result, the adult’s primary narcissism has now become malignant narcissism. With this occurrence, internal controls within conscience become weak, impotent, powerless and ineffective.

Not able to experience internal well-being or external well-being, severely affects moral and ethical development in interacting with others. Being stuck at the primary narcissism or malignant narcissistic status means insecurity, anxiety, egoism, self-centeredness and amoral behavior. However, with a positive development of secondary narcissism, that individual has the capacity to be productive, love self and love others. Being able to love and care for others, is found at the highest levels of moral and ethical development. They have a giving, not a taking, possessing or dominating tendency. Jesus, Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt reached extraordinary levels of both a humanistic attitude and giving behavior.

Too many current Republicans discriminate against others. Their disdain for others is based on primary levels of narcissism, insecurity, hate and jealousy. The white nationalist march in Charlottesville in 2017, among other despicable acts of violence, was predicated on derogatory anti-Semitic slurs. Yes, the Jews have been scapegoated by Christians over the centuries despite the fact they are the oldest constituents on the planet ; brought laws, ethics , human values and religion  to civilization; resilient against oppression and extermination; raised the moral, ethical, scientific, artistic, technological and educational level to each society; established spirituality, a soul  with an august or abstract  belief in god ;separated from others with a non interest in conversion ; value wisdom, intellectuality and language  over the senses ;have a good opinion of self; and are the favored child of God. Despite being a minority, the contribution of Jewry to humanity has been impressive. Unfortunately, for low self-esteem or being part of a mob, negative emotions and insecurity of envy, jealousy, and anger follow.  

With the arrival of Covid-19, the preponderance of deaths occurred in nursing facilities and the like. These deaths were primarily of old and nonwhite skinned citizens. Who cared? Just give them bleach etc. and let them die. Hey, it’s a hoax anyway. The head Republican and his cronies, criminally downplayed and greatly contributed to the spreading of the pandemic. Even today, a minority of the Republican governors, still act immorally. However, now that everyone, not just black and Brown skinned are at risk, but kids as well, the tune is slowly changing. As far as jealousy and envy goes, highly paid black athletes dominate the college and professional sports world. Their salaries and status are phenomenal. In the entertainment world, black skinned individuals have reached enormous levels of achievement, fame and notoriety.  Just mention MJ, Mr. October, 0J, Beyoncé, Tiger, Michael, Magic, Oprah, Venus, Serena, Barry, Whitney, Aretha, Shaq, Jennifer, Dwayne, Barack, Denzel, Morgan, Rihanna, Halle, Kamala, Steph, LeBron etc. etc. and you know what I mean. These famous challenge the myth about being inferior, blind, deaf and dumb.

In summary, the transition or development from primary to secondary narcissism is a key component in being able to secure a humanistic-caring society. Too many Republicans, are sick and stuck. According to Freud’s model, their inability to separate healthfully from the caretaker or authoritarian leader; their early emotional trauma and being fixated at the primary level of narcissism with malignant narcissism cannot be overstated. Emotional trauma is primarily the result of impaired interpersonal interaction and can be a lifetime threat for mental disease and well-being. Too many Republicans are exhibiting hateful, discriminatory and destructive behavior towards others. Anxiety, hate, jealousy, and envy define their character with an amoral malignant narcissistic conscience. They also expect to be “rewarded or loved” for their despicable actions by the approval, acknowledgment and praise by their despot father figure.

PS

“The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes” the Dalai Lama states.

Bankrupt Morality

 

Last week’s essay regarding conscience could easily have followed todays. Back in the day, the Republican Party actually had sound policies and made sense.  Eisenhower addressed the military-industrial complex and George Romney talked about brainwashing. Yes, there was a high tax rate, price controls, Vietnam War and an engagement with China. This week’s essay pertains to the current Republican Parties impaired moral development.

My first economics textbook was written by Paul J Samuelson. Prof. Samuelson supported: 1. Having business and business people subjected to constraints 2. Having a high business tax rate 3. Having strong union membership 4. Having strong antitrust policies limiting monetary power. In fact, these policies were in line with the British economist John Maynard Keynes. Furthermore, employees at Sears Roebuck and Company prospered .Everyone, especially Linda’s family prospered at Sears.

