The Martyrdom of the Postmodern Soul
The Martyrdom of the Postmodern Soul
Theme: Maid of Orléans - Gregorian
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtu2h-BROHQ
Regrets? You may ask if I have any. Sure I do. Are any relevant? Not any more. They are memories of a past. Haunting, though they may be, they are just memories. But memories mean they hold on to something. But what?
I suppose it depends on the memory. Good, bad, or indifferent. These are just classifications we make. Whether a good memory is really 'good', a bad one 'bad', or that grey area in between that we claim indifference to, it is often subject to our personal perceptions. But can an individual really know only and solely from himself what is the nature of his or her memories?
And thus is to the heart of this postmodern age - everyone seems to know what's wrong with the world, but no one really can tell what's right. Because everything is subjective to perceptions. And perceptions never lie, now do they?
Of course we lie to ourselves. It's part of the defense mechanisms of our mind. Unconscious psychological strategies brought into play by various entities to cope with reality and to maintain self-image. Healthy, 'sane' people are said to use many of them throughout their lifetime. But an ego defence mechanism can become pathological when its persistent use leads to maladaptive behavior to where the physical, and even mental health, of the individual is adversely affected. In other words, it's ok to lie to one's self, but as long as it's not done too often, apparently. But why do so?
The purpose of the Ego Defence Mechanisms is to protect the mind (self, ego, whatever you want to call that essence that makes up your persona) from anxiety, social sanctions or to provide a refuge from a situation with which one cannot currently cope. Ego, is also the base Latin word for 'I', or 'myself'. But yet, there is not one, but three aspects to the mind, to which Freud labels as the id, ego, and super ego. The id is the base, or 'chaos' of unorganized instinctual thought that wants instant gratification (the pleasure principle) Super ego is the idealistic conscience agent that is the most organised part of the personality structure that strives for perfection. And the ego winds up there in the middle as the mostly conscious and 'realistic' self that holds the defensive, perceptual, intellectual-cognitive, and executive functions all together.
When anxiety becomes too overwhelming, it is then the place of the ego to employ defence mechanisms to protect the individual. Feelings of guilt, embarrassment and shame often accompany the feeling of anxiety. And so come various defenses that may be used by the ego to try deal with the tensions between the two, still trying to act in its usual place as the middle man, the mediator.
Primitive of these defense mechanisms are considered borderline. They come about when one cannot integrate positive and negative mental objects together. From them, the others are built upon, whether by actual, natural construct, or made to fit into the theories due to phycological observations. Either way, the base, or borderline mechanisms are generally considered to be these: projection, denial, dissociation or splitting, devaluation, and projective identification.
Pathological defenses are also considered the psychotic defences. They can be found in dreams and throughout childhood. What should be noted of these types of mechanisms is that those using them frequently appear irrational or insane to others. In conjunction, they effectively rearrange external experiences to eliminate the need to cope with reality. And I think that is important to consider, since definition of 'insanity' and 'irrationality' connotates in many ways among any given individual. And when reality is subjective, as in the postmodern mind set, how does one effectively come to the ideal of what is rational and irrational? But yet, the structures set up by previous generations had observed these aspects to have to do with what is pathological:
Delusional Projection: Overly, or crudely direct, unreserved and straightforward delusions about external reality, to which commonly in nature pursues or persecutes with harassing or oppressive treatment.
Denial: The refusal to accept external reality because it is too threatening. Often, one in denial argues against what makes them anxious by stating it doesn't exist. The hope is that resolution of emotional conflict and reduction of anxiety will come by refusing to perceive or consciously acknowledge the more unpleasant aspects of external reality.
Distortion: Distortion comes off as sincere, but is an extremely obvious reshaping of external reality to meet internal needs.
Splitting: Negative and positive impulses are split off and do not organize or combine them together as parts of a whole. In other words, one who uses splitting as a defense mechanism looks at other people as either all good or all evil, rather than seeing the person as a whole individual with both positive and negative features.
Extreme projection: The blatant denial of a moral or psychological deficiency is part of an extreme projection. The other aspect is that one using this mechanism perceives, or projects a deficiency into another individual or group. It would be like blaming society or the economic crisis for why one is poor and cannot get a job, and furthermore why one turned to robbing banks, because it's the bankers' fault that society is in trouble, and thus reason for resorting to robbery.
