Hemingway

 

Ernest Hemingway had a public bravado rivaled by very few. What was beneath the Hemingway image? He wrote 6 novels. His last novel published in 1952 was The Old Man and the Sea. This disquisition is a kaleidoscope in that it incorporates and applies Erik H Erikson’s psychosocial model of human developmental crises to Hemingway, and the protagonist -the old man in his last novel.

An early child crisis sets the stage for Hemingway’s development of character. Grace, a musician, was Hemingway’s mother and Clarence, a physician, was his father. Family lived in Oak Park, Illinois with Grace’s father Ernest. His sister Marcelline was a year older than Ernest. Grace allowed Ernest’s hair to grow long and dressed him in fluffy, girly outfits so the two would look like twins during his first three years. Gender identity, oedipal issues and identifications became compromised. Being treated like a girl, with gender diffusion, became imprinted and the basis to overcompensate this inadequacy. His ambivalence love-hate and identification for his mother resulted in him being involved in the school orchestra, for two years with Marceline, and receiving good grades in English. At a later date, he stated that he hated his mother.

Clarence took him camping, hunting, and fishing in the woods and lakes of northern Michigan this providing him with a masculine role and identity. These masculine traits were exhibited in high school as he participated in boxing, track and field, water polo and football. In essence, Hemingway’s character trait tendencies and personality are now well-established. Hemingway’s battle with survival and death surfaced throughout his life. This emotional drive and need was established early and exemplified in his accepting injury, punishment to mutilate his self and to seek and enjoy punishment, illness and misfortune. He stated “When you go to war as a boy, you have a great illusion of immortality … Then when you’re badly wounded the first time you lose that illusion and know it can happen to you.” Did that acknowledgement end his cognition and preoccupation with injury and death?

A narcissistic injury occurred when he failed his enlistment in World War I. However, he became an ambulance driver for the Red Cross. In a month or so he was seriously wounded by mortar fire after returning from the canteen bringing chocolate and cigarettes to the men at the front line. Despite his injury, he assisted Italian soldiers to safety and was decorated with the Italian Silver Medal of Military Valor. Other physical injuries sustained: 1. Compound spiral fracture and seven-week hospitalization suffered in a car accident. The nerves in his hand took as long as a year to heal. He suffered intense pain. 2. Contracted amoebic dysentery in Africa 3. Hospitalized for concussion from a car accident. He also had another concussion 4. Car accident which he smashed his knee and sustained another deep wound on his forehead 4. Two plane crashes in Africa included another concussion, a leaking of cerebral fluid, head wounds and second-degree burns on his legs, front torso, lips, left hand and right forearm burns 5. A fall in the bathroom which left him with a permanent scar.

Examples of a lifestyle that put him in harm’s way after World War I included: 1. Hemingway was one of the last British and American journalists to leave the Battle of Ebro which was the last Republican stand in the Spanish Civil War 2. He attempted to convince the Cuban government to help him refit his boat so he could ambush German submarines 3. He accompanied troops to the Normandy landings. He came in sight of Omaha Beach but was not allowed ashore 4. He attached himself to the 22^nd infantry Regiment as it drove towards Paris. He impersonated an infantry captain to group of resistance fighters and was brought up on formal charges, but he beat the rap for claiming that he only offered advice. 5. He observed fighting in the battle of the Hurtgen Forest 6. Covered the Battle of the Bulge and was hospitalized with pneumonia. He was awarded the Bronze Star for bravery during World War II.

Hemingway had difficulty with drugs and booze, depression and was paranoid. He thought the FBI was monitoring him because of financial trouble. He had numerous electroconvulsive therapy treatments and was diagnosed with hemochromatosis. He inherited this condition from his father. This terrible condition caused the excessive accumulation of iron in the cells and propelled mental and physical deterioration.

Also in Hemingway’s history, was his difficulty with being alone and his troubled interpersonal relationships with women? Emotionally, he was initially attracted to females and married four times and divorced three times. He wanted to marry a young nurse while he was hospitalized during the First World War but was rejected when she told him she was engaged to an Italian officer. While being in a failing marriage, with Pauline, he met Martha and divorced Pauline and married Martha. During their marriage he met Mary and then divorced Martha and married Mary. Also, Hemingway had a platonic relationship with 19-year-old when 49 years of age. On a sad note, his father committed suicide, his brother committed suicide and his son committed suicide. Pauline’s father also committed suicide. During that suicide Hemingway commented, “I’ll probably go in the same way.”

Briefly, Ernest Hemingway overcompensated for his early experiences as a girl by engaging in the macho male behavior. However, he hated himself as he hated his mother as exemplified with his repetition compulsion of failed female relationships. At times, he was brilliant and the executive functioning of his ego dominated in his creative writing. However, emotionally he was impulsive, driven by irrational drives and displaced his anger inward and outward. His critical superego punished him over and over as well.