Things politically changed in the mid-60s when the racist South became associated with the Republican Party. Economically, Prof. Milton Friedman had a different view as contrasted with Prof. Samuelson. Friedman proposed that government spending and taxes can be used to manage the economy. Then, he changed. Now, Friedman’s idea was to restore the Gilded Age style with unrestrained capitalism. He received notoriety when he wrote that economists should ignore theories about monopoly and imperfect competition because they don’t make any useful predictions beyond those that come from simple supply and demand. In his book “Capitalism and Freedom,” Friedman argued that he had faith in free markets; bank deregulation; and the idea that authorities could stabilize the economy by ensuring steady slow growth in the money supply. Friedman became the darling prophet of the Republican Party as his ideas of capitalism or greed reinforced the irrational needs of wealth, power, accumulation, consumption, exploitation, and prestige. Economics of neo liberalism became the idolized driving force thus further contributing to racism, narcissism, egotism, consumption and alienation for the slave- majority. Thus economics, contributed to change morality and character development.

With neoliberalism economics, the following happened and had deleterious effects on moral development: 1.Increase in Income inequality 2. More mothers entering the workforce with others caring for the children 3. More divorce and separation 4. More drug, alcohol, mental, physical abuse and illness 5. More low-paying employment thus increasing alienation 6. More credit card and student loan debt 7. More poverty 8. Increased marketing of obtaining an MBA 9. More irrational slogans and marketing strategies like “Dream House,” “Dream Job,” “The one with the most toys wins,” “Dream vacation,” “It’s state of art,” and “Attending the University” etc. 10. The ends justify the means was another significant factor 11. The end of religious and humanistic ideals like “love the stranger” was replaced by the egotism and narcissism of “I am better than you; I have more than you; love me first; get your own; I’m entitled etc.”12. Tax breaks for the top 1%. The above political and economic societal components affected character change, which in turn, was reflected by impaired and fixated moral and ethical development.

Additional racist illustrations in our history was found in The New York Times August 22, 2021 edition. The Samuelson- Friedman article was titled “Market Watch” for one. Another article titled “Black Homeownership in the United States described the tactic of Redlining. Redlining originated from government homeownership programs that were created in the new deal era. The government insured mortgages for homeowners and added perimeters for appraising and vetting properties for the homeowners that would qualify. They used color-coded maps ranking the loan worthiness of neighborhoods in more than 200 cities and towns across the United States. Neighborhoods were  ranked from least risky to most risky and given grades from A through D. Neighborhoods  where black residents lived were  graded D. “Black Soldiers Receive Belated Recognition” pertained to the “ Harlem Hell Fighters.” These soldiers were celebrated in World War I because of their bravery helping change the perception of black soldiers as inferior. After the war, they faced discrimination at home and were overlooked up until now. More than a century later, they are to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal as the U.S. Senate recently passed legislation to present this long overdue award. The fourth article “To Measure Inequality, Just Count the Trees” identified areas in New York City that differentiated climate, health, air quality and access to air-conditioning. To no one’s surprise, one of the lowest levels of tree cover and air-conditioning in New York making residents vulnerable to heat was found in a black neighborhood.

 Racism has been with us for over 400 years. Things are not getting better between white and black skinned individual’s .The hate is overt. The pursuit of the money Idol or greed of the constituents of the Republican Party is accompanied with a low level of moral functioning and development. Is there moral decay? Guns versus butter-for the rich has been decided. Anti-Roe versus Wade legislation; and democracy for all in a crisis are a few examples of moral and ethical decline along with Covid-19 and the riot at the Capitol in January.