The second level of defenses could be called the teen defenses. Though they are common in adults, they are generally distinguished as part of the adolescent's experiences, and the occurrence of all of these defences during the teenage years is considered normal. The reasons that these defenses are used is to lessen distress and anxiety provoked by threatening individuals or when confronted with uncomfortable realities. Excessive use of such defences is seen as socially undesirable because they are immature, such individuals are hard to deal with, and are found to be seriously out of touch with reality. Because they are considered immature, they have been coined the Immature defenses.
Acting out: Direct expression of an unconscious wish or impulse in action, without conscious awareness of the emotion that drives that expressive behavior.
Fantasy: Tendency to retreat into fantasy in order to resolve inner and outer conflicts.
Idealization: Unconsciously choosing to perceive another individual as having more positive qualities than he or she may actually have.
Passive aggression: Aggression towards others expressed indirectly or passively.
Projection: This is considered a primitive form of paranoia. It reduces anxiety by allowing the expression of the undesirable impulses or desires without becoming consciously aware of them. The person's own unwanted thoughts and emotions are attributed to another. In doing so severe prejudice and jealousy. Hyper vigilance is put upon external danger, and forms all these attributed aspects as a form of "injustice collecting". In other words, blame is shifted so that one's unacceptable thoughts, feelings and impulses within oneself becomes those of someone else.
Projective identification: In the defense, the object of projection invokes in the individual person the exact thoughts, feelings or behaviors that are being projected.
Somatization: The transformation of negative feelings towards others into negative feelings toward self, such as pain, illness, and anxiety.
Also fairly common in adults are the third level of defense mechanisms called the neurotic defenses. Though they are considered short-term advantages in coping, they often cause long-term problems in relationships, work and in enjoying life when used as one's primary style of coping with the world.
Displacement: This mechanism shifts sexual or aggressive impulses to a more acceptable, or at least less threatening target. That is, the emotion is redirected to a safer outlet, separating the emotion from its real object transferring the intense emotion toward someone or something that is less offensive or threatening in order to avoid dealing directly with what is frightening or threatening. In other words, 'taking it out on someone else.'
Dissociation: To avoid emotional distress, a person may make temporary drastic modifications of one's personal identity or character to avoid emotional distress. In this defense mechanism, a separation or delay in the coming out of a feeling that normally would accompany a situation or thought happens. It would be like a person getting news of a loved one dying, but, for some reason, they compose themselves to look unphased about the news, though, in private, at a later period in time, the anguish may come out.
Hypochondriasis: An excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness.
Intellectualization: A form of isolation. This mechanism concentrates on the intellectual components of a situation in order to try and distance oneself from the emotions that could bring about anxiety. Essentially an individual will use this mechanism to avoid unacceptable emotions by focusing on the intellectual aspects. Similar to this are the concepts of rationalization, use of ritual, undoing, compensation, and use of magical thinking.
Isolation: In the general, isolation is termed as the separation of feelings from ideas and events.
Rationalization: When a person tries to rationalize, he tries to convince himself that no wrong was done. To try to convince, the mechanism uses false reasoning to excuse himself. And so, rationalization is also commonly called making excuses.
Reaction formation: To try and convert an unconscious impulse percieved to be dangerous into its opposite is what is employed in the reaction formation defense mechanism. When this is done, an individual may behave in a way that is completely the opposite of what one really wants or feels. A person may take the opposite belief because the true belief causes anxiety. This defence can work effectively for coping in the short term, but will eventually break down.
Regression: Temporary reversion of the ego to an earlier stage of development rather than handling unacceptable impulses in a more adult way.
Repression: The process of attempting to force back desires towards pleasurable instincts, caused by a threat of suffering if the desire is satisfied is considere repression. The desire is moved to the unconscious in an attempt to prevent it from entering consciousness. Seemingly unexplainable naivety, memory lapse or lack of awareness of one's own situation and condition are common aspects of this defense mechanism. However, the emotion is conscious, even though the idea behind it is absent.
Undoing: A person tries to 'undo' an unhealthy, destructive or otherwise threatening thought by engaging in contrary behaviour.
Considered to be commonly found among emotionally healthy adults are the fourth level, or mature defense mechanisms. Many of these mechanisms have their origins in immature stages of development and have been adapted through the years in order to make as effective or useful as possible to bring about success in life and relationships. Use of these defences is said to bring pleasure and feelings of control toward a greater value and higher degree, helping integrate conflicting emotions and thoughts while still remaining effective. Those who use these mechanisms are usually considered virtuous.
Altruism: Service to others that helps improve others and brings pleasure and personal satisfaction.
Anticipation: Realistic planning for future discomfort.
Humour: Non-concealed, or open expression of ideas and feelings, particularly that which is unpleasant to focus on or too terrible to talk about, in a way that gives pleasure to others. Humor, can be considered the exploration of the absurdity inherent in any event, and enables someone to call it like it is.