I shall employ Erik Erickson’s ideas regarding psychosocial development during the eight ages of man. It should be noted that successful resolution of each stage of development contributes greatly in a positive way during the lifecycle. Without successful stage resolution, makes it difficult to fully progress to the next stage. With that being said, the following should be noted: 1. Developing a Sense of Basic Trust versus Basic Mistrust applies significantly to Hemingway. Ernest was reared as a girl thus making it difficult to resolve the oedipal complex dynamics. His identifications suffered and his insecurity had to be overcompensated significantly with his taking on the masculine, rugged macho role during his entire life. That Oedipal dynamic interfered with his psychological ability to develop basic trust with his mother, the first dominant female figure in his life. So it’s not surprising, that he had troubled ongoing female relationships. He was demanding, controlling, physically and verbally abusive. With mistrust, the mechanisms of paranoia develop and the difficulty to distinguish between real and unreal.

 With masculine identification, he tackled the developing a Sense of Industry versus Inferiority successfully, in part, as exhibited by his award winning achievement within the executive functions within his ego. He was successful with school and developed the ability to write. During writing times, his ego dominated .His drives and his conscience became subordinated. The focus and energy he put into his writing was supreme and second to none .Nothing else seemed significant to him. However, too many of his decisions were irrational and self-destructive.

 His energy displacement masked the balance between his male and female conflicts. This displacement of his drives put him into harm’s way which he used for his writing material because of the real life and death danger in his experiences. In other words, issues around developing a Sense of Identity versus Role Confusion facilitated his wonderful ability to tell stories that pertained to his own experiences. Of course, these experiences reinforced his self-hate and unconscious risk to die. War, death, loss were themes in his novels as well as his own troubled life. Sexually, he allowed his unconscious fears to be expressed in play. In bed, he was the female and his wife was the male.

 His difficulty in the stage of developing a Sense of Intimacy versus Isolation was regularly repeated with repetition compulsion. Hemingway was great at catching like a fishermen or killing his prey just like the protagonist. He had great skills of seduction, charm and like a spider’s web he captured his victim. His focus and energy was unsurpassed and his infatuation and genital love drive was tremendous. Hemingway, however could not maintain his infatuation drive and exhibited controlling, dominating and verbally abusive behavior. Like the protagonist, who went out every day to fish, Hemingway had to have new prey. He was fearful of isolation, unable to tolerate separation or being alone. However, once he captured his prey it died and was symbolically like the dead skeleton of the Marlin.  His favorite bar in Key West was Sloppy Joe’s and had a very difficult time being alone while wife Martha left him in Key West to be involved in covering World War II.

 Hemingway’s novels and other writings contributed to his teaching the world about the trials and tribulations of irrational war, conflicts, about life itself with the shadow of death lurking. This stage is called developing a Sense of Generativity versus Stagnation.

 The last stage in Erickson’s model is developing a Sense of Integrity versus a Sense of Despair. To be successful in this stage, relates to being able to successfully pass through the seven previous stages. Already, we know he hasn’t been able to easily navigate the previous stages. With integrity the individual has to be able to have an acceptance of his life which importantly includes a love for one’s parents. He hated his mother.  One has to be able to master all the physical and economic threats and confrontations that interferes with one’s well-being of which he was not able to accomplish. Drugs, alcohol, cerebral concussions, numerous physical injuries, DNA inheritance and with despair, the individual is unable to start another life and try alternate roads to reach his integrity. With despair, Hemingway was depressed and feared living. At the end, he was depressed, paranoid and that was coupled with severe physical impairments, multiple concussions, hemochromatosis, paranoia, depression and ECT treatment as well. Suicide with 5 family members in 4 generations and financial difficulties tell an important segment of his story. Although, Ernest’s moral principles were suspect, his honesty was best expressed in his novels, he didn’t fear death, and he welcomed death .Because, in large part, of his tremendous physical and emotional pain, Ernest died without integrity.

With the protagonist in The Old Man and the Sea, we saw the old man at the last stage of his life. Was he developing a sense of integrity or was he in a state of despair? With repetition compulsion, the aging old man put himself at risk daily by going out into the sea in his small boat with limited supplies. He traveled to kill or to catch; to have his masculinity emasculated; or to be killed. He was alone except for being befriended by one young boy. He was old, tired and beyond his productive years. His impotency was illustrated when he was unable to successfully fight, with bloodied hands, off the sharks and brought back just the skeleton of the Marlin. We don’t know if he loved his parents but we do know that he had limited skills and likely didn’t have the opportunity for a different lifestyle. Economically he lived day-to-day. We do know that he was alone and life consisted of him being nonproductive and less effective. The end suggests a tired aging man in despair, broken and awaiting death.

John Steinbeck

 

 Linda and I recently viewed East of Eden written by the brilliant Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck. Main characters were Julie Harris -Abra; Raymond Massey -the father Adam; Jo Van Fleet -the mother Kate; Linda’s heartbeat James Dean -Cal; Richard Davalos-Aron and others. Elia Kazan was the producer. Kazan, Dean and Van Fleet were nominated for Academy Awards and Van Fleet won. Paul Osborne was nominated for the best screenplay.

In this novel, Monterey and Salinas were the settings and the time was 1917 during World War I. Kate left Adam and their two sons Cal and Aron. Cal was the biblical Cain and Aron was the biblical Abel. This essay employs concepts of identification, ambivalence, sibling rivalry, and alienation to this relevant film.

Briefly, in Genesis, Cain and Abel were the first two sons of Adam and Eve. The brothers made sacrifices to God, but God favored Abel’s sacrifice instead of Cain’s.  Cain then murdered Abel out of jealousy, whereupon God punished Cain by condemning him to a life of wandering.

