The Century of the Self – Part 1: “Happiness Machines”
The story of the relationship between Sigmund Freud and his American nephew, Edward Bernays. Bernays invented the public relations profession in the 1920s and was the first person to take Freud’s ideas into the are of manipulating the masses. He showed American corporations how they could make people want things they didn’t need by systematically linking mass-produced goods to their unconscious desires.
Bernays was one of the main architects of the modern techniques of mass-consumer persuasion, using every trick in the book, from celebrity endorsement and outrageous PR stunts to eroticizing the motorcar. His most notorious coup was breaking the taboo on women smoking by persuading them that cigarettes were a symbol of independence and freedom. But Bernays was convinced that this was more than just a way of selling consumer goods. It was a new political idea of how to control the masses. By satisfying the inner irrational desires that his uncle had identified, people could be made happy and thus docile. It was the start of the all-consuming self which has come to dominate today’s world.
The Century of the Self – Part 2: “The Engineering of Consent”
This episode explores how those in power in post-war America used Freud’s ideas about the unconscious mind to try and control the masses. Politicians and planners came to believe Freud’s underlying premise – that deep within all human beings were dangerous and irrational desires and fears. They were convinced that it was the unleashing of these instincts that had led to the barbarism of Nazi Germany. To stop it ever happening again they set out to find ways to control this hidden enemy within the human mind. Sigmund Freud’s daughter, Anna, and his nephew, Edward Bernays, provided the centrepiece philosophy. The US government, big business, and the CIA used their ideas to develop techniques to manage and control the minds of the American people. But this was not a cynical exercise in manipulation. Those in power believed that the only way to make democracy work and create a stable society was to repress the savage barbarism that lurked just under the surface of normal American life.
The Century of the Self – Part 3: “There is a Policeman Inside All Our Heads; He Must Be Destroyed.”
In the 1960s, a radical group of psychotherapists challenged the influence of Freudian ideas in America. They were inspired by the ideas of Wilhelm Reich, a pupil of, who had turned against him and was hated by the Freud family. He believed that the inner self did not need to be repressed and controlled. It should be encouraged to express itself. Out of this came a political movement that sought to create new beings free of the psychological conformity that had been implanted in people’s minds by business and politics. This programme shows how this rapidly developed in America through self-help movements like Werber Erhard’s Erhard Seminar Training – into the irresistible rise of the expressive self: the Me Generation. But the American corporations soon realised that this new self was not a threat but their greatest opportunity. It was in their interest to encourage people to feel they were unique individuals and then sell them ways to express that individuality. To do this they turned to techniques developed by Freudian psychoanalysts to read the inner desires of the new self.
The Century of the Self – Part 4: “Eight People Sipping Wine in Kettering”
This episode explains how politicians on the left, in both Britain and America, turned to the techniques developed by business to read and fulfil the inner desires of the self. Both New Labour, under Tony Blair, and the Democrats, led by Bill Clinton, used the focus group, which had been invented by psychoanalysts, in order to regain power. They set out to mould their policies to people’s inner desires and feelings, just as capitalism had learnt to do with products. Out of this grew a new culture of public relations and marketing in politics, business and journalism. One of its stars in Britain was Matthew Freud who followed in the footsteps of his relation, Edward Bernays, the inventor of public relations in the 1920s. The politicians believed they were creating a new and better form of democracy, one that truly responded to the inner feelings of the individual. But what they didn’t realise was that the aim of those who had originally created these techniques had not been to liberate the people but to develop a new way of controlling them.
This is a very special ‘morning page’ as I have been planning to write it all of your life. Writing this just now has brought tears to my eyes, remembering how this day began 21 years ago. The emotions behind these continuing tears are very strong. I have wiped them away with my figure tips, which are now writing these words, sentences, and birthday essay to you. You know better than others that I now define myself as a writer, after all, efforts to keep busy teaching, photographing, and videoing have fallen by the wayside, the only thing left to do is write – no one has anything to do with me writing but myself – maybe publishing what is written but I will cross that bridge when reached. This reminds me of Laozi deciding near the end of his life to leave China and upon reaching a gate in The Great Wall he was stopped by a guard and told he could not leave China until he wrote a book. He returned home, wrote the Dao de Ching and then was allowed to leave China. This is where I am in life as you symbolically at 21 begin your life. I can only imagine reading what you will be writing when you reach 75 years. I will be there gathered around your writing desk looking on as pointed out by Robert Romanyshyn in his important book The Wounded Researcher – Reseach with Soul in Mind.
I remember most clearly February 14, 1998, as Amah had come to Fargo to help with your birth. She had a room in the lower lever and kept a close eye on Aaron now 3 years old. That night we got Fannie and you settled into bed and asleep until Mom woke about 11 with her water breaking, which freaked me out. I jumped out of bed, yelled at Amah, and rushed us to MeritCare, less than a mile away. Fannie’s doctor was not able to deliver and so another did and I was allowed to stand on Mom’s left side as you easily just popped out so opposite to your brother’s experience of entering the world – his big head caused us consternation. While Mom was attended, a nurse took us into an adjourning room and handed you to me. You were so beautiful and I soon returned you to Mom’s arms. We love you so very much, Annah, and we are still by your side watching your ‘Dao de Ching’ in his life and willing assist in any way we can.
