I have always been interested in seeing what goes on behind the scenes, at the things that I deny about myself and what others deny about themselves. Over the last 50 years or so it has led me to some interesting places, people and ideas. At Christmas a friend of mine bought me a copy of the Pencourt Files it's a study of the Intelligence Services attempts to destabilise the Wilson Government of 1974 to 1976. When I was involved in a previous incarnation of political activity, I read the magazine "Borderlands" which looked at the role the same services role in their infiltration of the Radical, the Left and the Green movement. As we approach another five years of Right wing government my thoughts go back to these issues.
There is an area where the secret state intersects with our paranoia and our fears. The Left and all critical views tends to attract to it a higher proportion of people who are suspicious, egotistical and obsessive. Of course this proportion is small but nevertheless there. Just recently I read a psychotherapy article about that if you compare 100 political activists with 100 non political activists the non activists are significantly less neurotic. Anthony Storr`s book the Political Psyche is a rich read indeed......tut still there is no harm in a speculative flow of consciousness.......
For the right we can see how projection and displacement works. UKIP is a psychoanalysts dream/ Its so easy to project on to the other a threat, a fear and a denial of the demons that exist within. Of the fUKIP leader contenders two of them clearly fear what they do not understand, one wants to ban Muslim schools, one wants to ban the Burka and one a former wrestler clearly obsessed with his self perception claimed on a film in You Tube that he was richer and better looking than everybody else. The truth is that when we look at the voting figures for the EU referendum we clearly find that the areas most likely to vote leave how the lowest mixture of cultures. The least awareness of other groups and a severe lack of institutions of higher or further education. In area where there was greater economic deprivation where there were other ethnicities and cultures we have seen also a high leave vote. Its almost as if a white working class seduced by the Sun has been persuaded to blame the “other” and instead of seeing that the other is oppressed in the same way the false consciousness of racism, hom0phobia and prejudice has taken hold. In areas where people of different cultures and lifestyles exist tolerance is significantly better, the UKIp vote is lower and the remain vote was higher. In London, Swansea West and similar areas we can clearly see a correlation between these fact. In the recent Tooting By election an area that is diverse and multicultural even the Liberal Democrats beat UKIP whose vote was only 1.6%. In countries like Poland where only 0.4% an anti immigration party similar to UKIP is in power. Its quite clear that prejudice has an economic root that intersects with the psychological identity of any individual. Its true for both left and right and the classic five defence mechanisms of psychoanalytical theory shows the conjunction of both the economic, the political and the psychological, here they are reflect on it.
There is an area where the secret state intersects with our paranoia and our fears. The Left and all critical views tends to attract to it a higher proportion of people who are suspicious, egotistical and obsessive. Of course this proportion is small but nevertheless there. Just recently I read a psychotherapy article about that if you compare 100 political activists with 100 non political activists the non activists are significantly less neurotic. Anthony Storr`s book the Political Psyche is a rich read indeed......tut still there is no harm in a speculative flow of consciousness.......
For the right we can see how projection and displacement works. UKIP is a psychoanalysts dream/ Its so easy to project on to the other a threat, a fear and a denial of the demons that exist within. Of the fUKIP leader contenders two of them clearly fear what they do not understand, one wants to ban Muslim schools, one wants to ban the Burka and one a former wrestler clearly obsessed with his self perception claimed on a film in You Tube that he was richer and better looking than everybody else. The truth is that when we look at the voting figures for the EU referendum we clearly find that the areas most likely to vote leave how the lowest mixture of cultures. The least awareness of other groups and a severe lack of institutions of higher or further education. In area where there was greater economic deprivation where there were other ethnicities and cultures we have seen also a high leave vote. Its almost as if a white working class seduced by the Sun has been persuaded to blame the “other” and instead of seeing that the other is oppressed in the same way the false consciousness of racism, hom0phobia and prejudice has taken hold. In areas where people of different cultures and lifestyles exist tolerance is significantly better, the UKIp vote is lower and the remain vote was higher. In London, Swansea West and similar areas we can clearly see a correlation between these fact. In the recent Tooting By election an area that is diverse and multicultural even the Liberal Democrats beat UKIP whose vote was only 1.6%. In countries like Poland where only 0.4% an anti immigration party similar to UKIP is in power. Its quite clear that prejudice has an economic root that intersects with the psychological identity of any individual. Its true for both left and right and the classic five defence mechanisms of psychoanalytical theory shows the conjunction of both the economic, the political and the psychological, here they are reflect on it.