In the movie, Adam or god was a rigid, unemotional, hypercritical, and ineffective authoritarian father that read Scripture in the evening with his sons. Adam had Cal read Scripture, in a certain way, out loud. Of course, the rebellious and “bad” Cal was oppositional and read the passages his way. We see a strict father and an alienated, disrespectful and hateful son. Cal’s alienation was exemplified by his rebelliousness-drinking alcohol, staying away from home, hitching a ride on trains from Salinas to Monterey, throwing blocks of ice down a slide, and so forth. Cal’s only consistent punishment was Adam’s scorn.

Karl Marx wrote about man’s alienation as a result of the working conditions in the industrial revolution and problem with Capitalism. Man becomes alienated because of the subservient, slave like, and burned out position in his workplace. Man has very little control or significant emotional involvement, sense of satisfaction, meaning and gratification within his work setting. In other words, the worker must have the opportunity to be able to express his self in terms of his mental and physical powers. Man is not what he ought to be but instead be able to develop his potential into what he could be. However, with alienation, man becomes separated from self and isolated from others. Within capitalism, there’s focus on external things like money. Man becomes a cog, insignificant, an anonymous number, and an object which counters and decimates his ability to fully develop himself. A few illustrations of alienation and satiation in man not wanting to be in the workplace include the  preponderance  of drugs, alcohol, absenteeism, Workmen’s Comp and all the physical and emotional disabilities associated with work. Sometimes money and all the diversions of books, movies, games, social media, gambling, sports and sex placate the masses but only for the short-term. Currently, we have a labor shortage. It’s not a surprise when profit rules. There is too much emphasis on the unequal distribution of wealth and the perversion of labor transforms too many into emotional cripples. In Steinbeck’s novel, Kazan depicted Cal, a young male, being alienated within his family and his society. Alienation today is obvious and on the rise. I just read that the NFL Commissioner’s salary was close to $130 million for two years. That is simply obscene.

 Marx’s concept of alienation is simple but difficult for many to resolve or master in today’s capitalistic system. Man has to emancipate himself from alienation, caused in great part from capitalism because of the profit motive, and have the ability to return man to himself, for his self-realization. His estrangement is expressed in that things or objects are against him even though the objects may be of his own creation. Alienation is essentially experiencing the world and oneself passively, and receptively as the subject is separated from the object.

Alienation was first expressed the Old Testament with the concept of idolatry. The essence of what the prophets call idolatry is not that man worships many gods instead of only one. It is that the idols are the work of man’s own hands-they are things that man bows down to, a worship of mostly dead things; worships that which he has created himself. In doing so, he transformed himself into a thing. He transfers to the things of his creation and not the attributes of his own life. Instead of experiencing self as a creating person he is not in touch with himself but only by the worship of the idol. He has become estranged from his own life forces from the wealth of his own potentialities. He is in touch with himself only in the indirect way of submission to life, frozen in the idols.

Cal’s ambivalence (love, like and hate, dislike for parents) for his father was demonstrated when his father lost a great sum of money transporting lettuce, by train, to New York. Cal went into the bean business and made a ton of money because of the United States involvement in the war. Ambivalence towards parents is a typical psychological condition within the family. Cal’s hate was exemplified in him being the bad son. On Adam’s birthday, the bad Cal presented his father the money he earned as a present. Adam didn’t want the money, rejected Cal and said he didn’t want the money that was made because of the economics of the war. Aron’s gift to his father was his engagement to Abra. Adam bestowed significant praise on that gift and rejected Cal again.

The sibling rivalry (receiving love, being favorite, seeking praise etc.) between Cal and the “good” Aron was made very clear in the movie.  Aron, the good son, pleased his father while Cal did the opposite. Aron was clean-cut, didn’t swear and did not drink until the movies end. Within the rivalry, Cal said he was like his bad mother. Back in the day, it was believed that a person inherited a good or bad character from parents. Today, we identify good or bad behavior based on identifications and other psychological variables instead of DNA.

Regarding identification, both Cal and Adam, grew crops. However, Adam went broke with his ice experiment and Cal made money with beans. Cal and Kate were both successful capitalists. Aron and Adam read the Bible and on the surface were good citizens. But, both failed miserably with Kate. Cal, Aron and Adam were emotionally compromised. They did not appear to display empathy or affection interpersonally and all three acted and behaved irrationally with self-destructive tendencies. Cal with his fighting and drinking; Aron with his impulsive enlistment; and rigid Adam with Kate and their ineffective parented boys.

Kate, the mother, ran a profitable brothel in Monterey. If this woman was “bad,” then all her paying customers were bad also. Were the town leaders bad because they frequented a brothel for booze and sex? In the film, Aron was good like his father. Aron wore a white shirt; had a girlfriend; was clean-cut; supported his father’s friend the German shoemaker and was his father’s favorite. However, at the end of the film, Aron when he found out the truth about his mother, got drunk, got into fights, enlisted in the Army and put his head through the train window-breaking it. Was Aron still good? Don’t forget that the messaging that sex is bad and war and killing is good. What a delusion, with our troubled sense of values.