 Jean Piaget and Lawrence Kohlberg supported Freud’s understanding of conscience development.  Both Piaget and Kohlberg also viewed morality developmentally. Their research identified “normal” versus “abnormal” conscience development. Ideally, positive moral development takes into account the general rights of standards, rules and values which have been agreed upon by the majority in society as a whole. It clearly proceeds from irrational to rational considerations with abstract and ethical principles appealing to logical comprehensiveness and universal reality. Also, moral development, at the highest level, is consistent with the Golden Rule philosophy per Immanuel Kant “a personal motive can be considered well only if its adoption by all others persons would work out successfully.” This level of morality, can only be found at the highest level of moral development and certainly not evident with the Covid-19 behavior or the criminality by insurrectionists.

This Golden Rule idea is consistent with high moral standards. Piaget, in his research found, with normal development, the rules in moral judgment become: 1.Less absolute and less authoritarian 2. More dependent on the needs and desires of the group 3. Are based on cooperation and respect for others by mutual agreement during development. However, with disturbed moral development, the findings of elementary and middle school aged children were: 1. More concrete 2. More egocentric 3. More rigid regarding right- wrong 4.Were more fearful of external punishment and obedience. In other words, with morality disturbance, the impaired group demonstrated more inflexibility with notions of right and wrong emanating from parents; a disturbed sense of equity; not able to take into account the situation or pertinent exceptions; less able to cooperate and respect others with their rigid authoritarian stance.

Kohlberg, in his research, also found immaturity developmentally at an earlier stage of moral development. Prohibitions against behaviors were based on external rather than internal sanctions. His findings suggest that these impaired conscience developed children required more police or punishing authorities for control. If initial punishment didn’t work, punish more, punish harder. At higher levels of moral development, Kohlberg found that individuals were less guided, more oriented towards punishment and obedience by internal forces Instead of being externally regulated. If internally regulated, the person was then able to view morality in terms of contractual obligations and democratically accepted laws. Within that occurrence, there exists a morality of individual principles within one’s conscience. Once again, Kohlberg found morality can develop appropriately or inappropriately within conscience.

The Republican Party provided tax breaks for the wealthy 1%; cages for immigrant children; against climate change; against $15 minimum wage; against citizenship for brown skinned folks but allows them to work for slave wages in unsanitary conditions in California and elsewhere etc. These policies are inclined to protect the few and discriminate against the many. Don’t kill the fetus. Instead, wage war for 20 years killing thousands. The party fails Kant’s Golden Rule logic. The Republican Party panders for the few and not for the benefit of all. Their moral behavior is consistent with the findings of impaired middle school children researched by Piaget and Kohlberg.  Morality and conscience is overrun by the irrational passions of greed, power, exploitation, racism when it comes to consumption economics.

A few comments regarding research findings on parenting for individuals that have morally impaired children at elementary and middle school levels. The parents of these impaired school-age children, have their own morality issues, as with their excessive rigidity, harshness and inflexible parenting practices. Their withdrawal of love can either be helpful or harmful. It’s especially apparent when the activities of the child are met with disapproval compared to only the act itself. Parental practices as exhibited by extreme harshness and impulsivity greatly interfere with appropriate moral development. Some parents employ emotional blackmail, guilt, to control and dominate their offspring. If successful, a symbiotic relationship develops. In essence, parental standards themselves can be deficient and are disturbed which in turn affects the child’s capacity for developing separation and appropriate morality development.

In summary, too many Republican Party members exhibit an impaired moral development (less emphasis on moral and ethical values) similar to that of elementary and middle-aged school children. Their greed and narcissism has affected and is associated with moral decay as the pursuit of the money Idol dehumanizes and alienates. For an appropriate moral development of conscience to occur, parents must have an effective not a defective sense of right and wrong values and a humanistic attitude. They must place more emphasis on the ethical side. An attitude based on authoritarianism and lies are arbitrary, cruel, and exploitive and based on submission. A leaders narcissism easily gets in the way of caring about others. For a just and moral society, citizens must care about the welfare of others and not get sidetracked by illusions, greed and self-centeredness (neo liberalism capitalism). Different parenting and different character development is necessary.  Per Seneca “It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor” and “Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth” according to Einstein.