* Identification with the Aggressor
A focus on negative or feared traits. I.e. if you are afraid of someone, you can practically conquer that fear by becoming more like them.
An extreme example of this is the Stockholm Syndrome, where hostages identify with the terrorists. E.g. Patty Hearst and the Symbionese Liberation Army. Patty was abused and raped by her captors, yet she joined their movement and even took part in one of their bank robberies. At her trial she was acquitted because she was a victim suffering from Stockholm Syndrome.
* Repression
This was the first defence mechanism that Freud discovered, and arguably the most important. Repression is an unconscious mechanism employed by the ego to keep disturbing or threatening thoughts from becoming conscious. Thoughts that are often repressed are those that would result in feelings of guilt from the superego. For example, in the Oedipus complex, aggressive thoughts about the same sex parents are repressed.
This is not a very successful defence in the long term since it involves forcing disturbing wishes, ideas or memories into the unconscious, where, although hidden, they will create anxiety.
This was the first defence mechanism that Freud discovered, and arguably the most important. Repression is an unconscious mechanism employed by the ego to keep disturbing or threatening thoughts from becoming conscious. Thoughts that are often repressed are those that would result in feelings of guilt from the superego. For example, in the Oedipus complex, aggressive thoughts about the same sex parents are repressed.
This is not a very successful defence in the long term since it involves forcing disturbing wishes, ideas or memories into the unconscious, where, although hidden, they will create anxiety.
* Projection
This involves individuals attributing their own thoughts, feeling and motives to another person. Thoughts most commonly projected onto another are the ones that would cause guilt such as aggressive and sexual fantasies or thoughts. For instance, you might hate someone, but your superego tells you that such hatred is unacceptable. You can 'solve' the problem by believing that they hate you.
This involves individuals attributing their own thoughts, feeling and motives to another person. Thoughts most commonly projected onto another are the ones that would cause guilt such as aggressive and sexual fantasies or thoughts. For instance, you might hate someone, but your superego tells you that such hatred is unacceptable. You can 'solve' the problem by believing that they hate you.
* Displacement
Displacement is the redirection of an impulse (usually aggression) onto a powerless substitute target. The target can be a person or an object that can serve as a symbolic substitute. Someone who feels uncomfortable with their sexual desire for a real person may substitute a fetish. Someone who is frustrated by his or her superiors may go home and kick the dog, beat up a family member, or engage in cross-burnings.
Displacement is the redirection of an impulse (usually aggression) onto a powerless substitute target. The target can be a person or an object that can serve as a symbolic substitute. Someone who feels uncomfortable with their sexual desire for a real person may substitute a fetish. Someone who is frustrated by his or her superiors may go home and kick the dog, beat up a family member, or engage in cross-burnings.
* Sublimation
This is similar to displacement, but takes place when we manage to displace our emotions into a constructive rather than destructive activity. This might for example be artistic. Many great artists and musicians have had unhappy lives and have used the medium of art of music to express themselves. Sport is another example of putting our emotions (e.g. aggression) into something constructive.
For example, fixation at the oral stage of development may later lead to seeking oral pleasure as an adult through sucking ones thumb, pen or cigarette. Also, fixation during the anal stage may cause a person to sublimate their desire to handle faeces with an enjoyment of pottery.
Sublimation for Freud was the cornerstone of civilized life, arts and science are all sublimated sexuality. (NB. this is a value laden concept, based on the aspirations of a European society at the end of the 1800 century).
This is similar to displacement, but takes place when we manage to displace our emotions into a constructive rather than destructive activity. This might for example be artistic. Many great artists and musicians have had unhappy lives and have used the medium of art of music to express themselves. Sport is another example of putting our emotions (e.g. aggression) into something constructive.
