Racism Part 2

On Broadway, Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” with Jeff Daniels was the recipient of super reviews. Although Harper Lee passed away 3 years ago, her estate originally wanted to ban the play because “it didn’t capture the spirit” of this 1960 novel. On another note, in the novel, as well as the play, the word “Nigger” is used. Some might find this offensive. However, that word represented racial discrimination, then and now. We find that racial discrimination is still present, even though the word “Nigger” is not as prevalent.

  Racism and prejudice, not surprisingly, still exist, and in many ways is more subtle in many geographical areas. Can you believe that the color of one’s skin; racial heritage, political views; and/ or religious beliefs result in so much hateful prejudice? It’s true that these perceived cognitive distortions or irrationalities [employing a partial fact, adding an untruth, creating a scapegoat, and drawing a false conclusion], differences or prejudices are accompanied by insecurities, the vulnerabilities and unpleasantness of anxiety, danger or fear that result in hostility and sadism, which are an integral part of our design. Often, hostility, passive aggressive physical and verbal anger are associated with negative emotions. In essence, we exhibit a plethora irrationality.

 It’s certainly not rational to express sadistic, hateful rhetoric or physical behavior to another Homo sapiens just because of a different skin color; or a different or differing viewpoint or belief.  This is not new as religion, originated rules or laws attempting to regulate sadistic treatment to others. That idea has failed miserably. Unfortunately, anxiety is often associated with such behavior, and with it, it simply dictates or drives the motivation of Homo sapiens. Moreover, rationality, truth and reason takes a second step behind, anxiety, sadomasochism, vulnerable  need structures,  goal attainment compensation, managing physical and economic ills and chasing illusions within an insane society with its many barriers and hurdles along the way. Sorry, Socrates, Homo sapiens have too much on their plate, are irrational, and are unable to deal consistently with the terrific ideals of knowledge, truth, and virtue. Simply put, irrationality and bigotry are inbred cousins.

Racism

I just finished reading a  brief article posted in the New York Times on 12 /30/2018 regarding Devah Pager, who received her PhD in sociology from UCLA. Dr. Pager was reared in the normal multiculturalism of Hawaii and first encountered a racial divide moving to LA for her studies. Her life experiences influenced her research.

Dr. Pager’s dissertation was not only noteworthy as it received political attention as well. In her research, she had different individuals or confederates apply for hundreds of real jobs. These confederates, all presented similar self-presentations and credentials-but some were black and some white; some would list felony drug convictions and others not as variables. Her findings were that white jobseekers with a criminal record, were significantly more likely to get a call back from the employer than a black job seeker with a criminal record.

Other research, with firms that discriminated, indicated that formerly incarcerated men were not terrible employees compared to non-incarcerated men.  In another study that evaluated attrition rates in the military, she found that there were no differences between men with or without criminal records. In fact, formerly incarcerated military recruits were more likely to get promoted than the non-incarcerated. Another research finding were that firms that practiced discrimination were more likely to go out of business. Recently, in a 2017 study, Dr. Pager found that hiring discriminations against African-Americans had not improved over the last 25 years. This finding was not a surprise.

To Be Continued

Living in the Western World Part 4

Another important dynamic is our requirement for affiliation, being liked, appreciated, acknowledged, and admired, receiving affection, sex and love. It appears that these pursuits are associated with happiness and if not received the result is anxiety and unhappiness. Don’t forget that within relationships, we have competition, and within competition, we have hostility and aggression along with passive aggressiveness.

We believe that happiness is the fulfillment of our childhood wishes and that money doesn’t make us happy, since it’s not usually among our childhood wishes. Also, to be loved does not always make for happiness and can lead to unhappiness, if not reciprocated. Some believe that we learn how to love only when we are loved.

Statistics on marriage are not terrific, which suggests that perhaps there’s a problem with the idea or notion of love. For instance, it appears that a strong or constant affection for a person diminishes over time, and that results, in part, in the dissolution of the union. Poets, authors, song lyrics, biblical references, movies, etc. have expressions of love that do not always fit the Merriam-Webster definition. Perhaps, the word love is misused, not understood, and simply overused, with the result that it is just a non-relevant word choice.