I have memories of when I turned 21 on March 6, 1965. I was a senior at UND living in the Sigma Nu Fraternity House. That day grandpa, Orlando, come up to Grand Forks and delivered to me a large 3 gallon-sized bottle of whiskey. I am not sure what to make of this gift as I look back on my life experience with alcohol. Orlando and Billiette were social animals living in 1950s Fargo gathering in friends’ homes around a basement bar, which they all had built. I did not drink in High School as I felt it slowed my performance playing on the hockey team. However, when hockey was over and I turned 18, the legal age in South Dakota, a bunch of us guys drove two cars to Rosholt SD and invaded the two bars which were there. The fraternity next gave me an experience with alcohol and it was in some ways a protected private environment away from the public. My first experience with hard-liquor was a real hangover – not fun. However, when I was 21 some brothers and lady friends gathered at a local pub for a few pitchers of beer. As I remember that night, I was cautious, concerned about driving home, which was done without incident. The rest of this story is waiting until being completed in a book on Granma-B’s life, ‘Billiette Calling…’ that is calling out to me this moment. Okay, Mom, I hear you and promise you it will be completed and published this year. I now leave this unfolding story’s thread to pursue another thread that is more theoretical and of course, Annah, you know where I am going – to C.G. Jung’s ideas.
As you know from our reading together and watching the movie “A Dangerous Method” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH4BtJHkrD8) the process of ‘individuation’ is central in Jung’s thought of living a meaningful life. I hope you, enjoy, study, and apply these ideas to your life! This dream analysis scene between Freud and Jung points out a key difference in their approach to dreams and the unconscious. I selected it as central to understanding the analytical method, work with
So, what physical book do I give you on this special day? I started my first reading of C.G. Jung Lord of the Underworld by Colin Wilson December 22, 1988 in Beijing China and finished reading it alone December 31, 1988, at 21:26 a few hours before New Year’s Eve. Since then, I have re-read it countless times! The Essential – Colin Wilson is Wilson presenting the central idea underlying his writing career – he wrote his first book at the age of 24, The Outsider, which was a worldwide bestseller in 1954 – he is a most prolific writer and when I am reincarnated I might like it to be with your spirit, Colin. I am going to select Lord of the Underworld’s Chapter 5 The Invisible Writing as a special birthday gift to you Annah, which Wilson does a fine job of weaving Jung’s ideas together. Let me see if I can do just to his work.
What possibly is invisible writing? I remembered in grade school being fascinated with ‘invisible ink’ – is this the same, I wondered? In some way they are similar. However, with invisible ink, we know what we are writing down but with invisible writing, we have to discover that is being written in our unfolding individuation project. Susan Rowland’s work on C.G. Jung’s Dramatic and Imaginative Writing. is this deep-writing approach that Wilson addresses in Chapter 5.
So, to address this chapter, let’s examine each time Wilson mentions invisible writing. Colin’s first use of the term is in reference to his first book, The Outsiders, about 19th Century romantic writers, which Wilson suggests have the same motive force driving Jung’s work. Quoting Arthur Koestler invisible writing is described, “In my youth I regarded the Universe as an open book, printed in the language of physical equations, whereas now it appears to me as a text written in invisible ink, of which, in our rare moments of grace, we are able to decipher a small fragment.” Wilson goes on the state that, “Every major romantic has possessed this intuition: that the secret of the universe is somehow written in invisible writing” (92). The important point is to understand and use our Intuition.
The second and third mention of invisible writing follows in the next paragraph where Wilson comments on the topic of Rowland’s book and lecture – Jung as a writer. Jung being an intuitive type is not evaluated very highly in his ability to communicate his intuitions into words. Wilson finds that Jung’s attempt in writing Symbols of Transformation to be a “clumsy attempt to express this feeling that the secret is written in invisible writing.” This evaluation of Jung’s writing skill is carried on to Jung’s later manuscripts. This should not be unexpected, if something is invisible, it is going to a challenge to visualize and write about! This is the question we need to entertain; how does one see, understand, and then write about the Invisible?
The next mention of invisible writing, Wilson examines the two-writing styles of Jung in writing his most popular book Psychological Types. Wilson suggests that it was written on two levels – but mostly in an “old fashion, pre-Freudian textbook style, with a cramped small script which was dry and scientific, however, at times Jung’s style changed into an open more open free-flowing Gothic script. For the most part, Psychological Types was written in a small dry script style but after this book Jung’s writing style opened up. This opening Wilson’s attributes to Jung reading, meeting, and becoming good friends of Richard Wilhelm translator of the classic Chinese book I Ching. What Jung found was a way to understand invisible writing. Jung wrote the foreword to the I Ching’s Egnlish translation.
Two of the most popularly significant analytical thinkers on challenges facing our World are Sam Harris and Jordan Peterson. These speakers are introduced, then briefly we listen to them individually speak, then presented are the series of four dialogues they participated in, and I attempt to write a note with Erich Fromm’s help on what is now unfolding.