PS

The leader of this party is the most corrupt, fraudulent, asocial, malignant narcissist and criminal, in my lifetime, and yet they lie about “voter fraud.” They are delusional! It’s simply credo quia absurdum.

Reference

Mussen P, Conger J, Kagan J. Child Development and Personality . Harper  A. Row .

Guilt

 

 

The Covid- 19 remains in the news.  Looking forward to the booster and approval for children under 12.  Also newsworthy, is the Congressional investigation regarding the Capitol insurrection? This essay pertains to the unconscious motivation of the unvaccinated, and the insurrectionists.

 Let’s begin by taking a broad but brief overview and apply a few psychodynamic principles identified by Sigmund Freud. According to Freud, the infant is born helpless and dependent but accompanied with two instincts-Eros (sex, survival) and Thanatos (death, destruction). As the infant develops, it psychologically separates and differentiates self from others.

With separation, the male infant initially identifies with mother. As a result, she becomes the first love object. Then, the infant identifies with the father. That identification results in love for father. These two identifications are long-lasting and are the most significant for the infant. Early on, a competition with father develops for mothers love. As that competition proceeds, hate then develops for father. As a result, the male infant experiences both love and hate or ambivalence for father.

During development, the love triangle dynamic with the parents proceeds. With optimum or “normal” resolution of that dynamic, results in a strong bond and identification with father. Psychologically, the stage is now set for developing conscience within his superego. As a result, the ground floor for a moral basis is established based on right or wrong - guilt.

That male infant takes on the parental values of both the father and mother-unconscious superego development. What is right and what is wrong; what is good and what is bad; what beliefs are good at what beliefs are bad; what attitudes regarding love, hate, cooperation, noncooperation, religion, politics, economics, race, contradictions, illusions, mixed messages etc. become the conscience. Verbal and physical behavior by these parental figures become incorporated. In other words, a biased slant regarding society’s values, practices, contradictions, inconsistencies etc. become the young child’s as interjected.

Within this learning process, complying with father and mother’s wishes are rewarded by a look, body language and verbalizations of “good boy,” “I love you,”, you make me  proud” etc. Disapproval or behaviors not liked are expressed by parent’s anger, harsh tones, physical punishment which are perceived as loss of love.  It’s not uncommon for the youngster to express “I hate you” when displaying anger towards those powerful figures. The youngster learns behaviors that he can get away with outside the presence of the authority figures.

More specifically, an archaic, a deficient or lacunae conscience occurs when the young individual is unable to fully realize what he has done is socially wrong or dangerous and continues to repeat the behaviors regardless of potential punishment from external sources. Parental defects related to their unfulfilled or frustrated impulses results in inconsistent discipline methods associated with remorse, shame and self-condemnation. These parents encourage amoral, antisocial behavior while displaying inconsistent, ambiguous, corrupting, capricious parenting practices. They are emotionally neglectful and are a main contributor for creating a significant gap in the development of conscience. The outcome for the individual results with a deep resentment toward authority.

Other identification figures become prominent throughout one’s life space. Favorite teachers, certain coaches, meaningful adults, bosses, religious figures, politicians, movie, entertainment idols, sports heroes etc. are examples. Do not forget, that one’s parents may verbally and physically transmit amoral, lawbreaking criminality, sexual and physical abuse toward mother, self or other siblings. Thus, it’s possible that egocentric, anti-societal, rebellious and other deplorable behaviors further contribute to a contradictory standard within conscience

Also, within the youngster’s superego, begins the development of a subsystem called the ego ideal. This ego ideal is based on a striving for perfection rather than the real or pleasure and represents the values and ideals represented in society. The origin, in essence is a narcissistic overvaluation of self and the idealization of parental power and perfection. It’s like an imaginary omnipotence that is unattainable and can be a major source of dissatisfaction with life because the goals are perfectionistic. It is in the ego ideal, that one’s fantasies, heroes, fictions become alive. For example, Mike Keller, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys, related an incident during his elementary school years. Mike had seen a teenage movie that dealt with alienation and rebellion. The delinquent teenager, in the movie had hands in his pockets, smoking a cigarette while slurring his speech when being confronted by a police authority figure. Mike, then modeled some of that behavior with one of his teachers, a sister. This female nun, slapped a standing Mike across his face as a consequence. Mike remembers well. While in college, Mike’s first varsity coach at the University of Michigan was Bo Schembechler. Initially, Mike hated him along with most of the team but during the halfway point in that first season began to love that coach with emotional ambivalence.