Perhaps, the word affiliation is a better fit, more realistic and more meaningful for Homo sapiens. Affiliation can mean “cooperation, a reciprocation with an allied other; to please and win affection; and to adhere and remain loyal to a friend.” Maybe more people can tolerate being affiliated with another and that would not result in the trauma of a divorce nor an assault to one’s self-esteem.

As one can see, the dynamics of anxiety, competition, hostility, fear of failure, self-esteem, and affiliation are like a kaleidoscope. It’s difficult to tell when one begins or ends as they are like cake batter. You take the ingredients or dynamics and subject them to the environment and outcomes Homo sapiens.

Adding a few ideas from existentialism seems pertinent. First, there is a brevity of the lifecycle. Second, our values, political ideas and scientific achievements become meaningless when we pass. Third, in order for man’s nature and dynamics to change, man must confront and recognize the illusions of religion, politics and science. Only then, if achieved, can man began to deal with anxiety or dread of living in an irrational world.

Coopersmith, S. The Antecedents of Self-Esteem. W.H. Freeman and Company

Hall, C and Lindzey, G. Theories of Personality. John Wiley & Sons Incorporated

Horney, K. The Neurotic Personality of Our Time. W. W. Norton and company, Incorporated

Reik, T. The Need to Be Loved. Bantam Book

Living in the Western World Part 3

Just think, while in high school and living in the Palo Alto area, about the importance of education and the pressure in being admitted to the most prestigious university.  Each individual has their own aspiration, ranking system within their own milieu. Being first or the top of your class can be a success. However, coming in lower can be a failure with a mighty blow as to self-esteem. In sports, being ranked as a five-star athlete or being ranked as a three star athlete can also be problematic.

 Employing an example of a family or brother, competitive ranking from the NBA, can be made by comparing the younger brother Seth Curry with older brother Stephen Curry. How does this younger brother measure up in basketball aspirations and his degree of self-esteem to MVP, and world champion brother Stephen?  The answer is obvious. Seth can’t compete or dominate as a professional basketball player as his brother. Seth’s frustration, negative hostile feelings and fear of failure are part of his self-esteem. His ideal is based on reaching Stephan’s unbelievable skill and achievement.  That’s an example of a bar being set in the stratosphere and impossible to master or meet. Seth’s attitude of self is very different than his older brother. Likewise, his confidence is also very different. On the other hand Stephan’s high self-esteem and tremendous confidence go hand-in-hand. Further, he’s handled his fear of failure remarkably well. Likewise, this 30-year-old superstar is likable, as well as humble.

Rankings, polls, discussions about dynasties are frequent in the many radio and TV programs related to sports. Who was the greatest coach, quarterback, basketball player, team etc. gets replayed over and over. Further, the tendency to diminish or minimize loss or failure to self-esteem is great because of the unpleasantness of anxiety, along with all the negatives which are detrimental self-appraisals. In essence, one’s reference group can have an unbelievable high bar. A high bar can affect one’s level of aspiration and the probability of success. Success and performance breeds success, while poor performance or failure breeds despair, unworthiness and feelings of being inferior. As life is filled with experiences, and experience affects one’s perception of oneself, we carry our self-esteem to the grave.

To Be Continued

Living in the Western World Part 2

Since my birthday, I have been thinking about a few dynamics pertaining to Homo sapiens In our Western culture. This brief post is an overview of those dynamics. For instance, generally speaking, life as an embryo can be or not be idyllic- i.e. drug use, alcohol use, tobacco use and congenital complications. However, regardless of race, socioeconomics, when the umbilical cord, at birth is cut, things dramatically change and that has been referred to as the trauma of birth. The helpless and dependent infant experiences a tension or anxiety state and is totally at the mercy for his survival from an individual in the environment. Feeding, warmth, rocking, etc. assist in the physiological drive or anxiety reduction. This helplessness, dependence and insignificance exists for quite some time, along with varying degrees of an accompanying unpleasantness or anxiety state. We start out with the unpleasantness of tension and then its various degrees of reduction and then pleasure. Hopefully, we learn to trust ourselves and to trust others in this initial fluid and changing process.