I listened to Video 1 taped in Vancouver: https://bit.ly/2OlRZUa and Video 2 also taped Vancouver: https://bit.ly/2CUQT0g on 10.13.18 and took some notes. I am planning to listen to Video 3: https://bit.ly/2CUa0HG and Video 4: https://bit.ly/2On6Y0a this week. However, I am starting to record my reflection on this experience in writing in order to capture the abstract conceptualizations driving these to thinkers with what is unfolding with my reflection
Sam Harris (born April 9, 1967) is an American author, philosopher, neuroscientist, critic of religion,[3] blogger, public intellectual, and podcast host. His work touches on a wide range of topics, including rationality, ethics, freewill, neuroscience, meditation, philosophy of mind, politics, Islamism, terrorism, and artificial intelligence. He is described as one of the “Four Horsemen of Atheism,” together with Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Daniel Dennett.[4]
Jordan Peterson (born June 12, 1962[4]) is a Canadian clinical psychologist and a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto. His main areas of study are in abnormal, social, and personality psychology,[3] with a particular interest in the psychology of religious and ideological belief,[5] and the assessment and improvement of personality and performance.[6] Peterson studied at the University of Alberta and McGill University. He remained at McGill as a post-doctoral fellow from 1991 to 1993 before moving to Harvard University, where he was an assistant and then associate professor in the psychology department.[7][8] In 1998, he moved back to Canada, as a faculty member in the psychology department at the University of Toronto, where he is currently a full professor.
Peterson’s first book, Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief, published in 1999, examined several academic fields to describe the structure of systems of beliefs and myths, their role in the regulation of emotion, creation of meaning, and several other topics such as motivation for genocide.[9][10][11] His second book, 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, was released in January 2018.[7][12][13] In 2016, Peterson released a series of YouTube videos criticizing political correctness and the Canadian government’s Bill C-16. The act added gender identity as a prohibited ground of discrimination,[14] which Peterson characterized as an introduction of compelled speech into law. He subsequently received significant media coverage, attracting both support and criticism [7][12][13] (Wikipedia).
These guys are prolific and following their work can be done at their websites and on social media outlets. I am only going to link one clip to introduce these fellows before we get into the main bout – the 4-part faceoff of Harris and Peterson.
There we have at least an introductory video of Harris and Peterson. Much more can be learned about their thinking by searching the web and you may want to get a better handle on these two fellows, so go at it. However, now these two popular speakers faceoff in four monitored sessions which are linked below for us to watch and work to understand. May I suggest we take notes on what is unfolding, reflect on our experience, and attempt to write about the abstract conceptualizations Harris and Peterson are using to comprehend life. The central thrust of this encounter is to understand the other’s processes of thinking.
Jordan B Peterson Published on Aug 31, 2018 This is the first video of the four-part debate that Sam Harris and I undertook in June 2018. Audio normalizes at 4:40. Sam and I met twice in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with Bret Weinstein moderating, for a third time in Dublin, Ireland, and for a fourth and final time in London, England. Douglas Murray joined the debate with us for the latter two occasions. Video 1: Vancouver: https://bit.ly/2OlRZUa Video 2: Vancouver: https://bit.ly/2CUQT0g Video 3: https://bit.ly/2CUa0HG Video 4: https://bit.ly/2On6Y0a Sam is a well-known Enlightenment rationalist, and a prominent atheist – one of the “four horsemen,” along with Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens (now unfortunately deceased) and Daniel Dennett. He believes (1) that our ethical systems should or even must be grounded in something other than arbitrary revelation or opinion; (2) that the world of facts can and should provide that grounding; and (3) that the grounding of values in fact can occur in the absence of much perceptual or cognitive intermediation. I agree with him with regard to point (1) but not point (2) and (3). I won’t present any of my argument here, however, because Sam isn’t here to respond, as he is in the videos. I have also written three blog posts on the Harris/Peterson discussions, here: 1. https://jordanbpeterson.com/philosoph… 2. https://jordanbpeterson.com/philosoph… 3. TBA A note on the release of the videos, and their delay: Any event of this scale occurs because of the collaboration of many people, including, in this case. Travis Pangburn and his staff at Pangburn Philosophy, who organized and promoted the four-part debate series, and who incurred substantial financial and reputational risk in doing so (as nothing like this has been attempted before at this scale). None of us were sure at the outset whether Sam and I would manage a useful discussion, let alone four of them, or whether there would be a positive public response. In consequence, we didn’t spend much time before the debate series thinking about release (or formatting/editing) of video or audio recording. Since the events went well, however – appearing both productive and well-received publicly – we decided to move ahead with the production and release of the recordings. The team at Pangburn Philosophy completed the editing, in consequence. Sam and I agreed to allow the initial release behind Travis’s Patreon paywall, for a two-week period, after which we would post the videos for full public access on our respective video platforms, and release the audio in podcast form. The team at Pangburn Philosophy plans to use some substantial portion of what was raised through Patreon subscription for multi-language translation of their previously produced and future content (including these four debates). Additional relevant links: Sam Harris Podcast: https://samharris.org/ 12 Rules for Life Tour: Dates, Cities and Venues: https://jordanbpeterson.com/events/ My new book: 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos: https://jordanbpeterson.com/12-rules-… My first book: Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief: https://jordanbpeterson.com/maps-of-m… Dr Jordan B Peterson Website: http://jordanbpeterson.com/ Self Authoring Suite: http://selfauthoring.com/ Understand Myself personality test: http://understandmyself.com/ Blog: https://jordanbpeterson.com/blog/ Podcast: https://jordanbpeterson.com/jordan-b-… Reading List: https://jordanbpeterson.com/2017/10/g… Twitter: https://twitter.com/jordanbpeterson Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jordanbpeterson
Published on Aug 31, 2018. Harris/Weinstein/Peterson: Discussion 02: Vancouver This is the second video of the four-part debate that Sam Harris and I undertook in June 2018. Sam and I met twice in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with Bret Weinstein moderating, for the third time in Dublin, Ireland, and for a fourth and final time in London, England. Douglas Murray joined the debate with us for the latter two occasions. Video 1: Vancouver: https://bit.ly/2OlRZUa Video 2: Vancouver: https://bit.ly/2CUQT0g Video 3: https://bit.ly/2CUa0HG Video 4: https://bit.ly/2On6Y0a Sam is a well-known Enlightenment rationalist, and a prominent atheist – one of the “four horsemen,” along with Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens (now unfortunately deceased) and Daniel Dennett. He believes (1) that our ethical systems should or even must be grounded in something other than arbitrary revelation or opinion; (2) that the world of facts can and should provide that grounding; and (3) that the grounding of values in fact can occur in the absence of much perceptual or cognitive intermediation. I agree with him with regard to point (1) but not point (2) and (3). I won’t present any of my argument here, however, because Sam isn’t here to respond, as he is in the videos. I have also written three blog posts on the Harris/Peterson discussions, here: 1. https://jordanbpeterson.com/philosoph… 2. https://jordanbpeterson.com/philosoph…
07/14/2018 This is the third time Sam & Jordan appeared live together on stage. They were joined by Douglas Murray. This event took place at Arena in Dublin, Ireland on July 14th 2018 in front of 8500 people. The event was produced by Pangburn Philosophy.