The pathology related to the ego ideal is malignant narcissism as it renders a person incapable of goal achievement; or an over evaluation of achievements; or thinking themselves more special; or even undervaluing achievements. The ability to symbolize everything imaginable is part of our design. Therefore, the individual is able to symbolize the impossible as possible. The symbolization’s and imaginations of imagining the irrational contribute too many of man’s delusions. Even though delusions can be expressed logically in words as well as in one’s imagination, they remain just unfilled illusions and delusions. The veracity of our imagination is seen in outlandish behavior. Sexual and aggressive energies that are shifted and represented in our world of fantasy become and are dangerous. Overturning the results of a presidential election? Covid-19 not deadly?

Within superego development, conscience becomes the moral arbitrator for unconscious guilt. Not all guilt is conscious. This unconscious guilt mechanism is a powerful motivator of behavior. Of course, one slows down when driving on a freeway when sighting a Highway Patrol officer. One doesn’t want to receive a ticket for punishment for driving too fast. So, one can avoid guilt and wrongdoing consciously. However, superego guilt is powerful, severe, and critical, in the unconscious.

 The moral side of man or the higher side of man becomes exhibited as a result of behaviors consistent in a fully functioning humanistic and ethical society. Higher values, religious ideologies, just laws can become possible because of conscience.  With that being said, social feelings toward others rests in identifications with others having a very similar ego ideal.

Freud postulated that the love instinct can be diffused with the aggressive instinct when influenced by the severity of unconscious guilt. This unconscious guilt can be translated as a hatred directed inward as in self-punishment. This gives rise to the interplay between the Eros and Thanatos conflict that exists throughout life. On one hand we have survival which interacts and defends itself against the final curtain which is death.

Briefly, one might ask why so many in our country are not taking health concerns seriously. Three quarters of the adults in our country are either overweight or obese. How many adults do not know the danger of health-related issues pertaining to obesity? Likewise, how many adults do not take the Covid-19 virus seriously? Rationally, the death statistics of the unvaccinated, hospitalizations, severity of illness and ease of transmission can be easily compared when measuring state to state data. Why are so many physically harming themselves and putting their life at risk?

Yes, there are a series of illusions, denial, irrationality and rationalizations such as it’s not safe, bogus data, it is dangerous for  pregnant women, I’m healthy so it won’t affect me, it’s about freedom, too much conflicting information etc. These are examples of individuals putting themselves at risk of severe illness and death for emotional reasons. Consider, the unconscious desire and motivation for self-punishment, becoming resigned to fate, admitting wrongdoing, and seeking and enjoying pain, punishment and illness. Furthermore, there is an unconscious desire and motivation for the amoral expression of aggression, revenge, injuring, killing or punishing others. As a result, aggression is expressed inward and outward. Putting children at risk?

Who in their right mind would want to be on a US government terrorist list? Are any local or international terrorists safe?  The government’s resources for combating terrorism is impressive to say the least. The FBI, among other agencies, have a wide array of techniques for investigating criminal behavior. One can’t hide when they are connected electronically- emails, phone, camera devices, wire taps, informers, cooperation tactics etc.  Would one really expect to get away with that January 6 Capitol crime? Would one really expect there would be no consequences by the federal government? Would one really expect that incident be easily forgotten?

Anxiety and Survival

 

 

 Last week’s essay pointed out the negative psychological impact of our society on man as well as man’s wonderful contributions within society. The words of Ralph Waldo Emerson “The first wealth is health” was very much applicable as we are confronted with illusions regarding Covid-19, global warming, authoritarianism and nuclear destruction. This disquisition addresses the relationship of anxiety, separation, union and thinking  pertaining to survival.