The “bad” Cal violated his father’s rules not by reading Scripture slowly but by reading the biblical passages fast; stayed out all night; rode the freight trains back and forth from Salinas to Monterey; drank alcohol; got into fights; stole a cool chute; thus suggesting violation of parental and society rules, being provocative and stubborn. These patterns of disobedience, negativistic and provocative opposition to authority figures are associated with an oppositional disorder diagnosis. However, the bad Cal borrowed $5000 from mother Kate, to start the bean business. Cal went into business to earn money to pay his father for all the money he lost shipping lettuce to New York. The bad Cal earned over $5000. He worked extremely hard in the fields, as a day laborer, for that money. He paid back his mother Kate with interest along with attempting to gift his father the money he lost. The bad Cal had his bags packed and ready to wander. At the end of the film, Cal moved his chair close to his stroke stricken father. Note, Cal’s ambivalence toward his father. He exemplified both hate and at the end “love. “Also, the only consequence for Cal’s oppositional actions were his father’s disapproval. That disapproval did not change Cal’s behavior.

We found out that Kate left Adam and their two sons because he was too controlling, too restricting, and too possessive and preached the Bible. In leaving, Kate shot and wounded Adam. She said she could’ve killed him but didn’t. The moral Adam lied to his children and told them she died.  The self-righteous Adam read the Bible every day, and believed that making money because of the war was evil. However, Adam worked in the recruiting office processing the young to go off to war and die. What is wrong with this picture? Adam’s values were what?

During one scene, Aron was attempting to defend his father’s friend a German shoemaker. An anxious town crowd began scapegoating their neighbor. Earlier, the town had banners, parades and a carnival like atmosphere with the United States involvement in World War I. Going to war was celebrated. What an illusion and delusion.  Reality set in when word of sons dying in trenches and being prisoners of war. The scapegoating was convenient. Don’t blame Woodrow Wilson, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, or the leaders of France, Russia, Britain, Germany, Austria Hungry, or Italy. It’s so much easy to pick on and find the weak and defenseless. Mob rule is irrational as it is to scapegoat. As if this German American shoemaker was responsible for the war.

With this boisterous crowd, the bad Cal jumped in, started rescuing his brother and wound up fighting. After a short brawl, Burl Ives, the sheriff intervened. The good Aron didn’t thank Cal but instead focused on Cal’s innocent involvement with Abra. In response, Cal hit Aron and pummeled him numerous times and then ran off to the bar in solitude.

Cal found out about his mother and why she left Adam. Out of his jealousy and hate, after Adam rejected Cal’s gift of money, Cal quickly took Adam to his mother and her business. This fact exposed the father not telling his sons why their mother left him. He told his boys she died. Confronted with the reality of his mother, Aron got drunk, got beat up and enlisted in the Army. When Adam was also confronted with his son’s reality, he became bedridden with a stroke.

Abra was Aron’s fiancé but was attracted to Cal.  She told Cal that Aron was unemotional and doubted his love. She added that his words seemed only as words and difficult to believe and trust. Abra convinced a paralyzed Adam to engage, reach out and demonstrate “love” to Cal. Up to that point, Cal had his bags packed and ready to wander and never be seen again. However, Adam listened to Abra and he whispered into Cal’s ear that he wanted that nurse fired and for Cal to take care of him. The film ended with Cal moving a chair close and near his father’s bed.

This great novel depicted life about 100 years ago and retold in film about 60 years ago. James Dean played an ambivalent, alienated and rebellious young man who loved and hated his father. His searching for his lost mother along with the sibling rivalry for their father’s approval, affection and love continue to be remain relevant psychological issues within families today.

There are many White alienated young associated with hate groups. These hate group’s scapegoat, become part of the mob and attack easy prey. Hate, guns and emotional disturbance means mental illness. As Gandhi stated “An eye for an eye will only make the world blind” and “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” These alienated are emotionally empty and dead inside. In order to compensate for their hate and inner deadness, they choose the idol of white supremacy. They make it absolute and totally submit to it. In doing so, they find excitement in the submission to this chosen idol. However, this excitement does not stem from Joy and productive relatedness. The intense hate is built upon their inner deadness, lack of direction and insecurity.

In summary, Cal was bright although narcissistic, immature, rebellious, impulsive, oppositional and emotionally unattached and numb. He was also driven by impulses that at times dominated his executive ego and superego or conscience functions. He was not alienated because of his being a farmer’s son but, for the most part, because of being abandoned by his mother and scapegoated as the bad son. He badly wanted his father’s approval. He was directionless, had poor parenting and acted out his emotional conflicts. Aron, on the surface, was the good son. Being good and compliant, he received his father’s praise and recognition. With the narcissistic injury, his character was revealed. He was confronted with his alive mother. Aron displaced his anger against self and others   with directed hate. He got drunk, got into fights, put his head through a train window and enlisted in the service. Now, he could kill Germans, become a prisoner and/or die. Where was his executive functioning ego and conscience?  He was engaged? Engaged with what? The Bible reading Adam was emotionally shallow with his dysfunctional family. Instead of taking responsibility for his failed marriage, he blamed his son and directed his passive aggressiveness towards Cal. This Bible reading hypocrite lied to his children and processed people going off to war. He was wounded narcissistically, when he reached the train station and saw his son smashing the train window and going off to war. He was no longer in control and not able to “protect” his son from the truth. This emotional conflict resulted in him becoming partially paralyzed with stroke. Kate, was wounded narcissistically, as she aged. She was no longer beautiful but financially well-off yet alone and being labeled by the jealous, the town pariah. What a troubled family. Although agnostic and intellectual, the well-educated Steinbeck was versed in religious teachings, philosophy, history and man’s social, economic, political plight as well as man’s failings. Epicurus stated “The greatest reward of righteousness is peace of mind.”