For example, fixation at the oral stage of development may later lead to seeking oral pleasure as an adult through sucking ones thumb, pen or cigarette. Also, fixation during the anal stage may cause a person to sublimate their desire to handle faeces with an enjoyment of pottery.
Sublimation for Freud was the cornerstone of civilized life, arts and science are all sublimated sexuality. (NB. this is a value laden concept, based on the aspirations of a European society at the end of the 1800 century).
* Denial
Denial involves blocking external events from awareness. If some situation is just too much to handle, the person just refuses to experience it. As you might imagine, this is a primitive and dangerous defence - no one disregards reality and gets away with it for long! It can operate by itself or, more commonly, in combination with other, more subtle mechanisms that support it. For example, smokers may refuse to admit to themselves that smoking is bad for their health.
Denial involves blocking external events from awareness. If some situation is just too much to handle, the person just refuses to experience it. As you might imagine, this is a primitive and dangerous defence - no one disregards reality and gets away with it for long! It can operate by itself or, more commonly, in combination with other, more subtle mechanisms that support it. For example, smokers may refuse to admit to themselves that smoking is bad for their health.
* Regression
This is a movement back in psychological time when one is faced with stress. When we are troubled or frightened, our behaviours often become more childish or primitive. A child may begin to suck their thumb again or wet the bed when they need to spend some time in the hospital. Teenagers may giggle uncontrollably when introduced into a social situation involving the opposite sex.
This is a movement back in psychological time when one is faced with stress. When we are troubled or frightened, our behaviours often become more childish or primitive. A child may begin to suck their thumb again or wet the bed when they need to spend some time in the hospital. Teenagers may giggle uncontrollably when introduced into a social situation involving the opposite sex.
* Rationalization
Rationalization is the cognitive distortion of "the facts" to make an event or an impulse less threatening. We do it often enough on a fairly conscious level when we provide ourselves with excuses. But for many people, with sensitive egos, making excuses comes so easy that they never are truly aware of it. In other words, many of us are quite prepared to believe our lies.
There is however something I have observed over the years...wherever I have been involved in politics and campaigning I always encountered individuals who have a military or police background underwent an Epiphany and turned to the Left........perhaps innocent I know, but then again......I often wonder that with the growth of the anti fracking movement, for example, would reveal about police or military backgrounds of a few key activists. I have charted how some activists reappear and disappear over a number of years. They usually appear when the Green party is gaining in strength and power and are always involved in controversy and dispute. Some disputes in anti Fracking camps and actions can be most instructive particularly when they coincide with police raids on these camps. That old Welsh Republican Socialist Jac o the North has much rich speculation on these subjects as do those rascals who produce Green Dragon.
The psychological view of Freud is that individuals project and displace their fears and loathings on to others One individual in particular has created a web site suspecting that prominent Greens are or have been members of the Israeli Secret Service and spends much of their time researching mine and others wicked pasts. The sadness is that where the secret state meets the psychotic the intersections are many and varied and defeats speculation. . Knowing the difference is crucial and essential. But then again, which quadrant of the Venn diagram have I wandered into in the silly season in the dog days of rationality that is August
Rationalization is the cognitive distortion of "the facts" to make an event or an impulse less threatening. We do it often enough on a fairly conscious level when we provide ourselves with excuses. But for many people, with sensitive egos, making excuses comes so easy that they never are truly aware of it. In other words, many of us are quite prepared to believe our lies.
There is however something I have observed over the years...wherever I have been involved in politics and campaigning I always encountered individuals who have a military or police background underwent an Epiphany and turned to the Left........perhaps innocent I know, but then again......I often wonder that with the growth of the anti fracking movement, for example, would reveal about police or military backgrounds of a few key activists. I have charted how some activists reappear and disappear over a number of years. They usually appear when the Green party is gaining in strength and power and are always involved in controversy and dispute. Some disputes in anti Fracking camps and actions can be most instructive particularly when they coincide with police raids on these camps. That old Welsh Republican Socialist Jac o the North has much rich speculation on these subjects as do those rascals who produce Green Dragon.
At the risk of fuelling your paranoia I'm reading the very well written 2015 biography of John le Carré by Adam Sisman - should be recommended reading alongside Agee, Bunyan, Snowden and Victor Serge (on State Repression) ...
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