The documentary “Equus- Story of the Horse “received my attention. This documentary reminded me of my endurance and ride and tie past. Raider and Gypsy were two of my famous 100 mile equines. I buckled with Raider at the Tevis and with Gypsy at the Swanton Pacific. Those wonderful horses were connected and demonstrated it during separation. If separated, both audio and physical expressions surfaced. In fact, one weekend, Linda and I were in Oregon. I was competing in a Ride and Tie event on Gypsy and Linda was competing with Raider on a Rogue River endurance ride. At one point, we were riding towards each other coming from opposite directions. I was expecting the two horses to physically react to each other, but, to my surprise they didn’t.

Another example of separation anxiety pertains to Linda and her dog Teddy. Linda and Teddy have bonded and it’s not unusual to see Teddy on her lap. Often, Linda may get up from her chair and go into another room with Teddy following her. When Linda leaves the house, Teddy goes to the door and waits for her return. The same thing happens when Linda drives away. Teddy looks for that leaving vehicle. Yes, Teddy, when separated, has barked on many occasions.

Returning to the equine documentary, Karen McComb, a psychologist, has identified 17 equine facial expressions while conducting experiments such as showing different photographs of humans and placing foreign objects in a corral. Related, according to a biologist, equines are herd animals and rely on speed for their survival. However, equines also use their brain by staying together for safety. I would add emotion.

The documentary depicted a trainer introducing a saddle to an unbroken horse. In the “olden days,” a horse was manhandled and made to submit when introduced to a saddle. Now, enlightened trainers introduce the saddle by a series of anxiety reducing measures in order to create safety, focus and calmness with a number of small, discrete, shaping behavioral conditioning steps. Trainers talk about developing trust. However, it’s a really about reducing anxiety of the equine with calmness, baby steps, consistency, and focus within the confines of safety. Trainer knows when he has the horse’s attention and receptivity for receiving a horse blanket, saddle and being mounted. Thus, animals experience emotions. For additional equine viewing, watch Amy of the Heartland TV series.

Humans begin life in the womb and reduce anxiety with positive mother attachment. Father also becomes an attachment identification. Thus, the infant has now developed a sense of self or self-awareness. With occurrence, the infant now begins to sense aloneness, separateness and anxiety  when physically separated from the mother and experiences anxiety that’s expressed loudly and behaviorally.

With the drive to reduce uncomfortableness, results in the need for positive contact. Needs for affiliation, competition, submission, dependence, vulnerability etc. also become activated. With sibling rivalry, the competition need becomes apparent.

When separated, there is anxiety and therefore seeking positives for love, comfort, praise, admiration etc. to reduce separation anxiety with union. That delicate dance is repeated over and over again throughout the life cycle. One has to be united in some way, while seeking special attention and love. Initially, the importance of parents is apparent. Then, the union need becomes generalized to include peers, teachers, teams, groups, clubs, political parties etc. Other examples of” dealing “with separation or union anxiety include intoxicating drugs, alcohol, group sexual activities, Facebook with all the “friends” etc.

Another important and significant example, not to be lost, with the power union was found in a July 11, 2021 article in The New York Times “The Joy We’ve  Been Missing” pertains to the possibility of experiencing positive effervescence coined by Emile Durkheim. Effervescence is a sense of energy and harmony many people feel when they come together in a group around a shared purpose. Over 15,000 vaccinated people participated in the Foo Fighters concert with the reopening of Madison Square Garden in late June and experienced effervescence.

Like animals, humans seek to become part of groups for positive emotional survival. We proceed from mother, father, and the family to the clan, tribe, and nation. Unfortunately, our and the animal’s emotional level, is located in the primitive or mammalian part of our brain with its memory functions, amygdala cingulate, hypothalamus, hippocampus and limbic systems. With evolution, we acquired a cerebral cortex or New Brain with its ego functions. Our brain is the most complex machine in the universe when in the rare case of fully functioning. Realistically, that becomes problematic per Epicurus “Nothing is good or bad, thinking makes it so.” Illusions beware.