Identification: Also considered modeling, or even imitation. It is the unconscious observation of one's self upon another person's character and behavior.
Introjection: Identifying with some idea or object so deeply that it becomes a part of that person.
Sublimation: Transformation of negative emotions or instincts into positive actions, behavior, or emotion.
Thought suppression: The conscious process of pushing thoughts into the preconscious. It is a conscious decision to delay paying attention to an emotion or need in order to cope with a present reality. When this is done, it makes it possible to later access uncomfortable or distressing emotions while accepting them.
Despite all these levels and classifications, all that is really being said is that we lie to ourselfves all the time. Either that, or we find ways to work around things that we either don't like, or society, or other pressures, even those in our innermost being - our conscience - tells us is wrong. Some, because the id is associated with instinct, will call the baser, unorganized parts of our persona our animal aspect. And it is that vulgar area that we commonly have distaste for because it urges us on, and often to do things that may not be in our best benefit, or, at the very least, is not something that is good at the moment the urge comes about. Some urges are just blatantly wrong or reprehensible. But they are there. And they are things that our 'higher being' tries to counter. And in the middle, there's that persona that tries to interpret it all in a realistic, logical manner, and negotiate between the extremes of both what is right and wrong. Or, at the very least, what seems more beneficial and will have the least adverse effects on one's self overall.
But, in the postmodern world, where all these things are so subjective, and what's good for one person, isn't necessarily good for another, how do we attain something objectively good? Is there no such thing as an altruism?
It is said, in animal behaviour, that an altruism is when an animal may do something to its disadvantage but that benefits others of its kind, such as give a warning cry that reveals the location of the caller to a predator. In various religions and societies, we have had names for these sorts of persons as prophets, philosophers, heralds, and saints due to martyrdom. Martyrdom itself is a form of prophecy and heraldry by which one professes, calls out, and bears witness - to be that altruistic 'animal' that calls out among the predators to give a warning. But yet, who calls out to this postmodern age? What do they tell us that we can know is true? And how can we tell among all the other voices that compete and complain that they too hold truth who is telling any objective truth, and who is just simply crying wolf?
(for reference purposes, and to attain more information on defense mechanisms, see here:
The Martyrdom of the Postmodern Soul
The Martyrdom of the Postmodern Soul
Theme: Maid of Orléans - Gregorian
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtu2h-BROHQ
Regrets? You may ask if I have any. Sure I do. Are any relevant? Not any more. They are memories of a past. Haunting, though they may be, they are just memories. But memories mean they hold on to something. But what?
I suppose it depends on the memory. Good, bad, or indifferent. These are just classifications we make. Whether a good memory is really 'good', a bad one 'bad', or that grey area in between that we claim indifference to, it is often subject to our personal perceptions. But can an individual really know only and solely from himself what is the nature of his or her memories?
And thus is to the heart of this postmodern age - everyone seems to know what's wrong with the world, but no one really can tell what's right. Because everything is subjective to perceptions. And perceptions never lie, now do they?
Of course we lie to ourselves. It's part of the defense mechanisms of our mind. Unconscious psychological strategies brought into play by various entities to cope with reality and to maintain self-image. Healthy, 'sane' people are said to use many of them throughout their lifetime. But an ego defence mechanism can become pathological when its persistent use leads to maladaptive behavior to where the physical, and even mental health, of the individual is adversely affected. In other words, it's ok to lie to one's self, but as long as it's not done too often, apparently. But why do so?
The purpose of the Ego Defence Mechanisms is to protect the mind (self, ego, whatever you want to call that essence that makes up your persona) from anxiety, social sanctions or to provide a refuge from a situation with which one cannot currently cope. Ego, is also the base Latin word for 'I', or 'myself'. But yet, there is not one, but three aspects to the mind, to which Freud labels as the id, ego, and super ego. The id is the base, or 'chaos' of unorganized instinctual thought that wants instant gratification (the pleasure principle) Super ego is the idealistic conscience agent that is the most organised part of the personality structure that strives for perfection. And the ego winds up there in the middle as the mostly conscious and 'realistic' self that holds the defensive, perceptual, intellectual-cognitive, and executive functions all together.
When anxiety becomes too overwhelming, it is then the place of the ego to employ defence mechanisms to protect the individual. Feelings of guilt, embarrassment and shame often accompany the feeling of anxiety. And so come various defenses that may be used by the ego to try deal with the tensions between the two, still trying to act in its usual place as the middle man, the mediator.