PS

In a previous life, I taught English at a junior high school in Oak Park. For one assignment, I had my students read Steinbeck’s novella “The Red Pony.”

Reference

Fromm, Erich. Marx’s Concept of Man, Frederick Ungar Publishing Company, New York.

You Are Your Thoughts

 

 

Man’s history can be characterized, in part, by supernatural beliefs, lies, distortions, falsehoods regardless of objective reality. One can wonder how individuals acquired and pass on these false beliefs. Some crazy beliefs that immediately come to mind are the following: 1. The earth is flat 2. The earth is the center of the universe 3. Systematic racism does not exist in this country 4. Mohammed Ali was called an un-American in his title fight against Floyd Patterson 5. The domino theory justified US involvement in Vietnam 6. Saddam had weapons of mass destruction 7. President Barack Obama was a Muslim 8. The 2020 election was fraudulent and not won by Joe Biden. 9.  Covid- 19 is a hoax. These irrational beliefs bring to mind the Pied Piper legend. The mayor in Hamelin, Germany played a magical pipe and lured all the cities rats, the followers, to their death. With that being said, this essay identifies the importance of identification, repetition compulsion, omnipotence of thought and other variables contributing to employing and contributing to beliefs that are irrational.

We begin life dependent and insecure thus setting the stage for present and future fear and anxiety, and conflict during the oral stage of development. The newborn begins in a primary process of narcissism being state and unable to differentiate self from other. Then the secondary process of narcissism follows. In this secondary phase of narcissistic development, the infant begins to identify and introject either a tendency for asocial or social values from the caretakers based on their quirks and values .Positive and negative reinforcements perceived and received cement the effects. In other words, parents with an asocial or antisocial value system transmit their anti- social and societal values and beliefs in an irregular fashion for withdrawing love, disapproval or punishment to their offspring for misbehavior. Guilt is a necessary consequence, with punishment for bad behavior. The absence of consistent punishment for misbehavior affects developing a non-sufficient superego or guilty conscience and provides and puts in place the foundation for identifying with an authoritarian model within the ego ideal.  Lying, cheating, exploiting and modeling of parental tendencies become acquired by the offspring. The apple does not fall far from the tree. Then, the offspring incorporates similar values and ideals. Offspring’s tendencies become critical in present and for future behavior. Furthermore, with lying and cheating, we have the absence of truth. Truth consist of independent existing facts. Importantly, truth relates to justice. Our legal process is designed to uncover the truth of what happened. Perjury is a serious offense and punishable. Per Benedict de Spinoza “Of all the things that are beyond my power, I value nothing more highly than to be allowed the honor of entering into bonds of friendship with the people who sincerely love truth.”

During secondary process narcissistic development, the executive functions of the ego, in healthy development, can become efficient. However, due to an asocial identification, the ego’s ability for finding and seeking truth and justice become compromised. In other words, the ability to perceive, remember, judge, discriminate, abstract, generalize and reason can be severely affected and undermined in an unhealthy environment with unhealthy identifications and there can be more than one.  The power and influence of the messengers become grip like. To follow, obey and submit is loyal while to disobey is disloyal even when following a lying tyrant. It’s about submission, not truth, nor justice nor fairness. Are your identifications good or bad? Epicurus stated “Nothing is good or bad but thinking makes it so.”

Broadly speaking, identification is a method used by the individual to resolve frustrations, conflicts and anxiety. The individual learns to reduce tension or anxiety by modeling the behavior after someone else that appears to be more successful in gratifying their needs. This would be in line with the one’s own wishes and assistance in reaching one’s goals. Identifications can also take on and be of animals; imaginary characters; institutions; abstract ideas; inanimate objects and tyrants. The unconscious purpose is to regain a lost love; a significant loss; overcoming fear; or to avoid punishment. Powerful!

For example, more on the oral phase, and according to developmental theory, if the physiological needs are not sufficiently met, then psychological problems at that phase and future phases become apparent. Of course there are many variables that take place during this developmental stage. From a psychodynamic and psychosocial model, this oral stage of development is critical. In fact, Erik Erickson hypothesizes that the development of trust versus the development of mistrust is the most important task in this stage along with secondary narcissism, executive functions of the ego and identification .Being unable to trust, creates the tendency for and is associated with paranoid thinking and believing in conspiracy. Being suspicious is anxiety producing and results in being prey to mass manipulation and erroneous false claims. Social media followers is a prime illustration.  Developing a sense of trust with truth and justice is imperative for mutuality in interpersonal relationships.

It is known that primitive man cognitively engaged in animism, magical thinking, omnipotence of thought and superstition in the attempt to control his internal, external insecurities and fears. Primitive man projected the “living” to inanimate objects, spirits, souls, trees, plants etc. Animism became a philosophy regardless of the benevolent or even malignant outcomes. They were regarded as the causes of natural phenomena and it was their philosophy of nature. They believed that souls live in human beings and can leave their habitations and even migrate to other human beings as well. In fact, air becomes a vehicle of mental activities and are to a certain extent independent of their bodies. The souls originally were pictured to be very similar to persons. Moreover, this dualistic system were considered independent and that the souls of animals, plants, and objects were based on the analogy of human souls.