Even though we’ve had a history of nationalism- Kings, Queen, Pharaohs, Alexander’s, Caesars, Napoleon’s, and Hitler’s we also acknowledge the following humanistic ideas regarding man. Briefly: 1. Buddha thought of man as having the same structure, the same problems and the same answers without regard to culture and race 2. Isaiah “shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.” “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” 3. Antigone sacrificed her life in defense of universal human or natural law against state law 4.Zenon had the vision of a universal commonwealth 5. Prometheus stole fire thus laying the very basis for civilization 6. Kant constructed a moral principle that the state is only a result of human forces, only the work of our thoughts, but man is the force of the source itself and the creator of the thought for all men and outlined the possibility of eternal peace 7. Schiller “The state is only a result of human forces, only work of our thoughts, but man is the force of the source itself, the creator of the thought.” Thus we have the conflict of nationalism versus humanistic ideas regarding man’s place and how man treats man on this planet. Currently, we do not have enough harmony and cooperation placing our planet at risk.

World Wars I and II, The Great Depression, and the atomic bomb has just about decimated the concept of humanism. Anxiety, and insecurity draws us toward others for survival and protection. The “others” proceed from family, clan, etc. to nation. We initially experience stranger anxiety at about nine months and that dynamic translates “beware of the stranger. “ The stranger may look different; have different skin color; sound differently; have different religious and spiritual beliefs; have a different economic and political ideology etc. Unfortunately, as groups grow in size, individuals become strangers to each other and not neighbors thus setting the stage for nationalism or authoritarianism.

With authoritarianism, we live emotionally in the Stone Age with our Mammalian brain with the archaic passions of fear, hate, devotion and greed. Thus, we are prey to narcissistic and evil manipulators. These “leaders” are motivated by their narcissistic passions for economic power, possession, and exploitation. Doesn’t seem to matter who gets in their way.  It’s about being number one and number one only. Propaganda, illusions and rationalization mechanisms of love of country, love of flag, democracy, and capitalism become ideologies. Followers become fanatically subservient and serve their idol or master, with blind faith and allegiance; lose their ability to think rationally and become stupid without common sense. They lack the developed capacity for understanding the less obvious causes of phenomena and realities; of grasping contradictions within the same phenomenon and realities; and of making connections between different and not obvious related factors, phenomena and realities. They obediently follow and employ their impaired ego functions of loyalty with illusions and rationalizations. They cannot objectively judge, and with distortion convince themselves of anything and believe untruths, biases, lies etc.; their conformity is powerful; they cling and they are unable to separate because they are dependent and drawn to power. They believe that the powerful are more talented more intelligent etc. making rationalization a protection and justification for following.

Not being aware of the irrational, the fiction and the illusions within emotional functioning results in herding, making it difficult to take one’s head out of the sand and live cooperatively.  Eve’s, bite into the Apple resulted in her ability to see her reality and thus her action was the first act of disobedience. Disobedience has been positively demonstrated throughout the history of man. Is it too late to confront the realities, not the illusions of the pandemic, global warming, democracy and “the bomb?” We must deal with the reality of the lack of cooperation among and between men and diminish the fears and anxieties. Maybe it’s time for disobedience and wake up to the evils of nationalism, illusions and start with the “Big Lie” and Covid- 19 Hoax.” Buddha’s message “Awake from man’s illusions, become aware of realities- sickness, old age and death” is still relevant. Importantly, do not forget that words can be a distortion from reality and according to Thales “A multitude of words is no proof of a prudent mind.” More to follow.

PS

All the lonely people, where do they all come from? All the lonely people, where do they all belong?

Eleanor Rigby

I get by with a little help from my friends

With a Little Help from My Friends

 

 

Reference

Beatles, Eleanor Rigby, Revolver, 1966.

Beatles, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967.

Fromm Erich, “Beyond the Chains of Illusion-My Encounter with Marx and Freud,” Bloomsbury Academic.

Institute For Natural Resources Institute, Understanding Dementia.