Primitive of these defense mechanisms are considered borderline. They come about when one cannot integrate positive and negative mental objects together. From them, the others are built upon, whether by actual, natural construct, or made to fit into the theories due to phycological observations. Either way, the base, or borderline mechanisms are generally considered to be these: projection, denial, dissociation or splitting, devaluation, and projective identification.
Pathological defenses are also considered the psychotic defences. They can be found in dreams and throughout childhood. What should be noted of these types of mechanisms is that those using them frequently appear irrational or insane to others. In conjunction, they effectively rearrange external experiences to eliminate the need to cope with reality. And I think that is important to consider, since definition of 'insanity' and 'irrationality' connotates in many ways among any given individual. And when reality is subjective, as in the postmodern mind set, how does one effectively come to the ideal of what is rational and irrational? But yet, the structures set up by previous generations had observed these aspects to have to do with what is pathological:
Delusional Projection: Overly, or crudely direct, unreserved and straightforward delusions about external reality, to which commonly in nature pursues or persecutes with harassing or oppressive treatment.
Denial: The refusal to accept external reality because it is too threatening. Often, one in denial argues against what makes them anxious by stating it doesn't exist. The hope is that resolution of emotional conflict and reduction of anxiety will come by refusing to perceive or consciously acknowledge the more unpleasant aspects of external reality.
Distortion: Distortion comes off as sincere, but is an extremely obvious reshaping of external reality to meet internal needs.
Splitting: Negative and positive impulses are split off and do not organize or combine them together as parts of a whole. In other words, one who uses splitting as a defense mechanism looks at other people as either all good or all evil, rather than seeing the person as a whole individual with both positive and negative features.
Extreme projection: The blatant denial of a moral or psychological deficiency is part of an extreme projection. The other aspect is that one using this mechanism perceives, or projects a deficiency into another individual or group. It would be like blaming society or the economic crisis for why one is poor and cannot get a job, and furthermore why one turned to robbing banks, because it's the bankers' fault that society is in trouble, and thus reason for resorting to robbery.
The second level of defenses could be called the teen defenses. Though they are common in adults, they are generally distinguished as part of the adolescent's experiences, and the occurrence of all of these defences during the teenage years is considered normal. The reasons that these defenses are used is to lessen distress and anxiety provoked by threatening individuals or when confronted with uncomfortable realities. Excessive use of such defences is seen as socially undesirable because they are immature, such individuals are hard to deal with, and are found to be seriously out of touch with reality. Because they are considered immature, they have been coined the Immature defenses.
Acting out: Direct expression of an unconscious wish or impulse in action, without conscious awareness of the emotion that drives that expressive behavior.
Fantasy: Tendency to retreat into fantasy in order to resolve inner and outer conflicts.
Idealization: Unconsciously choosing to perceive another individual as having more positive qualities than he or she may actually have.
Passive aggression: Aggression towards others expressed indirectly or passively.
Projection: This is considered a primitive form of paranoia. It reduces anxiety by allowing the expression of the undesirable impulses or desires without becoming consciously aware of them. The person's own unwanted thoughts and emotions are attributed to another. In doing so severe prejudice and jealousy. Hyper vigilance is put upon external danger, and forms all these attributed aspects as a form of "injustice collecting". In other words, blame is shifted so that one's unacceptable thoughts, feelings and impulses within oneself becomes those of someone else.
Projective identification: In the defense, the object of projection invokes in the individual person the exact thoughts, feelings or behaviors that are being projected.
Somatization: The transformation of negative feelings towards others into negative feelings toward self, such as pain, illness, and anxiety.
Also fairly common in adults are the third level of defense mechanisms called the neurotic defenses. Though they are considered short-term advantages in coping, they often cause long-term problems in relationships, work and in enjoying life when used as one's primary style of coping with the world.
Displacement: This mechanism shifts sexual or aggressive impulses to a more acceptable, or at least less threatening target. That is, the emotion is redirected to a safer outlet, separating the emotion from its real object transferring the intense emotion toward someone or something that is less offensive or threatening in order to avoid dealing directly with what is frightening or threatening. In other words, 'taking it out on someone else.'
Dissociation: To avoid emotional distress, a person may make temporary drastic modifications of one's personal identity or character to avoid emotional distress. In this defense mechanism, a separation or delay in the coming out of a feeling that normally would accompany a situation or thought happens. It would be like a person getting news of a loved one dying, but, for some reason, they compose themselves to look unphased about the news, though, in private, at a later period in time, the anguish may come out.
Hypochondriasis: An excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness.