Competition, competitiveness or mastery follows. Initially, our physiological needs require to be met or reduced. This is followed by competing with others for food, safety, warmth, attention, etc. Others can include siblings, parents, and significant others. In school, there is competition, within the peer group, academics, play, sports, friendships, etc. With competition, results with a tendency for mastery and dominance.

However, mastery, and dominance is also accompanied by hostility and aggression unfortunately directed toward another. Our culture is all about winning, as a second-place finish is considered being the first loser. Winning or being the best is taught extremely early and lasts a lifetime. Take a look at any college coach, and their facial expressions and their body language tell a story of uncomfortableness, anxiety and hostility. Winning is synonymous with success and losing with failure.

To Be Continued

Living in the Western World

Since my birthday, I have been thinking about a few dynamics pertaining to Homo sapiens In our Western culture. This brief post is an overview of those dynamics. For instance, generally speaking, life as an embryo can be or not be idyllic- i.e. drug use, alcohol use, tobacco use and congenital complications. However, regardless of race, socioeconomics, when the umbilical cord, at birth is cut, things dramatically change and that has been referred to as the trauma of birth. The helpless and dependent infant experiences a tension or anxiety state and is totally at the mercy for his survival from an individual in the environment. Feeding, warmth, rocking, etc. assist in the physiological drive or anxiety reduction. This helplessness, dependence and insignificance exists for quite some time, along with varying degrees of an accompanying unpleasantness or anxiety state. We start out with the unpleasantness of tension and then its various degrees of reduction and then pleasure. Hopefully, we learn to trust ourselves and to trust others in this initial fluid and changing process.

Competition, competitiveness or mastery follows. Initially, our physiological needs require to be met or reduced. This is followed by competing with others for food, safety, warmth, attention, etc. Others can include siblings, parents, and significant others. In school, there is competition, within the peer group, academics, play, sports, friendships, etc. With competition, results with a tendency for mastery and dominance.

However, mastery, and dominance is also accompanied by hostility and aggression unfortunately directed toward another. Our culture is all about winning, as a second-place finish is considered being the first loser. Winning or being the best is taught extremely early and lasts a lifetime. Take a look at any college coach, and their facial expressions and their body language tell a story of uncomfortableness, anxiety and hostility. Winning is synonymous with success and losing with failure.

To Be Continued

Emotional Well-Being Part 2

During a recent interview, this professor remained publicly neutral on his personal views regarding Donald J. Trump. He was reported as saying, “I hope I last long enough to write this one up.” Unfortunately, the professor died at 88 years of age on December 3 at his home in Princeton, New Jersey.

Addendum

Briefly, Emotional Intelligence, [E I] was coined in the 1960s and became more popular in the 1990s. An EI definition “the ability to monitor one’s own and other people’s emotions, to discriminate between different emotions and label them appropriately, and use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior.” Subsequent research found that EI was positively correlated with: “1. Better social relations for children. 2. Better social relations for adults. 3. Highly EI individuals are perceived more positively by others. 4. Better family and intimate relationships. 5. Better academic achievement. 6. Better social relations during work performance and in negotiations. 7. Better psychological well-being. 8. Allows for self-compassion.”

Other researchers have been critical of the term. Arguments against the term: “1. it cannot be recognized as a form of intelligence. 2. Confuses skills with moral qualities. 3. Has little predictive value.” 4. It measures a number of other psychological constructs like personality ,empathy and general intelligence. However, the idea that one can become more conscious, coupled with the ability to label their emotions or feelings is valuable. The idea that being able to understand emotions of others as in empathy is important. The idea that emotions interfere with rational thinking is also relevant, imploring examples related to politics, marriage and religion.

In essence, I found that in my professional and personal experience, most people have great difficulty labeling and mistaking their own emotions buy being unable to distinguish a thought from a feeling. Further, anxiety and anger easily surface and impede, like a barrier with rational thought. Socrates and Plato were cognizant of the importance and power `of “Know thyself” a long time ago. Let’s refer to it as emotional well-being.