Cognitively, animism is very much alive today. Walt Disney’s creations of Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Winnie the Pooh, Sleeping Beauty etc.; Shriek, Fantasia, Bambi, Beauty and the Beast, Spirited Away are examples along with the belief in Santa Claus, tooth fairy, and Easter Bunny. The legends of Zeus, Hera, Aphrodite, and Dionysus etc. cannot be equaled in power, love, beauty and other human qualities. TV commercials with its inorganic or animals in speaking parts are just a few other examples. Many call this animation. I call this primitive thinking. Dog owners are a special breed themselves. How many owners baby talk to their pet; hold and cradle their pet; feed their pet people food; know what their pet is thinking irrespective of the fact that animals do not have executive functions; predict the action tendencies of their pets and provide for their pet in their will etc.? That pet becomes an integral part of the family. Thinking, for many, in animistic terms is part of the culture.

 Omnipotence of thoughts is a primitive cognitive technique employed to dominate much of human interaction. Omnipotence of thought is as if by coincidence, by magic, and by telepathy. The individual not only deceives himself but that this process strengthens his superstitious beliefs by believing that what he thinks and what he imagines actually control external events and is stronger than reality. This cognitive process is extremely dangerous as it interferes with objective, rational and scientific thinking.  In other words the elements of reality are not based on experience but on magical thought and irrational belief. And we know that what is thought is pictured and colored with emotion and that, in essence, the agreement with the external route of reality becomes a matter of no importance.

 With repetition compulsion, it’s an uncontrollable force of repeating the same thoughts, ideas, assumptions, fictions, illusions, and make-believe in our minds. There is external reinforcement and group consensus of hearing the same-the election was stolen by Republicans, Fox news, social media and Trump. That belief is stamped, like imprinting, and totally believed to be true. Information to the contrary like 62 frivolous lawsuits; Trump is a pathological liar; Trump contacted the head Georgia Republican to steal votes; Atty. Gen. Bill Barr found no evidence of voter fraud is not heard because of the cognitive dissonance. Leon Festinger, a graduate student of Kurt Lewin, added to Freud’s insight of tension and tension reduction within the mind. Festinger postulated that a belief and hearing similar facts were harmony and comfort as in wearing an old and familiar shoe. However, with dissonant facts there is a clash, a disharmony of elements and/or the creation of tension or discomfort in the mind.  Individuals, in cognitive dissonance, respond either by ignoring, avoiding, fighting against or by employing defense mechanisms in an attempt to make the tension decrease or go away. As a result, these individuals cannot be open to receive objective facts and instead become like sheep as in the city rats of Hamelin, Germany. Repeatedly, we repeat the crazy thinking, distortions and beliefs in our minds over and over. We are resistance to different ideas making it very difficult to change. It’s very difficult to take a different driving route; running the same trail; to try different food recipes; to wear a different outfit; to change political parties and even to act differently with one’s partner. As a result, the ability to change one’s thoughts and one’s behavior becomes extremely difficult.  We become creatures of our own self-made habits. Believe in fiction or believe in science; believe in liars or believe in people that tend to tell the truth; believe in fairy tales, illusions or believe in rational thinking.

Further, repetition compulsion can be a function as in imagination or imagined experiences and not of actual events. Thus, we have an overvaluation of our mental processes as compared with reality. Our thinking with identification, has emotional filters pertaining to anxiety and guilt which distort the executive functions surrounding thinking. Not to be forgotten are the defense mechanisms of the ego which are designed to reduce anxiety and conflict through mental processes that enables the mind to reach a compromise to conflicts that it is unable to resolve. With the deployment of defense mechanisms, one can justify any argument, situation, belief or action. Therefore the defense mechanisms of denial, repression, projection, reaction formation, rationalization etc. are also components that are also employed to distort reality, objectivity, truth and justice. Moreover, some individuals like Socrates gave up his life in the name of truth and justice. In essence, each man speaks, acts and lives according to his character and suggests the importance of sovereignty of reason, knowledge and understanding. I acknowledge that these human factors are necessary for participation in a humanistic society.

Spend a few minutes watching cable news or sports with their “experts.” There’s not an expert that’s afraid of giving his opinion on some future event nor to give his opinion regarding the best, the worst, the greatest or some ranking etc. Also, just think of what Batman, Superman, the Atman, Aqua man, Shas am, Capt. Marvel, Capt. America etc. can accomplish. Don’t forget about James Bond, the Hulk, Wolverine, Lone Ranger, Peter Parker, Tony Stark etc. and their supernatural powers. In these segments good conquers evil even if they have to be destructive and kill. The means, for them, justify the ends regardless. Just like in real life some might say? Another example of beliefs and distortions of reality pertains to gambling. In 2017, legal gambling revenues in commercial casinos totaled 41.2 billion; tribal casinos 31.94 billion; lotteries 80.50 billion and other venues for a grand total of 158.54 billion. Obviously, magical thinking exists for this group.

Suggestibility is also a common characteristic in man. Take advertising for example.  Advertising pays for TV, radio programs etc. The particular station or network ad doesn’t address truth. Just watch the attractive individual drink a beverage with a smile. That beverage may taste good in the short run and have negative long-term effects as well. That’s of no concern. Pretty girls, smiles, laughing, jumping etc. are the emotional triggers. If advertising didn’t work, why would advertisers pay about $915,000 for a five second Super Bowl ad? In 2011, Chrysler’s Super Bowl ad cost $12.4 million. What about social media and the multitude of lies? Some individuals have no difficulty in believing “a stranger,” without credibility, a celebrity, or an axe to grind spreading the rumor. Past president, a pathological liar, said the election was stolen from him. About 75% of Republicans, according to polls, agree with his lie. In fact some Republicans in the House and Senate did not admit on camera that Biden won. Fear is effectively employed by politicians. They want to be re-elected irrespective- lots of perks. Remember,” Murderers, rapists in record numbers are crossing the border.”

With identification, conscience, suspiciousness, primitive thinking, omnipotence of thought, defense mechanisms, and suggestibility, we have the characteristics of a character type that exhibits tendencies for obedience, loyalty, amorality-lying, cheating and disrespecting the rule of  law, and irrational thinking as contrasted to truth, justice, rational and scientific thinking. Freud’s brilliance was exemplified in his concept of identification because it’s a cornerstone and important component or basis for the development of character. With Identification, we have an enormously strong influence on the development of conscience {superego}. Identification and conscience development affects the executive functions of the ego. And we have with repetition compulsion a susceptibility to animism, omnipotence of thought, superstition, magic which are precursors of irrational thinking. With the repetition compulsion, unfortunately we have a tendency to repeat which is one of the most fundamental characteristics of the mind. With primitive, nonobjective and unscientific thinking coupled with asocial morality, propels pathological lying and disrespecting rule of law, order and justice. Make note, found in the history of authoritarian regimes are lies, distortions of truth, obedience, and submission. These factors create and contribute to the belief that the dictators are not accountable and above the rule of law.  They make their own laws and that permits them to justify their actions. We, again, are in the midst of a political and economic crisis in our brief history. Hopefully, we will not fail like other countries and not become similar to Russian and China’s totalitarian rule. Per Viktor Frankl “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

Reference

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

PS

You are what’s between your ears.

Diaita

  

 I had a conversation with a friend about his weight. That conversation was the impetus for this essay. Weight and weight loss are major concerns for many in our country. There are a variety of diets from which to choose. We also know that these various diets are terrific for short-term weight loss but do not seem to hold up over the long term. Our Stone Age ancestors did not have the same concerns even though they had the same brain physiology as we do. They either starved or got their full and spent a lot of energy walking, running, finding shelter etc. Back in the 1950s, the food portions at Howard Johnson’s was Spartan like. Not today, as Linda and I recently shared breakfast in Sausalito and dinner in Tiburon. Yes, one does not go away hungry from the restaurant. This essay lists a few suggestions for successful long-term weight loss.

The biological cravings for fat, sweets and salt existed for our Stone Age cousins and for us as well. According to research, a fetus is able to distinguish between flavors. Therefore, at birth, a preference for sweets has likely been established. If breast-fed, we have an additional source that allows us to discriminate between food preferences. So, with our beginnings, we have already established sensory memories of the taste for sweet, fat and salt. These sensory memories have been paired with pleasure rewards. As a result, we began our cravings for these tastes early in life. In essence we have a history that has established a craving for foods that has been associated with pleasure and reward.

The cravings from these hyper palatable foods result in strong reward circuits found in the brain. Our brain allows us to anticipate the reward and that activity becomes reinforced by the tasting and eating of the desired, pleasurable food. This reinforced pattern of craving and eating is repeated again and again and it simply does not decline in intensity. Why should it? In essence, we are wired to crave the pleasurable foods. If the stimulus was powerful enough, novel enough, administered or reinforced intermittently, we are hooked. In other words, we are wired and vulnerable for sweet, fat and salt addictions and/or the foods we love to consume.

Briefly, with the physiological hunger need or drive from a psychoanalytic point of view, a mental image of food is formed in the id. With the id dynamic, there is ego. The ego has been referred as the executive function of personality. Within the ego, the properties of thinking, deciding, planning, obtaining and procuring food becomes available to the individual to satisfy the need. In other words, through thinking, the choices or patterns of how and in what manner become available and likely repeated. Will the executive functions of the ego engage in the healthy or unhealthy? In essence, the established patterns becomes a repetition compulsion by repeating the similar act over and over as the means to satisfy the need. If erroneous unhealthy choices are made as in non-nutritious, food amount, binge eating etc. the result becomes self-defeating. Thus, repetition compulsion describes automatic “non rational thinking “perseverative behavior. Yes, a well-functioning executive ego is paramount. Moreover, do not forget that the first stage and area of pleasure is the mouth, lips and tongue or the oral zone. And if there are too many deficits, inconsistencies, insecurities and dependencies during this stage of development, with fixation, this unmet need becomes extremely difficult to satisfy during the lifecycle. This behavior becomes a tendency to develop into an oral character.

However, there is hope because of the mechanism of displacement. With the displacement mechanism, an individual can make other decisions and changes regarding types of food, size, substitutions etc. in order to satisfy the ongoing physiological requirement to eat. As a result, individual plasticity, versatility and motivational behavior can easily be observed in dealing with the hunger need.

It is obvious that eating behavior can and often becomes destructive. This destructive behavior exhibits itself with an unconscious wish to die accompanied by the superego’s guilt. These self-destructive behaviors certainly speed up the inevitable and result in a disastrous aging process. In essence, self-destruction is part of the aggressive drive or instinct which means self-destructiveness turned inward. In other words, the libido or self-preservation drive or instinct becomes blocked by the counter will of the destructive instincts or needs of which hate is a derivative.  If so, we have a guilty conscience in which hate is now turned inward. The obesity rates are staggering and so are the rates of hate and aggression.

Now from a behavioral over view- food cravings are reinforced and result in eating behaviors that becomes our habits or addictions. Briefly, addictive behavior begins with the following: 1. Craving, a positive reinforcement, for highly palatable foods 2. Anticipating and consuming foods for positive reinforcement 3. Habitually, consuming poor food nutrition again and again without any short-term negative consequences. In essence we become more sensitive and become more proficient in identifying and acting on the cues that leads us to anticipate the rewarding foods irrespective of long-term negative outcomes.

Typically, the difference in most popular weight loss diets {restricting oneself to small amounts of special kinds of food in order to lose weight} are based on the ratios of proteins, carbohydrates, and fat. A number of studies have evaluated low-fat, low-carb diet plans; as well as the long-term effects of these plans. Not surprisingly, research studies find and demonstrate that the macronutrient content of the diet whether it is high-fat, low-fat, high carb, low-carb etc. do not result in any significant long term weight loss. It’s believed that for the most part, it’s the calories which count. It’s not the sources of calories that make the difference for weight loss. Let’s face it, long-term weight loss requires more than restriction alone. It involves a lifestyle change that includes changing the environment, eating habits and importantly exercise behavior. In other words, think about the Greek word “diaita” from which the word diet was derived. The Greek word means “way of life.”

A National Weight Control Registry or NCWR study with over 10,000 individuals reported that those able to lose weight and keep it off were described as the following: 1. 98% modified their food intake in some way to lose weight 2. 94% increased their physical activity. The most frequently reported physical activity was walking 3. 78% ate breakfast every day 4. 75% weighed themselves at least once a week 5.  62% watched less than 10 hours of television a week 6. 90% exercised an average about one hour a day.

Controlling a growing stomach and/or hunger pangs is a major factor in both losing weight and maintaining an ideal weight. Food choices can significantly affect hunger and food cravings. A few tips: 1. Eat solid foods as opposed to liquids 2. Consume more low-energy and high-volume foods 3. Fill up on fiber 4. Boost the protein 5. Choose foods with combined benefits that are high in fiber and protein. Low-fat dairy has the benefits of high protein and moderate calorie density. 5. Timing is everything as eating slowly has a significant effect on hunger. It takes about 20 minutes for a full stomach to signal the brain to suppress its hunger pangs. Eat and consume slowly.

Roughly 50 years ago in my 30s, I began somewhat inconsistent recreational running. Then, about 25 years ago, I began competitive running. I also added, at that time, making better food choices, creation of morning smoothies, whey protein, adding stevia, paying more attention to sugar, fat and salt intake and eliminating beer and alcohol.

This paragraph brings to mind my first ride and tie in Cool. At one of the aid stations there were delicious sweet rolls. After finishing one of the sweet rolls, that mental image stayed in my mind throughout that next loop. I could not wait to get back to that aid station to devour another sweet roll. What a welcomed reinforcement. Also, at every competitive event, I look forward to the finish line when I can guzzle down a Coke or Pepsi. Further, after every competition with Tony, we divert our attention and proceed to the nearest Ben & Jerry’s. In essence, I do not think about diet but instead think about my well-deserved future reward.

With the unhealthy misuse within the food industry, our psychological and physiology of craving along with the power of addictions, at the oral stage, becomes a repetition compulsion. It becomes easy to explain weight gain. We also know that eating behavior has to do with choices or the executive functions of the ego. We also know that it’s important to be aware of food choice alternatives or displacements as well as the health consequences for our actions.  Being older, in this case, presents more challenges based on one’s physiology, psychoanalytic and learning theory. If we have a history of making poor food choices, then changing or altering that behavior becomes extremely difficult. The chemists in the food industry are well aware of man’s physiological cravings, and that coupled with tremendous sized food portions and food chemical additives simply provides negative consequences for a healthy weight status. Prudent decision-making is about change, displacement and suppressing old reinforcement patterns. One requires a Sisyphus focus for sticking to a reasonable eating regime.  Don’t forget to add exercise to the equation. The key is having an ego with a well-developed executive functioning of personality for a successful lifestyle change. Further, wash your hands, wear a face covering, implement social distancing, get vaccinated, vote and keep your distance from the police.

PS

Linda and I stopped by to chat with The Monster of Massage- Veloyce. He looked thinner than I had ever seen him. I commented and he replied “I am not getting enough calories. I stop at Ikeda’s and eat a pie before I go home.” We all laughed. Add the Charles Dickens quote-No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else.

References

Institute for Natural Resources. Cognition, Diets, and Longevity

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.