07/16/2018 This is the fourth time Sam & Jordan appeared live together on stage. They were joined by Douglas Murray. This event took place at The O2 Arena in London, England on July 16th 2018 in front of 6500 people. The event was produced by Pangburn Philosophy.
I hope you are still here and have begun to crystalize your own thinking on this topic. To help us we have moderator Bret Weinstein reflections on what he witnessed.
There, now it is time to share my reflections on this experience in light of an abstract conceptualization we in the process of formulating by actively writing about what we have witnessed.
In a recent dream, I am sitting alone in the center of a darkened room like the Fargo Theatre. I could see lights in the projection room, coming under the two doors entering the theatre, and from around the screen. A man asked me what I have done in my life. My response is, “ask others”. Earlier I read the new Time Magazine 10.29.2018 issue 50 most influential people in health care. After reading this, I started to re-read Colin Wilson’s The strength to dream Chapter 7 The need for polarities, where Wilson defines “more precisely the function of imagination,” that he began addressing earlier in the book. Wilson suggests that “imagination means the power of creating images of something not actually present… the function of imagination is to foresee the future and to enlarge the present consciousness… imagination is the detonator of the will. When connected with purpose – which is necessary for the future – it can arouse the will… imagination must work on fuel; its fuel may be any spontaneously generated energy: fear, love, lust, jealousy, wonder, ambition… the great artists have learned to generate large quantities of fuel and to use them to drive the imagination… The fundamental and undeniable fact about imagination is that its purpose is to intensify the life in man” (175).
The Essential – Colin Wilson
I thought of my personal physician, also a medical researcher – and was looking for his photo in the Time essay but did not find it. However, the first researcher Diva Nag wants to put him, a doctor on my wrist – I will ask him about this when I see him in January. Then Dr. Devinsky’d work on revolutionizing medical marijuana, reminded me to vote “yes” on ND Measure 3 – legalizing pot. A memory then surfaces of accompanying my friend Ken to his MeritCare pain doctor and asking him if he would prescribe Ken marijuana and his saying if it were legal he would not hesitate to do so. So, much for that effort as we smoked on the drive back Ken’s room.
Dr. Grossman and Langone announced that NYU med-school is now offering free tuition, which has to worry socialist-hating Republicans. Hansen and Kvale’s speeding up therapy really caught my attention on how it could quicken the processes of life coaching. They have been able to reduce the therapy for OCD from months to a week. Their study in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy presents this approach and is now being extended to panic disorders and social anxiety – anxieties now gripping the US. Sinclair is testing a pill that appears to address and even reverse some of the topical signs of aging. Wyss.Cory is using blood as medicine in using blood-plasma treatments for aging brains. Long is the fasting evangelist and director of the Longevity Institute at the University of California and believes that the secret to staving off the ills of old age is a diet designed to trick your body into thinking it’s fasting, which he has published about in his book The Longevity Diet. The diet preaches a low-protein, plant-based eating style with regular periods of fasting. I just ordered this book so I can make it to my 60th Class Reunion.
Mccray is building happier cities and launched ThriveNYC to improve wellness and now is operating in all 50 states – looking for ND’s now. Shanafelt’s boosting doctor morale is focused on the finding that half of the doctors now report they are professionally burned out. Maybe Dr. Devinsky’s idea of revolutionizing medical marijuana is part of boosting my doctor’s low morale? The Franks founders of Talkspace, have an app that connects more than a million users with the therapists via text or video, a most interesting addition to the life coaching process. Wojcicki’s democratizing DNA had to be read several times to see how the idea of democratizing was operating. CEO Wojcicki of 23andMe was the first to offer an FDA-approved home genetic cancer risk test for $199. What I now understand is that democratizing is GlaxoSmithKline becoming the latest pharma partner, leveraging users’ anonymous genetic data to develop new drugs. Finally, Dr. Leana Wen fighting the politics of medicine is Time’s center entry outlining her fight against the Trump Administration proposed changes to funding Planned Parenthood.
These are all interesting efforts but especially diet and therapy as they are closer to what we can become personally involved in. However, we must realize that Trump and his Republican raiders are now actively dismantling these programs! Michael Lewis’s newest book The Fifth Risk details Trump’s Administration carnage.
Imagine now, we see the advancing hordes from South Americans descending on our southern border and Trump orders DNA testing. This is expensive and time-consuming and when it is completed the results indicate that Trump is the father of 12 genetically different children. Trump lies tweeting that he was only grabbing. Sanders then announces it was the “holy ghost” that impregnated these maidens. Accepting immaculate conception, Saint Michael Pence leads the charge on the Walls of Democracy not aware that his inner Jericho Walls are disintegrating. Now, imagine writing about this next, I am looking forward to my dreams tonight!
10.26.2018 9:00am cst
I posted this blog entry Imagine The Strength to Dream last night and then this morning Joe on M.JoeShow talked about the hordes marching on the US’s southern border saying only 12 are in this dangerous threatening horde. These 12 were mentioned in this Blog post yesterday and this is synchronistic. I am now adding this experience to this Blog entry and am concerned about Pence’s inner walls of Jericho – he seems to be in danger and listening to Celldweller’s Deluxe Edition “End of an Empire” my concern extends beyond Pence to Trump ending the American empire’s experiment with ‘democracy’. TGIF, enjoy the weekend mulling this over, a few beers…
I recently retrieved from my bedroom bookcase Theodor Reik’s book Listening With The Third Ear and began re-reading Chapter 18 Insight. Reik is a Freudian psychoanalyst, trained by Freud, and the 3rd Ear is a skill of a psychoanalyst listening consciously and unconsciously – how the analysand’s conscious and unconscious are being communicated is the subject of his book. The first part of this chapter details the specific operation of how the 3rd ear listens and then Reik follows with two case studies illustrating the operation of 3rd ear listening. Reik’s operationalization of the processes of insight is developed elsewhere and here I wanted to cite a passage that caught my attention as it mirrors a contemporary experience unfolding with Brett Kavanaugh’s interview for a position on the Supreme Court.
Dr. Reik writes this about the first case he presents: “Everything he said that seemed logical and sound, clear and consistent. Nevertheless, the presence in me of vague but decisive feelings suggested that factors other than those of the reality-situation were responsible for his state of mind. There were also a few inconsistencies or slight inaccuracies in his tale. Imponderable impressions indicated that his grief, genuine and sincere as it was, came from some other source. When he tried to prove to me that the report of a building commission came to certain conclusions in guarded terms his argumentation, though persuasive, was not convincing. His own statements at this point seemed somewhat ‘reached’ as a scriptwriter would say. His yarn was good but there were little imperfections in it, slight unevenness not apparent to the eye but perceptible to testing hands that glide slowly and carefully over the fabric. Small imperfections caused by the twisting of the threads are known as ‘slubs’ to textile experts. For there were a few slubs in his otherwise perfect argument. Other inconspicuous features that elude description suggested that unconscious factors had a share in his depression (193). … Those minute unevennesses, those small inadequacies I had noted at the beginning, paved the way for the reconstruction of the emotional processes, but it was actually made possible by psychological clues that seemed very remote from the scene, by causal remarks the patient made and treated as if they were irrelevant. It seems to me that the analyst must differentiate between psychological facts and psychological clues. Facts are the data that are known and fully acknowledged as to their significance for the origin and motivation of the emotional process under observation. Clues are material of a special kind, whose importance has not yet been examined and whose significance is not immediately clear. Such clues can contribute much to the solution of a problem. Facts help us to figure out; clues help us to discover things that were always there but that we did not see. Facts are to be used consciously; clues have to be found. Facts appeal to our powers of reason and reflection; clues evoke responses from our imagination (emphasis added). Facts are connected with solid knowledge; clues are related to hunches. Facts give us intellectual security; clues arouse suspense in the realm of thought and ideas” (196).
I have emphasized the word imagination as it operates in Reik’s theory as an aspect of insight, which needs to be carefully unwrapped. This also is done elsewhere in order to see if Reik’s imaginative-insightmethod can be applied to the collective experience taking place in the Trump-Kavanaugh happening. To begin, we close our eyes and meditate on what surfaces: disappointment, embarrassment, shock, shameful, pathetic, sad, worried, and on and on. These might be identified as psychological facts of what is happening. What are the psychological cues in this happening? The clues that arouse suspense might be: were Trump and Kavanaugh psychologically or physically abused as a child, raised by an alcoholic parent, sexually molested, were there other significant traumatic ordeals in their lives. The issue of inappropriate sexual behavior is a common theme in Kavanaugh and Trump’s lives – is it a psychological cue, raising a hunch, arousing suspense in what is hiding.
At his point, I listened, took notes to The New School event “Foreshadowing the Present: The Legacies of Theodor Reik” (Seven Parts) co-sponsored by the departments of Social Sciences of The New School for General Studies, and The National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis, founded in 1948 by Reik. The event was devoted to exploring the impact of Reik’s work on the current state of diverse psychoanalytic theories, and their major controversies. Participants include doctors Otto Kernberg, Harold Blum, Martin Bergman, Jeremy Safran, Anna Aragno, and Dany Nobus. Carl Jacobs, NPAP program chair, moderates the event. I have let this foreshadowing of the present settle and slowly allow myself to sense clues reaching out to me.
Whew, getting through this was a task – a very interesting one! The first issue presented is the way Reik facilitates an analytical session. It is described as “unconscious to unconscious communication”, which is said to address a gap between theory and practice. Intuition is important, with empathy and trust key factors operating as they are in authentic relationships. Jeremy Safran points out that “ongoing reflections on one’s own associations while they are working in order to understand the patient is an unconscious communication between patient and analyst. Analysts’ “use their own associations and the subjective aspect of the relationship as a source of information”. Can we make an effort to sense the ‘unconscious’ that is present in our Kavanaugh experience 10/5/2018 5:55 am cst.
As we watched and listened to reflections on Kavanagh’s behavior we heard the psychoanalytical terms sociopath and narcissist describing his behavior. Each of these pathologies can be used to gain insight into both Kavanagh and Trump – two peas in a pod. However, in the Legacies of Theodor Reik sessions, we have the psychological pathology of masochism addressed. The full concept is Sadomasochism, which “is the giving or receiving pleasure from acts involving the receipt or infliction of pain or humiliation. Practitioners of sadomasochism may seek sexual gratification from their acts. While the terms sadist and masochist refer respectively to one who enjoys giving or receiving pain, practitioners of sadomasochism may switch between activity and passivity” (Wikipedia). The psychologicalclue now reaching out is that Kavanaugh and Trump have engaged in whipping women and probably being whipped by women.
Reik ends his insight chapter imploring that if this thought “proves valuable when we take it up again and subject it to examination, the requirements of analysis demand that we should, so to speak, let it sound till it fades away spontaneously. To get hold of an unconscious thought or emotion is only one part of the analytic process. To follow it, to observe its consequences, reverberations, and repercussions in the unconscious life of the person is the other part. It is important not to lose the threadone has a hold of. We shall then, certainly, allow the conscious intellectual effort to play a great part in following slowly and carefully, the further intellectual possibilities thus emerging. At the same time, it will not be possible to dispense entirely with the co-operation of the analyst’s unconscious. We might compare this pursuit of our own idea to the end, with the manner of bowing on the violin called molto sostenuto” (213). I hope the Senate committee votes to reject Kavanagh so, we will not have to be further concerned with his life. Trump, however, is another very serious worry we will still have.
I have kept Romanyshyn’s book The Wounded Researcher: Research with Soul in Mind close as I am often moved to re-read chapters. I recently re-read Chapter 13 Towards an Ethical Epistemology which requires researchers, all thinking/feeling persons, to examine their personal Shadows. This new epistemology demands that we examine how our personality impacts our research/writing projects. We are all ‘wounded researchers’ and understanding these ‘wounds’ is a given. In this effort, we are helped by considering the Frankenstein story, which Mary Shelley started writing at 18 and published anonymously at 20 – what imagination!
After an enjoyable evening of watching the Frankenstein movie and the Shelley documentary, we examine Romanyshyn’s work in The Frankenstein Prophecies, which addresses his work on Global Warming. This requires deep thinking on the fact that we have created a modern-day Frankenstein in President Donald Trump! How are we going to deal with this monstrouscreation – this is our drama now unfolding “inside America and the Trump Administration”. Sweet Dreams!
THE LAST WORD WITH LAWRENCE O’DONNELL 9/5/18
Lawrence’s guess: who’s the Trump official behind the… Lawrence O’Donnell considers who among the senior Trump officials could have written the anonymous NYT op-ed. Jennifer Rubin, Ron Klain and Jason Johnson share their guesses as well. Duration: 15:50
6/10/2018 6:42 am cst. In the news – the meeting between the US and NK. I am asking the I Ching this question: What of the meeting between the United States and North Korea, between Kim and Trump? I just discovered that Wikipedia has an entry on the summit –2018 North Korea–United States summit
6/10/2018 7:14 am cst. I am listening the MSNBC on the coverage – Kim is already on the ground in Singapore and Trump is about to land. One person was just challenged about his pessimistic view of what could come from this meeting. His point was how can we expect NK after putting 60 years into producing a Bomb, to give it up as it appears the US is demanding. I then realized that the South has put the same 60 years into becoming a member of the global economy, which produces some fine products in the world resulting in a living standards far beyond NK’s. There seems to be a large imbalance in this meeting where the art of the bluff will be active.
6/10/2018 7:22 am cst. Air Force One has just touched down in Singapore. Okay now I will ask the I Ching this question, present its response, and then a comment.
Question: What of the meeting between the North Korea and the United States, between Kim and Trump?
Response: 26. Ta Chu / The Taming Power of the Great with changing lines giving hexagram 51. Chen / The Arousing (Shock, Thunder)
26. Ta Ch’u / The Taming Power of the Great _________ ____ ____ above Ken Keeping Still, Mountain ____ ____ _________ _________ below Ch/ien The Creative, Heaven _________
The creative is tamed by Ken, Keeping Still. This produces great power, a situation in contrast to that of the ninth hexagram, Hsiao Chu, The Taming of the Small, in which the creative is tamed by the Gentle alone. There one weak line must tame five strong lines, but here four strong lines are constrained by two weak lines; in addition to a minister, there is a prince, and the restraining power therefore is far stronger.
The hexagram has a threefold meaning, expressing different aspects of the concept “holding firm.” Heaven within the mountain gives the idea of holding firm in the sense of holding together; the trigram Ken which holds the trigram Chien still, gives the idea of holding firm in the sense of holding back; the third idea is that of holding firm in the sense of caring for and nourishing. This last is suggested by the fact that the strong line at the top, which is the ruler of the hexagram, is honored and tended as a sage. The third of these meetings also attaches specifically to this strong line at the top, which represents the sage.
THE JUDGEMENT
The Taming Power of the Great.
Perseverance furthers.
Not eating at home brings good fortune.
It furthers one to cross the great water.
To hold to great creative powers and store them up, as set forth in this hexagram, there is need of a strong, clearheaded man who is honored by the ruler. The trigram Chien points to strong creative power: Ken indicates firmness and points to strong creative power; Ken indicates firmness and truth. Both point to light and clarity and to the daily renewal of character. Only through such daily self-renewal can a man continue at the height of his powers. Force of habit helps to keep order in quiet times; but in periods when there is a great storing up of energy, everything depends on the power of the personality. However, since the worthy are honored, as in the ruler, it is an advantage not to eat at home but rather to earn one’s bread by entering upon public office. Such a man is in harmony with heaven; therefore even great and difficult undertakings, such as crossing the great waters, succeed.
THE IMAGE
Heaven within the mountain:
The image of The Taming Power Of The Great.
Thus the superior man acquaints himself with many sayings of antiquity
And many deeds of the past,
In order to strengthen his character thereby.
Heaven within the mountain points to hidden treasures. In the words and deeds of the past and there lies hidden a treasure that men may use to strengthen and elevate their own characters. The way to study the past is not to confine oneself to mere knowledge of history, but through application of this knowledge, to give actuality to the past.
THE LINES Nine at the beginning means:
Danger is at hand. It furthers one to desist.
A man wishes to make vigorous advance, but circumstances present an obstacle. He sees himself held back firmly. If he should attempt to force an advance, it would lead him into misfortune. Therefore it is better for him to compose himself and to wait until an outlet is offered for release of his storeed-up energies.
Nine in the second place means:
The axletrees are taken from the wagon.
Here advance is checked just as in the third line of The Taming Power Of The Small (9). However, in the latter the restraining force is slight; thus a conflict arises between the propulsive and the restraining movement, as a result of which the spokes fall out of the wagon wheels, while here the restraining force is absolutely superior; hence no struggle takes place. One submits and removes the axletrees from the wagon – in other words, contents himself with weighting. In this way energy accumulates for a vigorous advance later on.
Nine in the third place means:
A good horse that follows others
Awareness of danger,
With perseverance, furthers.
Practice chariot driving and armed defense daily.
It furthers one to have somewhere to go.
The way opens; the hindrance has been cleared away. A man is in contact with a strong will acting in the same direction as his own, and goes forward like one good horse following another. But the danger still threatens, and he must remain aware of it, or you will be robbed of his firmness. Thus he must acquire skill on the one hand in what will take him forward, and on the other in what will protect him against on foreseen attacks. It is good in such a pass to have a goal toward which to strive.
Six in the fourth place means:
The headboard of a young bull.
Great good fortune.
This line and the one following it are the two that tame the forward-pushing lower lines. Before a bulls horns grow out, the headboard is fastened to its forehead, so that later when the horns appear they cannot do harm. A good way to restrain wild forces is to forestall it. By so doing one achieves an easy and a great success.
Six in the fifth place means:
The task of a gelded boar.
Good fortune.
Here the restraining of the impetuous forward drive is achieved in an indirect way. The boar’s tusk is in itself dangerous, but if the boar’s nature is altered, the task is no longer a menace. Thus also where a man is concerned, wild force should not be combated directly; instead, it roots should be eradicated.
Nine at the top means:
One obtains the way of heaven. Success.
The time of obstruction is passed. The energy long been up by innovation forces its way out and achieves great success. This refers to a man who is honored by the ruler and whose principles now prevail and shape the world.
Changing Lines Result in hexagram 51. Chen / The Arousing
51. Chen / The Arousing (Shock, Thunder) ____ ____ ____ ____ above Chen The Arousing, Thunder _________ ____ ____ ____ ____ below Chen The Arousing, Thunder _________
The hexagram Chen represents eldest son, who seizes rule with energy and power. A yang line develops below two yin lines and presses upward forcibly. this movement is so violent that it arouses terror. It is symbolized by thunder, which bursts froth from the earth and by its shock causes fear and trembling.
THE JUDGEMENT
Shock brings success.
Shock comes – oh, oh!
Laughing words – ha, ha!
The shock terrifies for a hundred miles,
And he does not let fall the sacrificial spoon and chalice.
The shock that comes from the manifestation of God within the depths of the earth makes man afraid, but this fear of God is good, for joy and merriment can follow upon it.
When a man has learned within his heart what fear and trembling mean, he is safeguarded against any terror produced by outside influences. Let the thunder roll and spread terror a hundred miles around: he remains so composed and reverent in spirit that the sacrificial rite is not interrupted. This is the spirit that must animate leader and rulers of men – a profound inner seriousness from which all outer terrors glance off harmlessly.
THE IMAGE
Thunder repeated: the image of shock.
Thus in fear and trembling
The superior man sets his life in order
And examines himself
The shock of continuing thunder brings fear and trembling. The superior man is always filled with reverence at the manifestation of God; he sets his life in order and searches his heart, lest it harbor any secret opposition to the will of God. Thus reverence is the foundation of true culture.
6/10/2018 9:25 am cst. I have read these two responses, will reflect and comment on them in the midst of what is now unfolding in the Singapore Summit.
COMMENT:
6.11.2018 8:30 am cst. I have been listening to just a little of the news with the World anxiously waiting this meeting. I will now re-read the I Ching’s responses and comment on what it senses about this summit.
6/11/2018 9:19 am cst. The Taming Power of the Great seems very appropriate to what is currently unfolding in the Singapore Summit. In order for this Summit to produce a Creative outcome, the power of Trump will need to keep still. This keeping still is further outlined by the hexagram’s threefold meanings: first is the “idea of holding firm in the sense of holding together”; this is further developed in that the idea of holding firm is the sense of holding back; the third idea of holding firm is “that of holding firm in the sense of caring for and nourishing”. This is then pulled together with the strong line at the top, which is the ruler of the hexagram, honored and tended as a sage.” This beginning introduction ends by stating that this third meaning, “of caring for and nourishing” attaches specifically to this “strong line at the top, which represents the sage”. If Donald Trump is the sage, how prepared is he to carry out what is now unfolding? Within the first minute, Trump says he will size-up the sincerity in Kin – only he can do this.
The Judgment is quite clear that the great creative powers Trump and Kim both need – are that of being clear-headed, honored rulers, having a presence of “firmness and truth”. We are then told that a man in order to continue to be at the height of his powers, can acquire firmness and truth only through daily self-renewal. The key judgment here is that “in periods when there is a great storing up of energy, everything depends on the power of the personality.” What do we see in regards to Trump and Kim’s personalities? Despite the differences in age, I think Kim’s personality is better prepared than Trump’s for this encounter.
The Image is most foreboding for the United States. Heaven within the mountain is the creative force and is the taming power of the great. It is “the superior man that acquaints himself with may sayings of antiquity, And many deeds of the past, In order to strengthen his character thereby.” Kim has been to the Heaven within the mountain and seen what is pointing to hidden treasures – treasures that men may use to strengthen and elevate their own characters. The way Kin has studied the past was “not to confine oneself to mere knowledge of history but, through application of this knowledge, to give actuality to the past.” When Kim sits across the table from Trump, surrounding and advising Kim will be his father, grandfather, great grandfather. Around Trump’s side of the table will also be his father and grandfather. Which ancestors would you prefer?
6.11.2018 3:00 pm cst. There are four changing lines that give us additional information on the inner dynamics of what is occurring within the overall unfolding experience.
Nine in the second place means The axletrees are taken from the wagon. There is a absolutely superior restraining force and so there is no struggle taking place. There is a simple submission, while the impediment is being removed, one has to be content with waiting – “In this way energy accumulates for a vigorous advance later on.”
Nine in the third place means that the hindrance is cleared and a way forward opens. The clearance occurs when two men, with strong wills, begin acting in the same direction. However, “a danger can still threaten and one must remain aware or he will be robbed of his firmness.” A skill is required that will take a man forward and also protect him against an unforeseen attack. Of course, it is good to have a realistic goal to strive for. Trump says he has been preparing all his life for this moment – we will soon be able to judge how well he has been trained.
Six in the fourth place means to address the headboard of a young bull and this line indicates ‘good fortune’ to be coming. Of course, the young bull is Kim and before his nucellar horns more fully grow out, a headboard needs to be fastened to his forehead, such that when horns appear they cannot do harm. To restrain such a wild force is to forestall it and thereby achieve success.
Finally, a nine at the top means one attains the way to heaven – success! The response is: “The time of obstruction is past. The energy long dammed up by inhibition forces its way out and achieves great success. This refers to a man who is honored by the ruler and whose principles now prevail and shape the world.”
51. Chen / The Arousing (Shock, Thunder)
The changing lines of hexagram 26 Ta Chu presented above describe the initial meeting between Kim and Trump. These lines in turn generate hexagram 51. Chen / The Arousing (Shock, Thunder) that adds further knowledge occurring in the future – we are being forewarned that a violent upward force that arouses terror will burst forth from the earth causing fear and trembling. This coming from the eldest son, who seizes rule with energy and power.
The Judgment itself is shocking.
Shock brings success.
Shock comes – oh, oh!
Laughing words – ha, ha!
The shock terrifies for a hundred miles,
And he does not let fall the sacrificial spoon and chalice.
When a man has learned within his heart what fear and trembling mean, he is safeguarded against any terror produced by outside influences. Let the thunder roll and spread terror a hundred miles around: he remains so composed and reverent in spirit that the sacrificial rite is not interrupted. His is the spirit that must animate leaders and rulers of men – a profound inner seriousness from which all outer terrors glance off harmlessly.
THE IMAGE
Thunder repeated: the image of shock.
Thus in fear and trembling
The superior man sets his life in order
And examines himself
The shock of continuing thunder brings fear and trembling. The superior man is always filled with reverence at the manifestation of God; he sets his life in order and searches his heart, lest it harbor any secret opposition to the will of God. Thus reverence is the foundation of true culture.