Intellectualization: A form of isolation. This mechanism concentrates on the intellectual components of a situation in order to try and distance oneself from the emotions that could bring about anxiety. Essentially an individual will use this mechanism to avoid unacceptable emotions by focusing on the intellectual aspects. Similar to this are the concepts of rationalization, use of ritual, undoing, compensation, and use of magical thinking.
Isolation: In the general, isolation is termed as the separation of feelings from ideas and events.
Rationalization: When a person tries to rationalize, he tries to convince himself that no wrong was done. To try to convince, the mechanism uses false reasoning to excuse himself. And so, rationalization is also commonly called making excuses.
Reaction formation: To try and convert an unconscious impulse percieved to be dangerous into its opposite is what is employed in the reaction formation defense mechanism. When this is done, an individual may behave in a way that is completely the opposite of what one really wants or feels. A person may take the opposite belief because the true belief causes anxiety. This defence can work effectively for coping in the short term, but will eventually break down.
Regression: Temporary reversion of the ego to an earlier stage of development rather than handling unacceptable impulses in a more adult way.
Repression: The process of attempting to force back desires towards pleasurable instincts, caused by a threat of suffering if the desire is satisfied is considere repression. The desire is moved to the unconscious in an attempt to prevent it from entering consciousness. Seemingly unexplainable naivety, memory lapse or lack of awareness of one's own situation and condition are common aspects of this defense mechanism. However, the emotion is conscious, even though the idea behind it is absent.
Undoing: A person tries to 'undo' an unhealthy, destructive or otherwise threatening thought by engaging in contrary behaviour.
Considered to be commonly found among emotionally healthy adults are the fourth level, or mature defense mechanisms. Many of these mechanisms have their origins in immature stages of development and have been adapted through the years in order to make as effective or useful as possible to bring about success in life and relationships. Use of these defences is said to bring pleasure and feelings of control toward a greater value and higher degree, helping integrate conflicting emotions and thoughts while still remaining effective. Those who use these mechanisms are usually considered virtuous.
Altruism: Service to others that helps improve others and brings pleasure and personal satisfaction.
Anticipation: Realistic planning for future discomfort.
Humour: Non-concealed, or open expression of ideas and feelings, particularly that which is unpleasant to focus on or too terrible to talk about, in a way that gives pleasure to others. Humor, can be considered the exploration of the absurdity inherent in any event, and enables someone to call it like it is.
Identification: Also considered modeling, or even imitation. It is the unconscious observation of one's self upon another person's character and behavior.
Introjection: Identifying with some idea or object so deeply that it becomes a part of that person.
Sublimation: Transformation of negative emotions or instincts into positive actions, behavior, or emotion.
Thought suppression: The conscious process of pushing thoughts into the preconscious. It is a conscious decision to delay paying attention to an emotion or need in order to cope with a present reality. When this is done, it makes it possible to later access uncomfortable or distressing emotions while accepting them.
Despite all these levels and classifications, all that is really being said is that we lie to ourselfves all the time. Either that, or we find ways to work around things that we either don't like, or society, or other pressures, even those in our innermost being - our conscience - tells us is wrong. Some, because the id is associated with instinct, will call the baser, unorganized parts of our persona our animal aspect. And it is that vulgar area that we commonly have distaste for because it urges us on, and often to do things that may not be in our best benefit, or, at the very least, is not something that is good at the moment the urge comes about. Some urges are just blatantly wrong or reprehensible. But they are there. And they are things that our 'higher being' tries to counter. And in the middle, there's that persona that tries to interpret it all in a realistic, logical manner, and negotiate between the extremes of both what is right and wrong. Or, at the very least, what seems more beneficial and will have the least adverse effects on one's self overall.
But, in the postmodern world, where all these things are so subjective, and what's good for one person, isn't necessarily good for another, how do we attain something objectively good? Is there no such thing as an altruism?
It is said, in animal behaviour, that an altruism is when an animal may do something to its disadvantage but that benefits others of its kind, such as give a warning cry that reveals the location of the caller to a predator. In various religions and societies, we have had names for these sorts of persons as prophets, philosophers, heralds, and saints due to martyrdom. Martyrdom itself is a form of prophecy and heraldry by which one professes, calls out, and bears witness - to be that altruistic 'animal' that calls out among the predators to give a warning. But yet, who calls out to this postmodern age? What do they tell us that we can know is true? And how can we tell among all the other voices that compete and complain that they too hold truth who is telling any objective truth, and who is just simply crying wolf?
(for reference purposes, and to attain more information on defense mechanisms, see here: