Field Theory Research

Dr. Jacob Kounin {one of Kurt Lewin’s Doctoral students} provided insight into the classroom dynamics between students and their teacher to determine the effectiveness and strategies of how and why learning occurs. He went beyond clichés like: it all depends upon the child and the situation; admonitions about establish rapport; make it interesting; love of children; and understanding in his exploration. Kounin didn’t believe that these generalizations ran classrooms effectively.

Dr. Kounin hypothesized that there were concrete techniques in managing classrooms that corresponded to the amount of work involvement and misbehavior in learning situations; and that successful classrooms correlated with a high percentage of work involvement and a low percentage of pupil misbehavior.

Camps, elementary, high school, and college classrooms were studied, initially with experimenter observations. Observing classrooms didn’t work so videotaping {a more complete record of what actually took place} of 80 classrooms were used along with interviews and questionnaires.

I’m limiting Dr. Kounin’s research findings to satiation. Satiation was defined by Kurt Lewin as the change in valence of an activity due to repetition. Consult May 10, 2019 post for more on Dr. Kurt Lewin. Does the nature of classroom activity or repetition relate to work involvement and misbehavior?

Some findings: 1. Teachers that maintained a positive valence for academic activities with a verbal challenge and fun expectation expressions like “This next one is going to be fun, I know you will enjoy it,”  “You’re going to need your thinking caps for the next one, it’s tricky” increased work involvement and reduced pupil deviancy in both recitation and seatwork settings. 2. Teacher programing reduced satiation by learning- related variety {recitation plus seatwork}. 3. Pupil felt progress in learning {longer learning activity} was a more important anti- satiation factor for older children than younger children. 4. Variety {short term learning situation} may be more salient for younger children.5. Seatwork variety correlated with behavior in seatwork; with work involvement and freedom from deviancy.

In conclusion, classroom activities that require perseveration or repetition only are more quickly satiated than learning activities requiring thought and judgement. Running a classroom is a complicated endeavor. It has to do with developing a non-satiating learning program; programing for learner perceived progress; incorporating challenge and variety in learning activities.

 Additional information can be found in Kounin, Jacob S.  Discipline and Group Management in Classrooms. Holt ,Rinehart and Winston Inc.

Calling It What It Is

There are some that attribute the White Supremacist hate crime mass shootings on mental health. If that is so, then take a look at the following as contributing factors: 1. Excessive hateful tweets by the Commander-In-Chief 2. Excessive incarceration rates for people of color 3. Excessive income inequality 4. Excessive suicide rates for children and adolescents 5. Excessive lack of personal savings 6. Excessive student college debt 7. Excessive murders 8. Excessive political divide 9. Excessive increase in hate crimes 10. Excessive minimum wage 11. Low-level ranking of happiness 12. Excessive divorce, marital, and child abuse and 13. Excessive social media, TV, and radio discord. These 13  factors suggest that many individuals in power such as our economic, corporate and political leaders have mental health issues as well as they’ve contributed in managing, promoting , controlling  and making us ill in our  very sick culture. With that being said, let’s begin by examining the difficulty of parental upbringing as a main contributing variable in the development of those that commit hate crime murders and provide an intervention strategy.

One concern are the family issues within the psychological development of our young that participate in hate crime murders. The first place to start is to take a look at the so-called nuclear family that rears these despicable individuals. We believe that the foundations of personality is essentially established by five or six years of age. We know that marital relationships are difficult and that the length of a marriage does not necessarily correlate with harmony and bliss within that union. We also know that unhappy parents stay together for many reasons and they often use the kids as being one excuse. Add, limited education; limited manufacturing and other employment issues; limited financial resources; and limited personal future outlook and its effect on the development of the child. We know that the birth of a child does not contribute to strengthening a marital relationship in troubled economic and political times. Within this framework, let’s take a look at the birth of a child.

The infant begins life with the birth trauma. This internal anxiety state affects the heart and respiration rates of the newborn and sets the stage for future anxiety tension systems during rearing. How can these parents focus on the physiological and psychological needs of the newborn within the conflicting psychological stress within their life space? They likely have difficulty meeting their own psychological needs let alone the needs of the young. Within this dynamic, we believe that it can be very difficult for the newborn to develop a sense of trust with their parents and the other Homo sapiens that follow. With the formation of a sense of mistrust, one becomes fearful, anxious, suspicious and paranoid regarding others that do not fit within their cognitive schema. Therefore, the assimilation and accommodation development within their cognitive schema results with individuals that are uneasy and suspicious who dislike and hate other Homo sapiens. It’s not a surprise why these individuals are prejudiced.

The infant initially, within his development ,learns about the dangers in the external world; what is considered “good “behavior; what is considered” bad” behavior; behavior that’s likely to be physically punished; behavior that’s likely to result in dissatisfaction with the parent by their  taking away  love, praise and other positive reinforcements; behavior that is considered moral and ethical; behavior based on lies, falsehoods, prejudices and idiosyncratic beliefs; and what the youngster can get away with in the absence of the disciplining parent. Often, it’s difficult for the young child to learn consistency regarding appropriate and inappropriate behavior.  How does the child learn about appropriate and inappropriate punishments and discipline techniques? The answer of course rests on the idiosyncratic beliefs and behavior by the parents. It’s not too unusual for attitudes regarding behavior to differ between parents as males are generally more punitive, stern and rule conscious. Thus, we have a wide array of different beliefs, different consistencies and different disciplinary mechanisms imposed by parents. We also know that love oriented discipline is more effective in fostering positive conscience development than physical punishments.

Around three or four years of age, the formation of conscience and guilt begins with the child identifying with the powerful and omnipotent parental figures. The parent’s conscience, moral and ethical code becomes adopted by the child. It’s as if the child now has a code for human behavior that’s borrowed from the parent’s behavior. The phrase “do what I say not what I do” fits here.  That base, parental actions, becomes firmly established but can evolve when other important identifying figures become part of the individual’s life. Identification can be about persons, beliefs, ideas, prejudices and attitudes. By five or six years of age or so, the child has a rudimentary sense of right and wrong. Remember, right can be wrong and wrong can be right. It’s about perception, belief and reinforcement. Freud’s “the child is father of the man” fits. A child’s prejudice, contradictory beliefs and opinions can generally be traced back to parental attitudes and behavior.

 Attitudes regarding ethnic and racial prejudices as well as the beginnings of moral and ethical conduct and understandings are learned from parents. The power of their influence can be in either a positive or negative direction. Furthermore, conscience development proceeds and goes beyond notions of right or wrong and enters into a concept of justice based upon considerations of equity among and between individuals for those with cognitive maturity. With this understanding, the importance of developing a sense of trust and a “normal” sense of guilt and conscience is highly dependent on parental rearing practices. If these areas are damaged, there are serious negative consequences with the probability of sadomasochistic character development.

The child becomes an adolescent and in this stage he begins forming an identity. If all goes well that identity is based on many components including school achievement and competency; beginning independence from family; getting along appropriately with adults, authority figures; and developing satisfying interpersonal relationships with peer group. If successful, being popular, being part of various school social groups, fitting in, being part of athletic, music and art groups and doing well academically are norms and indications that things are developing well for the adolescent.

However, if unsuccessful, the adolescent is likely to be deficient in academics, not participating in the performing arts, sports, and student government coupled with impaired social relationships along with drugs and alcohol issues. With identity diffusion, the adolescent is now vulnerable and susceptible to various and opposing ideologies and/or cults. The adolescent becomes more noncompliant, oppositional and rebellious against authority figures within the norms of society. The adolescent is ripe for unconventional, hate filled rhetoric and has limited rational, analytical and in-depth reasoning faculties. This loner can be easily misled and becomes a non- rational follower. This alienated loner becomes a threat to society and requires some form of intervention as a result of the personality variables of mistrust, impaired conscience, and diffuse identity.

Within our insane society, perhaps the federal government can contribute to a solution rather than perpetuating by taking a do-nothing stance. What you call it- mental health or call it anything else doesn’t matter. What matters is identifying and treating the problem. This is a homeland security issue. That means federal funding is available within this large agency. We also know that teachers, counselors, principals, parents and even students can help identify the emotionally vulnerable that are having difficulty adjusting. Therefore, we need to develop a pipeline of communication among all the players.

 Create a mental health unit to consult with secondary schools to identify troubled youth and their families.  With identification, send an intervention team of educated and mental health individuals into the home environment of the troubled in order to develop a communication network between all the participants. That could be a start in identifying potential hateful, murderous and prejudiced individuals. The goal is to assist families and reduce potential violence from these troubled youth. Let’s start with identification and opening up dialogue.

Destructive Identification and Toxic Beliefs

This article addresses the hateful and sadistic murders in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio. The nature and tendencies of Homo sapiens have been exhibited throughout our history. Man is orally and behaviorally aggressive. These murderers identified, had trouble relating, and acted on their hateful irrational political beliefs. Thus, there is a positive correlation between alienation, identification, a hateful, political, prejudicial belief system and aggressive behavior.

Man has believed in many ideologies, circumstances, and has various and contradictory attitudes about the world in which he resides. Man has believed in many gods; man has believed in both animal and human sacrifices; man has believed in many different religions man has believed in a heaven and a hell; man has believed that Jews killed Christ; man has believed that the earth was the center of the universe; and man has believed that the world was flat. More recently, man politically has believed that communism was bad and democracy was good and vice versa ; man has believed economically that socialism was bad and capitalism was superior and vice versa ;  man has believed that blacks were intellectually inferior to whites; man has believed that vaccines were good or  bad and vice versa; man has believed in climate change and vice versa; man has believed that a single-payer health care system was good and/or bad;  man has believed in the supremacy  of the whites  ; man  has believed that an assault rifle is a 2^nd Amendment right and vice versa;  and man has believed that mental health is one of the causes of  hate crime , murders and vice versa etc. This brief list of religious, political, racist, unscientific beliefs are just that-brief.

In our country, no one gets arrested for their irrational, emotionally, or hateful beliefs as in their tweets or other social media expressions. One gets arrested for amoral physical behavior. There is no mental health diagnosis for irrational hate political beliefs. As a result, there is no third-party or insurance reimbursement for such talk. However, insurance companies use the term “medically necessary” for coverage. Generally, that means that symptoms can be treated by a pill. Further, if one talks to a therapist about aggressive tendencies, by law that is confidential. But, if one had a significant plan regarding hurting self or hurting others, by law, that is not confidential and would require the therapist to report the facts to government etc. Likely, an alienated white nationalist type would not seek out a therapist if planning a murderous attack. Thus, by Diagnostic Criteria, mental health does not cause gun violence.

Beliefs can be hateful, discriminatory, irrational and emotionally based and not subjected to rational thought. With that being said, it’s no wonder why we are unable to change beliefs, opinions or attitudes. Our unique psychological makeup with our needs, drives, and character development are accompanied by our sophisticated use of unconscious defense mechanisms. As a consequence, we are stuck with limited rational thought and understanding. Yes, thoughts, beliefs can and do result and proceed before moral as well as amoral behavior. I know as I have made a number of irrational Corvette and Harley Davidson purchases.

Take an alienated, high testosterone individual attracted to supremacist ideology with its racist political belief system. If he identifies [internalizes not only their ideology, attitude and way of thinking, but also with their ethics, political values, morality or destructive amorality code of behavior] with that supremacist mob, he becomes one with the group. They have unlimited access to assault weapons. With that being said, we have a recipe for prejudice, violence, murder, and destruction. One cannot predict when such will occur, only the probability of the occurrence. This is not a mental health problem. It is a problem of young alienated individuals with a sadistic character structure that identifies with a gang which has an irrational, hateful, political belief system with easy access to kill weapons. Eliminating assault weapons will not change neither the sadistic character structure, identifying with “power” nor incorporating an irrational hateful belief system, but it will significantly reduce mass gun murder.

Man Murder and Culture

To no one’s surprise, there occurred two mass shootings last weekend.  This essay has to do with man’s aggressive nature within the context of his life space. Let’s initially take a look, at current aspects of an amoral culture in our country. We have inept, hateful and sadistic political divide; numerous white nationalist groups and associations; videogames with realistic violence; a plethora of heroic murder, lying, stealing and other amoral transgressions portrayed on TV and in the movies; superficial reporting with excessive amounts of hate, prejudice and racism expressed on radio, TV and social media; enormous greed and the easy availability and unnecessary amounts of automatic rifles. It’s no surprise that our country is number one when it comes to the number of mass murders. Let’s address man’s developmental history and his potentiality for aggressive behavior.

 There’s no argument that man is aggressive. Aggressiveness has been explained as either a result of a drive, instinct, or a need.  Man being aggressive is not surprising based on the anxiety, insecurity, helplessness and, dependency surrounding birth. I will use a baseball description of balls and strikes instead of good or bad as an analogy for potential aggressive behavior. Balls and strikes have a different connotation than good or bad.

Man essentially has two directions to express or exhibit aggression. Man can direct his aggression outward toward others. A need for aggression which has been defined by Henry Murray as: To fight. To revenge as injury. To attack, injure or kill another. Aggression can also be expressed verbally as in sadism or sadistic expression which is meant to hurt, or humiliate another’s feelings.

Men can also direct his aggression inward toward self. Aggression turned inward has been called by Murray the need for abasement which is: To accept injury, blame, criticism, punishment. To blame, belittle or mutilate the self. To seek and enjoy pain, punishment, illness, and misfortune. Depression and suicide are commonly understood as aggression toward self-turned inward.

We also know that aside from his inherited or physiological qualities, man expresses his aggression as a result and is often related to frustration when his goal behavior is thwarted. Moreover, learning and history have a lot to do with how, why, to whom and when the expression of aggressive behavior is exhibited

Within this background of aggression, let’s direct attention to the baseball analogy of balls and strikes and their ratio to depict potential conflicts with resulting potential for aggressive tendencies. Initially, we all start out life differently, not equally .Employing balls and strikes to the following: the wellness and wellbeing of the caretaker during pregnancy; the caretaker’s socioeconomic status; the caretaker’s physical and mental health; the caretaker’s ability to nurse; and with the caretaker’s marital status etc.  , we come up with a number or a ratio.  Next, let’s look at the newborn’s physiological health, at birth; and the newborns skin color which can be called either a ball or strike; the newborns ZIP Code or country of origin can be called a ball or strike; the nursing, doctor and hospital care can be called a ball or strike; the impact of the marital relationship etc. all affect this newborn. At this point, what is the ratio of balls to strikes? Hopefully, the baby can get to first base.

Within the baby’s development, he’s going to attend possibly preschool and then some K-12 educational program. Once again, zip code of the school results in either a ball or strike. Any learning disability or special needs of the student results in either a ball or strike. The quality of education and the quality of the sports, music and other school programs also results in either a ball or a strike. Additionally, the quality of his peer group relationships, experimentation with drugs, alcohol or cigarettes also can be evaluated in terms of balls or strikes. This important time of development, of acquiring an attitude toward academic skills, the beginning development of identity along with the capacity for intimacy are all affected by the number of balls and the number of strikes. Once again, the ratio of balls to strikes are important. Was this youngster able to get to second base, is he stuck on first base or is he still struggling at home plate?

Now perhaps on to college. If he’s a five-star athlete or has some extraordinary talent, colleges come running; if he is a Phi Beta Kappa with wealthy parents, then he has plenty of options. Maybe with these individuals, they have just hit a home run. However, for the rest, maybe there’s college accompanied by enormous school debt.  The college dropout rate is staggering. The non-college bound can join the military; receive minimum wage; have limited career employment opportunity; have questionable health care and social security –retirement etc. for their future. Once again, balls and strikes and the ratio are key components.

It’s clear that the history of balls and strikes affect degree of frustration regarding goal attainment. A heavy degree of frustration results in more aggression turned outward toward others and/or inward toward self. One’s history or batting average can be very low. If low, that equals lots of aggression.

A few words about the frustration in the environment created by the ruling class. The ruling class consists of the top 1% economically, with Wall Street and the large corporations. One politician said that corporations are people. Yes, but what kind of people? In our capitalistic-socioeconomic system, money is power or power is money. In any event, money and power are considered positives for those that have it and are considered negatives for those that don’t.

Based upon someone’s detailed history, they are going to have limited or unlimited opportunities. Sorry Jefferson, not everyone was created equal nor do they have equal socioeconomic and educational opportunities. Unfortunately, based on who we are, aggression is turned inward or outward. However, one word of optimism. Freud believed that we can partially limit aggression turned inward and outward through sublimation. Sublimation will not totally resolve and prohibit the release of aggression. However, with sublimation, we have numerous individuals that have excelled in all forms of the performing, literary, fine and creative arts; in scientific and philosophical achievement; in establishing foundations; and in sports. A home run is better than a ball and a ball is better than a strike both in baseball and in dealing with frustration and aggression.

The frequency and the manner in which aggression is expressed gives clues to the character and need structure of the individual. Likewise, the character and need structure of the individual gives clues to the manner in which aggression is going to be expressed. Of course, the number of balls and the number of strikes affect the development of character. Reducing the number of strikes will result in less violence than we have today.

Personally, I know about aggression turned inward and outward. I have engaged in fistfights, played high school and college football.  I ran the 100 mile one day Western States endurance run at age 62 and completed the 100 mile one day Swanton Pacific Ride and Tie at age 68. I also have participated in oral sadistic exchanges with Linda. Believe me, sublimation behavior is less stressful.

In essence, when a young male, at his peak or with higher levels of testosterone [promotes aggressiveness and sexual desire]; has an unconscious feeling of powerlessness [buying guns and affiliating with nationalistic hate clubs]; has a diffuse identity [ hateful exclusion of those different ,allegiance, pledging and proving loyalty  , stereotyping of enemies, readiness,  openness, attractiveness,  a needy desire to belong, an identification with  authoritarian  doctrines and ideas};  limited to irrational , prejudicial thinking; coupled with a doom and gloom outlook; having a   sadomasochistic character, we have, as a result , a serious prognosis. Rear this person in an environment with an amoral culture coupled with the greedy manufacturing of military weapons, and to no one’s surprise we have a preponderance of murder.

Man's Shortcomings

This essay depicts man’s shortcomings and the ineffective ways in which government and religion deal with it. With the arrival of civilization about 30,000 years ago, man’s tendencies and character were well-established. Religion’s goal was essentially to protect man from man; protect man from nature; to ease his pain in the present; promise an afterlife; be protected by a loving, powerful, forgiving, vengeful, narcissistic and demanding father figure. This father figure God has been depicted as an old bearded and long-haired entity.

Historically, religious figures like Hammurabi of Babylon and Moses had established a moral code of principles for the masses. They knew that man treated man aggressively, without trust, with power, dominance, control, inhumanely and with disrespect. And, when man behaved in his typical manner toward others, he would be punished and have to answer to God, some mediator or some other man-made configuration. In fact, commoners would even have to pay for the privilege. As religion developed, violations of the moral code resulted in a sin. Man could confess to a middleman mediator, fast for a day, say 10 Hail Mary’s, pay a  fine, perform  community work, go on probation, be incarcerated and  then be free to sin again. In essence, religious figures defined amoral behavior, called it a sin and then had the commoners pay for the privilege.

A few of Hammurabi’s laws incorporated common man-made characteristics and tendencies such as slander; fraud; slavery and slaves as property; theft; liability; divorce; adultery and perjury. A few of the 10 Commandments that Moses engraved included: not take the Lord’s name in vain; honor thy father and thy mother; thou shall not kill; and thou shall not commit adultery. Christian 10 Commandments added: neither shall you steal; neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbor’s; neither shall you covet your neighbor’s wife; nor you shall not desire anything that is your neighbors.  These laws or commandments defined man’s interpersonal interactions accurately. One can argue that religious laws have not done much to change man’s nature and characteristics. By the same token, one could also argue that without religious laws, man’s behavior would be even more deplorable and despicable. Who can win that argument?

We had Kings, Queens and popes, with God’s permission, attempt to make things more bearable for the common man. We have evolved with various forms of government; different democracies and dictators dealing with human frailty of life on earth. In our country, we have, according to some, the best form of democracy ever created. We have numerous laws, rules, regulations and punishments for those that have broken the rules. Of course, not all are treated equally under the law. Maybe we have the most despicable individuals in the world? How else do your account for the fact that the United States has the largest prison population in the world and the highest per capita incarceration rate or 24.7% of the world’s 9.8 million prisoners?

What about the homicide rate in our country? Per 100,000 people per year, one statistic has the total for the United States being 6.9. Of that number 10.7 are males and 3.1 are females. By comparison, another high income nation is Canada. Canada’s numbers are 1.4 for the total. 1.94 For males and less than 1.0 for females are that countries statistics.

Considering divorce in the United States, the marriage rate is currently 6.8 per 1, 000 total population .The divorce rate is 3.2 per 1000 population as of 2014 according to the CDC. Those figures suggest that if getting married, there’s a 50 percent chance of divorce. A flip of the coin might be another way to decide about getting married.  Maybe all those good years of marriage might outweigh the terrible weight of divorce.

Lying and stealing are also popular in United States as it’s a theme depicted in movies, novels and social media. In fact, our Pinocchio commander has set records with his exaggerations. Lying is supposed to be a crime if you lie to congressional investigations. Everyone lies, tells a half truth or engages with lies of omission. To say that man is trustworthy is also misleading. Additionally, my friend, an engineer, worked for one of the big three auto companies. Every six months or year, they provided him with a new vehicle to drive. The company did not pay taxes and called that benefit “he was test driving the car.” Not only was that a lie, the company was also cheating by not paying taxes.

These are troubling statistics regarding man’s moral behavior as defined by some religions of the world. Are we the most amoral group of people? Perhaps, there is not any government nor any religion that can tame, limit, suppress, or control man’s inhumane nature. It does not seem to matter if God is alive or if God is dead as depicted by statistics on dealing with man’s amoral nature. Maybe, our standard for moral behaviors are just too strict, unrealistic and unattainable. No wonder it’s easy for religions and government to peddle fear of your neighbor, group, clan, country etc. Just look at the statistics, as we have generous amounts of hate, prejudice and discrimination. Maybe government contributes to man’s difficulty in getting along with others. If so, maybe everyone should be armed with an assault rifle. Just kidding about the rifle.

It's Not about Intelligence

The theme of this essay relates to the repetition of self-defeating behavior. There can’t be many in our country that do not know about the long-term ill effects of poor nutrition; lack of physical activity; smoking; excessive drinking; and prolonged prescription and nonprescription drug use. One would think that it’s common knowledge that our body or more specifically our organs like heart, lungs, kidneys; infections; arthritis; and a whole host of diseases such as diabetes, cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and dementia etc. become compromised as a result of inappropriate behavioral choices.  For example, according to the CDC, about 72,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2017 and that 3/4 of our country are either overweight or obese.  Not to the surprise of some, recent studies have reported that lifestyle choices can limit genetic predispositions. More about that later.

 Typically, discussions around one’s weight results in defensiveness, and the expression of anger. Typical responses include: I have bad knees; I don’t care; I can’t change; it’s not going to happen to me-I’m going to gamble; I don’t know how to change; look at my relative who drank and smoked and lived to 100; I like food; I like the effects of getting a buzz; I like ice cream too much to give it up etc. There is no denying that the short-term effects of food, cigarettes, alcohol and drug use medicate and provide temporary relief. However, there is no denying that, more often than not, the long-term effects of these short-term fixes result in misery, shorter lifespan that includes a deleterious death. There is also no denying that we are not talking about some disease or genetic predisposition but we are talking about decision-making.

Psychologically, we can explain this self-defeating or abasement behavior as follows. The infant begins to experience praise or love for parental approving behaviors and punishment or perceived loss of love for parental disapproving behaviors. With the loss of love, we are exposed to danger which means that we are not protected. Not only that, we can expect to receive a punishment from a superior figure. Don’t forget that the many approvals and disapprovals by parents are not consistent nor clearly defined. What might seem to be okay or good with one parent is not necessarily the same as with the other parent. In other words, good behavior is not always understood but bad behavior is verbally or physically subject to punishment. The youngster initially learns, that if the discipliner is not present, one can get away with the bad behavior. Later, with the development of conscience, one knows what is punishable and therefore might not exhibit the terrible behavior, even if the authority is not present, because he knows it’s bad. He also begins to understand, with conscience, that even thinking about bad behavior is wrong and subject to punishment. Once again, punishment means the loss of love.  It doesn’t matter if the punisher says something to the effect that “this hurts me more than it hurts you.” The receiving of punishment or discipline is not associated with being loved.

With bad thoughts, and/or bad behavior, guilt is experienced. Guilt is the loss of love because of that internalized figure which might be a parent but not limited to a parent. When that youngster is being punished and/or receiving some form of disapproval, that results in feeling anger. How does this tiny individual respond to this large, omnipotent and powerful person?  To physically or verbally fight back against this dominant person doesn’t make sense because of the fear connected. So, that youngster suppresses that anger while experiencing thoughts and feelings of hate. The suppression of anger, guilt and loss of love dynamic occurs too often throughout one’s lifetime. Remember, one’s thinking evil thoughts results in guilt as well as the fear of loss of love and approval. Yes, we juggle approval behaviors and defend against fear of loss of love when faced against a superior or emotionally important figure in our life space.

It’s been well established, in our culture, that aggression is considered either a drive, a need, an acquired need; a reaction to frustration, or learned behavior because of the reinforcements and/or by the imitation of models within the environment. We also know that aggression can be directed outward toward others as in sadism or directed inward toward self as in masochism. We also know that aggression directed outwards as in boxing, football, soccer and rugby is acceptable because it’s called sport. However, anger directed inward as in the need of abasement-to accept injury, punishment, to seek illness and misfortune are characteristics of man.

It’s clear to me that long term abuse of one’s body, suggests self-punishment coupled with irrational thinking. If it’s self-punishment, that means there’s aggression turned inward along with the memory of being bad at some time or times during one’s lifetime. This memory results in an unconscious need for punishment. The individual through irrational and destructive repetitiveness behavior, systematically harms, hurts and seeks illness and misfortune by lifestyle choices because of an unconscious need for self-punishment. That doesn’t mean that external aggressive behavior as in verbal or physical sadism is not expressed toward others. I can’t think of one obese person that does not hurl verbal abuse outward. Yes, there is more to each unique and individual story as well as the power, the strength and influencing dynamic of their conscience.

Returning to an article published in July 14 of the journal JAMA, was presented to the “Annual Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.” Almost 200,000 people were enrolled in this United Kingdom long-term-eight year study. Diseases like cancer, heart disease, depression and dementia along with genetic variance were studied based on for behavior such as smoking cigarettes, exercise, and diet and alcohol consumption. The researchers found that those individuals, regardless of genetics, that exhibited healthy behaviors were nearly half as likely to develop dementia compared to the others. Unfortunately, the article didn’t comment on other diseases.

In conclusion, it seems that our design is not conducive in engaging in healthy behaviors, but quick medicated fixes. Perhaps, a strategy of exhibiting healthy and making appropriate behavioral choices along with routine healthcare visits, can be accomplished?  Everyone gets punished, experiences guilt and expresses aggression. The strength and influence of a strict and punitive unconscious conscience can be paramount; however there are no guarantees; no one said that it’s going to be easy; and we all are mortal.  In essence, self-defeating repetitious behaviors are symptoms of internal conflict or conflicts that can be confronted. Yes, we are all going to perish. However, while alive, if able, it’s better, in the long run, to react more rationally. The key question is “if able.” So far, man’s irrational and unconscious need driven behavior dominates and is more powerful than his intelligence.

Abandonment

Running past two horses in their separated pipe corral stalls, got me thinking. These horses are separated for a reason. As a rule, one horse, even though it’s a buddy, is sometimes called the alpha horse because of its domination. The domination might be in some form of play, feeding on available alfalfa or even drinking water. We humans generally are not separated by pipe corrals. The theme of this essay relates to abandonment within interpersonal relationships and/ or significant unions.

It is common knowledge that we start out life, on earth, totally dependent, fragile, anxious, and insecure or a helpless suckling. We rely on our caretaker or caretakers for our survival in meeting our physiological needs and requirements.  If all goes well, reasonably speaking, the infant develops some form of a cognitive and emotional sense of trust based on aspects of the care taker’s regularity, continuity and timing with the feeding, diapering, warmth and emotional holding contact process. Roughly, within the first six months or so, if that sense of trust has been developed, the infant cries and/or becomes disturbed when that caretaker leaves its view. That disturbance has been labeled separation anxiety. I could add and reframe it abandonment. Again, when the caretaker leaves the house to go to work or on an errand; or go into another room at bedtime, that infant might react with separation anxiety or abandonment fears. Parents, at times, attempt to resolve the infant’s fussing by bringing its crib into their room or even by bringing the infant to their bed. Of course, these feeble attempts by parents or anyone else, does not in any way resolve the initial dependency, anxiety or abandonment crisis state of being. This devastating emotional truth remains consciously or unconsciously with us during our lifetime. That original dependency separation-abandonment anxiety crisis never gets completely resolved but can only become “medicated.”

Further, lifelong separation- abandonment reenactments occur. A mother’s leaving as a result of occupation or career happens at least five days a week along with weekly errands. The birth of a sibling is another anxiety reenactment that has been called sibling rivalry-competition for love. I could reframe it abandonment as the initially favored firstborn has now been displaced with so much attention going to the newborn. Going from first to second place is not positive in any way. Don’t forget when the infant, ages 2 to 5 attends daycare, preschool or kindergarten there’s another separation from that important caretaker as dependency, anxiety, abandonment needs again become activated. What can make things even worse for the infant, child or adolescent is a divorce. Even though the parent that leaves says “I love you but I don’t love your mother anymore” or “your daddy’s still your father” can easily be translated that love is fragile or tenuous and can’t be counted on to last forever. That is the real message conveyed. Love is not guaranteed to last a lifetime.  That leaving by the parent also gets unconsciously translated by the child “he’s leaving because of me.” Do not forget the accompanying guilt as well. Over and over throughout one’s lifetime the individual experiences, like being imprinted,  this abandonment by initially experiencing an emotional dependency on any number of important individuals or more importantly a “loss of love” by nannies, housekeepers, school and work friends.  Relationships come and go. People die; develop Alzheimer’s; pursue employment; have disagreements, move away etc. The number of losses –separations in a lifetime is incalculable. It’ an awful degree of hurt, mistrust of “love,” and grief.

Now let’s proceed to the union between two individuals. That initial attraction between individuals can be unbelievably strong like two attracting magnets. All reason seems to go by the wayside as if unimportant. Some other individual may present a negative and that negative gets easily dismissed. The motivation is to be with the other. One’s thinking is about the other. One’s behavior becomes irrational as well. Lust or genital love dominates. The outside world diminishes in importance. It’s as if this involvement becomes a form of a “medication” that will solve all the ills of the self as well as the world. One explanation for this “falling in love” is because of a neurotransmitter called phenyl ethylamine or PEA. PEA has been called the real cause that facilitates individuals to fall madly in love with another. Unfortunately, the chemical effects of PEA diminish over 3-5 year time period. Other physical attractions like men with broad shoulders, thin waist, large muscles, being  financially secure and women with large breasts, trim waist, good figure with Helen of Troy beauty are other important variables for magnetic like  attractions.

Don’t forget that each individual brings unresolved dependency, separation anxiety, abandonment, and loss of love anxiety to each relationship. There may be other issues that surface such as trouble with femininity, premenstrual tension, distrust of males, the overvaluation of love, the neurotic need for love etc. For the male individual there may be issues like Oedipal, sadomasochism, power, control, fearful of strong women etc. that surface. Other potential conflicts can surface regarding rearing and disciplining of children, money, religious, political, help at home, time away from family, and other perceived loyalties .These conflicts often happen later and get in the way and interfere with the primary union.  Many, of these later conflicts can be traced back to the original formation of the insecurities of dependency, separation anxiety, abandonment and loss of love. Remember, it’s all about perception of the beholder. It’s not a surprise why long term unions are difficult. Further and unfortunately, the three little words “I love you” are often used to “medicate”. And the initial illusion “ It’s going to be different with me”  changes to … ?Furthermore, whether its marital vows or music “Till death do us part,” and “Don’t Let Your Love Fade Away” sums it up regarding our mortality and the losses through fear of abandonment. Fear of abandonment anxiety, often get expressed in the question “Do you still love me?” This is our reality- we are limited and have a history based on our own psychical constitution.

PS

Tony’s building a second home on Whidbey Island.

It's Tony's Fault

This essay addresses a question that I’m frequently asked “What are you running from?” In order to answer that question, I applied Kurt Goldstein’s Organismic Personality Theory. My reply incorporated a few of neuropsychiatrist Dr. Goldstein’s personality constructs such as Figure-Ground; Equalization; Self-Actualization; and “Coming to Terms with the Environment”

In 1997, while living in the Bay Area and nearing retirement, I was personally introduced to the sport of Ride and Tie. In this sport, two individuals and one horse competed as a team, in the mountains, on a trail of 22-100 miles in length. The object or the “figure” [a process that emerges and stands out against the background-perception and activity] would be competing, the running and riding or action in the particular event and the” ground” would be all the backdrop activities of the particular ride and tie event. In order to participate in the event-the figure, would be perfecting running ability; conditioning the equine; and finding a suitable partner with flawless exchanges. Of course, one could break down perfecting running ability-figure, with various running gear, training and hydration routines, running diversified trails etc.

I wanted to become better, and become more proficient and compete in this sport. I was surrounded and became associated with world-class athletes that had won and dominated the 100 Mile Western States Endurance Run; the 100 Mile Tevis and Hagan Cup; and the 100 Mile Swanton Pacific Ride and Tie. Self-actualization drive was the impetus to master and excel in this rugged event of Ride and Tie. Dr. Goldstein called this self-actualization a master motive. He didn’t address or enumerate on other needs. A need, according to Goldstein, was a deficit state which motivated the person to replenish the deficit. Self-actualization was the replenishment or fulfillment of a need or needs.

Employing Dr. Henry Murray’s listing of needs, I fulfilled ,by participating in the sport , a number of needs  such as: Abasement [to accept injury, punishment, pain]; Achievement [accomplishing something difficult]; Affiliation [cooperating, reciprocating and remaining loyal to a friend]; Play [to participate in sports]; and Exhibition [to make an impression]. At this time, I was also close to retirement and then moved to the Endurance Capital of the World. This environment was ideal for “Coming to Terms with the Environment.” This new environment facilitated my goal toward self-actualization. My environment was perfect for training and conditioning; I was surrounded by world-class athletes; and I was stimulated by all the rugged outdoor events. According to his theory, Goldstein postulated that we have an average state of tension; it gets interrupted and then, by our behavior, we attempt to return to that balance or equal state. This process was called Equalization. I experienced constant disturbances and energy change as a result of my participation in this sport. And, I had no trouble equalizing it by being able to center myself as in proper running practices, deep breathing, resting when tired, and nourishing my body through better hydration and nutrition.

More on coming to terms with the environment. I blamed Tony and frequently tell him “it’s your fault.” I met Tony in 1997 at the Mustang Classic Endurance and Ride and Tie event. Since that time, we have been to equine and running events throughout the state. Tony was there at the vet checks on the Tevis in Forest Hill and at the fairgrounds in Auburn assisting me with my horse Raider. Tony was there at Robie Point roughly 2 ½ miles from the finish for the Western States 100 mile run. Tony and I run three days a week and he has paced me numerous times on running events ranging from 50 K to 50 miles. Tony has accompanied me on book signings and presentations. Tony created a video for “It Has Nothing to Do with Age.” Tony was a co-producer for our TV program. Tony created my email account and my two blogs. Tony even made a rack for me to hold my numerous medals. I’m sure you’ll agree with me that” it’s his fault.”

Optimum mental and physical health was my drive and definition for self-actualization. Ride and Tie facilitated the physical health part as I competed  in many ride and  tie and endurance events; completed Tevis; was an age division winner in the 100 Mile Western States Endurance Run; and with my partner Jonathan and my horse Gypsy,  won the 100 Mile Swanton Pacific Ride and Tie. By the way, I am one of four individuals to have completed these three 100 mile events. Also, during this period, my cognitive  mental health was enhanced by researching and writing  two books  “It Has Nothing to Do with Age,” and Bo’s Warriors -Bo Schembechler and the Transformation of Michigan Football.” Both books had to do with learning about outstanding athletic individuals who were dominant and won awards in extreme sports. We’re still friends today.

Simply put, my main drive these past 22 years became my purpose in life. This drive for self-actualization was for optimum health and well-being. Being reared by a juvenile diabetic father, had a lot to do with my push for a healthy longevity. In essence, I am running from illness and running to health. Ride and Tie, writing two books, and moving to the Sierra Nevada foothills were the perfect choices and environmental circumstances for that goal accomplishment. Knowing what’s important as in “figure” and putting lesser things in the background like “ground” allowed me to continue to compete and experience happiness as a derivative -where it belongs. Sorry Mick, I have much satisfaction. It’s not about trying, it’s about doing.

Choices

 This essay addresses conflicts in “seeking happiness” and the choices of “avoiding of pain.” First a few realities. We have a mind-body that changes in negative and problematic ways during aging. Simply put, we are mortal. Second, we live in nature with its wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods etc. Third, we interact with people in a sociological, capitalistic economic and political society with its rules, regulations, laws and injustices among and between individuals. Navigation within these three realities is certainly most stressful which challenges the   pursuit of happiness and  the continued desperate attempts to avoid misery and pain.

Some of our pleasure and pain avoiding behaviors in dealing with these three realities include the following: 1. We consume alcohol, take drugs or food in order to intoxicate and numb our senses. Some distort and say they are pursuing happiness or pleasurable sensations. Some might say they are avoiding pain and uncomfortable sensations. More specifically, drinking alcohol and drug use has short-term and long-term effects. It allows us to withdraw from others; remove painful experiences caused by others and/or injuries and disease. Do not forget about addiction. How many live with excruciating pain and choose surgery for a solution? 

Surgery is accompanied by drugs before and after. It’s not surprising that the pharmaceutical industry created the blocking of pain. In so doing, this industry also created drug dependence and addiction with its opium/opioid concoctions. Initially, pain was removed in the short-term but the long-term effects are disastrous leading to addiction and death in many cases. We now are beginning to legalize marijuana in order to assist individuals in coping with the realities of living. Drugs, in the long term, do not solve the many issues facing individuals but they do assist people with some managing of their discomfort and problems with their reality.

Take a look at the profits of the food and pharmaceutical industry. They certainly are doing exceptionally well and have profited from the 2018 tax cuts. Recently it was reported that billion dollars’ worth of cocaine was seized in Philadelphia. That sounds like quite a demand for pleasure and/or drug treatment. It’s clear that Homo sapiens want to withdraw from the external world with all its harmful stress and toxic issues.

2. We numb our cognition and escape into TV, movies, sports, novels, electronic games etc. We create imagination, Illusions and fantasy through displacement mechanisms and the vehicle of entertainment. A clear way to escape reality and bring short-term pleasure is our involvement in the entertainment industry. Make no mistake about it, going to the movies is a short-term cost effective way for forgetting about one’s troubles and ills. One can identify with the strong, handsome and protective protagonist combating the villain. The male and female lead actors resolve their difficulties and live and love each other in bliss and happiness. That’s an example of a feel-good couple of hours. Or, there can be a death or reunion on film that allows the individual to feel emotions commonly not experienced. Yes, film-TV are diversions as one can incorporate their own illusion and own fantasy during and after viewing. Once again, there can be moments of so called happiness coupled with more time of avoiding pain and discomfort.

 3. We have painful and toxic interpersonal relationships. We aggressively attack others and even wage large scale wars against humanity on grounds of defense. We are going to attack them there before they attack us. This third way of avoiding inner discomfort or internal suffering is to direct aggression outward toward others. Sadism can have a sexual component as well as a motive of power to control and humiliate another. Beating up on someone physically or employing verbal sadistic exchange once again can have short-term effects of perhaps pleasure and avoiding internal pain. Just think of the amount and degree of sexual and physical abuse of children that takes place. Just think of the brutality performed and exhibited by the military and the police in various situations. Sometimes they say it’s for their own protection or survival. That would be avoiding pain. Hopefully, it would not be for some form of pleasure, power, control or satisfaction.

. A more productive way to withdraw and possibly, to bring happiness and quietness into your being is through yoga. No obvious side effects there. Just keep up a regular routine. Another way to possibly experience happiness and avoid pain would be through creative and intellectual pursuits as in drawing, painting, writing or performing and listening to music. No obvious lethal side effects there. Instead of expressing harmful aggression outwards towards another, become involved in competitive sports or play. In essence, one might be able to experience ways of dealing with pleasure and avoiding pain. Just find them, if you can. However, can we control our nature or mental life to seek something other than pleasure and avoiding pain since we don’t do either very well? It might be easier to avoid pain than finding happiness.

Mortality

2019 has been a year of mortality as I lost another friend. Fred Jones in his early 90s recently passed.  Mensa Fred graduated from UC Berkeley with a Masters in biology. He was a Bighorn or large horn sheep expert.  Fred, the mountain man, spent a lot of time on horseback observing and gathering data.

Gov. Pat Brown appointed Fred to head the California State Parks system. During that time, Fred and Wendell Robie met. Wendell wanted favors from Fred and in their exchange Wendell arranged for Paige Harper to lend Fred a horse for him to ride Tevis. Riding with Wendell and Paige resulted in improving Fred’s equine skills. After the Tevis ride completion, Wendell Robie was injured, and asked Fred to hand out award buckles to the finishers. I had Fred provide additional information regarding Wendell that I included in “It Has Nothing to Do with Age.”

Ronald Reagan, elected governor, fired Fred from his state park position. Fred then worked for the Department of Interior and was sent to Iran. Fred and his wife Gloria became good friends of the Shah of Iran’s brother. He has many super stories and their home was filled with artifacts from that experience.

Fred and Gloria have a travel club called the Vagabundos del Mar. They have traveled all over Mexico but have their home base in Loretto. Linda and I were their guests and we went whale watching etc. while visiting them in Loretto.

When I ran the Western States 100, I told Fred that I would likely enjoy a Popsicle at the 16 mile marker of the run which is near our home. Incidentally, that trail is called the Robie. Fred followed my progress on the Internet and then they met me at the appropriate time. Sure enough, that Popsicle hit the spot. Fred kept the Popsicle cold with dry ice. It was perfect.

About six months ago or so, Tony and I were heading out for our run. A bent over Fred was walking up his steep driveway. I told Tony that I was looking at my future [Fred’s about 12 years older than I am]; and that Tony was looking at his future by being with me [I am about 12 years older than Tony].

Loss is one of the problems of aging. We are present one minute, and gone the next. With aging comes sadness, but good memories. And with loss, I think about my own mortality. This year has been tough and a real challenge. I miss Fred.

PS

Other friends that I have written about in my book that have passed include: Jonathan Jordan, Bob Edwards, Mark Richtman, Jim Steere, Jim Harris, Bud Johns, Jack Sholl and Warren Hellman. Unbelievable when I think about it.

Man's Dilemma Part 2

However, each of these outstanding football player athletes had suffered major physical injuries, self-defeating behavior, as a result of their participation with this sport. Although these terrific athletes are about 10 years younger than I am, I still physically run circles around them and have more endurance. Asked if they would do it again, the answer is “yes.” One interpretation is the Pleasure Principle. The Pleasure Principle is based on the satisfaction of impulses and wishes-it’s illogical, without morality, and does not differentiate between good and evil. It is one of the guiding irrational principles in the unconscious. This takes precedence over the Reality Principle. The Reality Principle is associated with reason, understanding, truth and the postponement of gratification, satisfaction or reward .It’s focus is that which takes place in the external world.  In essence, the Reality Principle modifies the desires and wishes of man’s requirements within his life space.  In reality, we are most aware of the difficulty of ex- players adjusting to the regular world; of the significance of CTE concussions, short term careers and the physical injuries sustained which are part of the sport. Consciously, those realities did not seem to deter behavior.

Other examples of the Pleasure Principle, its irrationality, and self-defeating behavior being dominant over Reality Principle can be illustrated by individuals joining military service during the last 18 years or so, of wars in the Middle East. These individuals are likely, if they are to return, to a troubled home life, to loss of limbs and a posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis. This group of warriors also have the highest rate of suicide as well. Yes, abasement, achievement, affiliation, aggression, counteraction, defendance, dominance, are some of their need structures met by joining the military. Do not forget their Abasement needs.

Two thirds of the US population are overweight and/or obese. Is there anyone, at this juncture, that does not know of the harmful and deadly physical effects of lack of exercise, poor nutrition and excessive weight - the Reality Principle? Yes, I watched the NBA playoffs that was interspersed with commercials of beer, gigantic burgers, and large bag of fries with enormous cups of Coke. Linda just returned from the Shakespearean Festival in Ashland and commented on the large sized people in the audience. She talked about it over and over again.

I’ve heard people say that their knees are bad and exercise and diet are just too hard or they don’t have enough time to exercise. They deny reality and tell me their blood pressure is terrific and also admit that they’re stressed. For the most part, they eat too well and way too much. Once again the Pleasure Principle remains dominant along with their Abasement need. Today’s food is processed with unhealthy and addicting components like sugar. The food industry is smart and knows how to market and addict our food dependency consumers. These unhealthy individuals do not seem to care.

Is there any doubt of the frailty and irrationality in our thinking? Passion needs can easily over rule behavior along with the defense mechanisms that reinforce our irrationality, prudent choice, self-defeating and harmful behavior. Our needs are dominant and rule behavior.  Aggression or self-destruction turned inward are a good example. Yes, life is filled with inconsistencies and irrationality.

Man's Dilemma

This post takes a look at man’s irrational and self-defeating behavior based on the work of pioneers Sigmund Freud and Henry Murray.  In reality, we begin life with the trauma of birth. We are born helpless, anxious, alone and dependent upon another. To compensate for this fragile state of being, we developed strategies for survival, affiliation, development, growth, meaning in life, and our place in the world until death; thus our psychological needs  evolve and are established.

 In the late 19^th century, Freud began developing his theory. At that time, there was an absence of large-scale wars within European societies. However, in European societies, there existed puritanical, non-satisfying rigid sexual mores accompanied with guilt. Within that context, briefly, Freud’s model incorporated a psychosexual instinct or drive called Eros after the Greek God of Love. This was a life sustaining instinct, along with drive reduction, unconscious pleasure principle and reality principle as motivating forces. He accounted for aggression within the dynamics of sadomasochism. Then came World War I in the 20^th century. He realized that sadomasochism did not realistically account for all the devastating, cruel, horrific destruction and death that occurred during that unfortunate time in the history of Homo sapiens.

 In Freud’s dualistic model, he later hypothesized a second major or destructive instinct to account for man’s inhumanity to man. This self-destructive, aggressive, sadistic will for power or death instinct was later labeled Thanatos after the Greek God of Death.  Later on in the 20^th century, Henry Murray created, based on Freudian thinking, and hypothesized a number of needs, not instincts, as human motivational forces. Aggression was one of Murray’s needs. He briefly defined aggression as “To fight. To revenge as injury. To attack, injure or kill another. To oppose forcefully or punish another.” Another of Murray’s needs was called Abasement. He briefly defined Abasement as “To submit passively to external force. To accept injury, blame, criticism, punishment. To surrender. To blame, belittle or mutilate the self. To seek and enjoy pain, punishment, illness and misfortune.”

Let’s start with sport of football to partially explain participation in this dangerous, brutal endeavor. I have firsthand knowledge of NFL friends who excelled in that injury prone sport. These ex-players had terrific careers, received awards and developed a special camaraderie. Yes, Aggression and Abasement needs were prominent. However, they had additional needs met , such as affiliative [ To adhere and remain loyal to a friend]; achievement [To accomplish something difficult]; counteraction [ To overcome weakness and repressed fear]; defendance [ To validate the ego]; dominance [To control one’s human environment]; exhibition [To make an impression]; play  To participate in games, sports, dancing, drinking parties, cards]; sex [To have sexual intercourse]; and succorance [To be nursed, supported, sustained, surrounded, protected, loved, advised, guided, indulged, forgiven, counseled] by participating and being part of the special  fraternity of professional football players.

An Epidemic of Bullying

With the recent Virginia Beach murders, I witnessed more of the same-malignant aggression and destructiveness. In order to fully understand the murderer’s psychopathology, an in depth psychological, neurological and social evaluation would be required. Talking with neighbors and employees provided limited information at best.  As a reult, I can only provide limited speculation.  In doing so, I’m highlighting two variables-spontaneous vengeance and the syndrome of a sadomasochism character.

Vengeance or blood motive has been around for a long time. In fact, the Old Testament, has the “An eye for an eye” or the law of retaliation, whereby a punishment resembled the offence committed in kind and degree. Thus, lex talionis might be in play in the case of this fearful individual. Yes, he was fearful.

Historically, Germany’s loss in WW1, coupled with the injustice of the Versailles Peace Treaty were motivations for its revenge. In fact, it was Hitler that employed revenge. He manipulated and lied about the so called mistreatment by Czechoslovakia. Hitler then used that as an excuse and attacked that country. More about the motive of revenge. Revenge has been prevalent over 2,100 years with the belief that Jews were the killers of Christ which is a rationalization for anti-Semitism. These were a couple of illustrations of retaliation. We do not have to look far, to find countless examples of” getting even “found in current personal, political and everyday occurrences or in the major themes found in books, movies or social media.

Perhaps the murders that took place in that city work place, had something to do with the bully’s perception of being treated unfairly, being slighted, being verbally mistreated or ignored over time. That motive might have contributed to his spontaneous murder-suicide assisted final act. He took control. He determined when, and how of the conditions of his death. That controlling behavior is character related.

Being treated “wrongly, “might be part of this individual’s character in which vengeance was a major trait as in sadism or sadomasochism. Sadism can have a sexual or non-sexual component. Within this character trait, can be found the intensity and tendency of the perversion or passion to control others, to dominate others, to painfully hurt or even kill, and to humiliate another person. Other components of this trait is an attraction to power over others, as in symbolic gun ownership and/or in acquiring wealth.

Physical abuse of children, women and other powerless people that can’t defend or are unarmed are prime examples of the behavior of sadistic individuals. More widespread than painful physical abuse is mental cruelty or psychic pain -the wish to humiliate, to insult or to hurt another’s feelings.  A verbal attack or an attack on social media is safer for the sadist rather than risk a physical attack. Mental sadism can easily be disguised as in asking a question, constant chatter, a smile or a confusing remark. It can also be a disapproving gesture like a rolling of the eyes. Parents inflict psychic pain or embarrassment on their children; teachers on their students; employers on employees; coaches with their players; trash talking between players; pet owners with their animals and of course some threatening politicians. These humiliating sadistic acts often occur in front of an audience. Sadistic behavior runs rampant in our society with meanness being prevalent. Yes, we all exhibit some sadistic behavior. Some more and some less. Hitler was on one end of the scale while Mother Theresa was on the other end.

The inadequate cowardly Virginia Beach sadomasochistic inflicted death and destruction on a number of unarmed helpless individuals. Then he committed assisted suicide or self-destruction, as in Thanatos, in a shootout with the police. Another alienated nobody made the news. However, these news cycles are becoming shorter with less outrage. Are we becoming less sensitive to home grown violence and death?

Goodbye Mark

More sad news when I heard that Mark Richtman recently passed. I was first introduced to Mark in 1997 at the 38 Mile Fort Bragg Ride & Tie World Championship .I had teamed with Paul Robinson for that event. We had finished the first loop and Mark was leaving the third loop, in a gallop, on his horse Eli. Yes, Eli, Mark and, Western States winner, Brian Purcell won that day in 3:53 with Eli winning Best Condition.

Over the next 22 years, I got to know more about Mark. Watching this world class runner run was a treat .He held numerous records and was an outstanding equestrian as well. Despite those distinctions, he was centered, not “full of himself” with an appropriate degree of narcissism.  He was married and his boys were runners also.

In 2002, Mark came in third in the 100 mile Western States Run. When Linda and I put on the Cool Ride & Tie we engraved Mark’s name along with other winners. On one of my Jed Smith runs, Mark was there going after the U. S .record for 50 miles. I remembered Mark lapping Tony and I that day. We critiqued his running form while laughing and enjoying his exploits. After our race, Mark introduced us to Megan Arbogast another world class runner   and Craig Thornley the current Western States race manager. Over the years, Tony and I encountered Mark during our runs on the Robbie trail.

Mark, I miss your smile and positive outlook. You are now running with the Angels.

A few words by Tony.

Sad news indeed what a loss.  Mark was an elite runner but not an elitist. Met Mark doing ride and Tie and endurance riding. First time I saw him was at a Ride and Tie championship I was ahead of him only because I was on the horse at the start and he was on the ground. But it did not take long for him to pass me. Just tied the horse and started up a steep up hill and here comes a guy looking like he was sprinting up the hill leaving me behind. That was my introduction to Mark. Mark was always friendly

At   the Way Too Cool 50K run I would see him often .Always took time out to say hello. Mark also did some endurance riding with his horse Eli. Rode with him a few times at Oakland Hills 50. One ride was especially memorable in that we rode together most of the ride. Coming into the last vet check in 2^nd and 3nd place, we were sure we were not going to catch first place so talking at the vet check we decided neither one of us wanted to race our horse in for a 2^nd place finish and decided to stay together and try to tie. Well we did our best to cross the line together but because of some silly AERC rule they would not allow a tie so Mark came in 2^nd by whisker.

Mark will be greatly missed and this world will be less without him.

Troubling Statistics

Hate, prejudice, anger and aggression towards another have been part of Homo sapiens passion tendencies based on character since the last 30,000 years or so despite the failed teachings of prophets and laws that have attempted to modify, change or prohibit these destructive interpersonal interactions. “Hate Crimes” {a prejudiced, violent motivated crime} statistically became more of a focus during the 1980’s.While aggression is defined as “hostile or violent behavior or attitudes toward another, readiness to attack or confront” has ranged but not limited to angry verbal discourse, saying “no” which has been called passive-aggressive, playing competitive sports like football, to defending oneself or for survival, to killing another as in war, or in mass shootings or murder.

This post addresses the character or personality characteristics of narcissism and group narcissism. It provides some insight for malignant aggressive behavior. Yes, there are other character dynamics but they are beyond the present scope. Erich Fromm described narcissism as “a state of experience in which only the person himself, his body, his needs, his feelings, his property, everything and everybody pertaining to him as fully real, while everybody and everything that does not form part of the person is not an object of his needs is not interesting, is not fully real, is perceived only by intellectual recognition, while affectively without weight and color.” Take note, of the insignificance, non –entity, non-importance of another who was not psychically connected.

 In other words, in order to balance  homeostasis or security ,the narcissistic individual must maintain  his perceived illusion of perfection “I’m  the greatest”,”  I’m the  smartest”, “ I’m the most stable “ superiority over others . Further, his” extraordinary “qualities must constantly be displayed, defended or held on by his narcissistic self-image and identity, because it is paramount and required.  Narcissism can easily be threatened or wounded when the individual  was being slighted, criticized, telling him he’s wrong, not being loyal or even defeating him in a game .When criticized, anger, vengeance, and getting even are consistent responses . One’s narcissism must be fed by  continued agreement, applause, and being a “yes” man”,” You have the greatest ratings”, “The highest turnout”, and by rallies with favorable press and media coverage.

 Individual narcissism with its hate, prejudice, anger and aggression passions can lead to group narcissism by joining a group that has similar tendencies. In group narcissism, it’s the particular group that becomes the greatest, the most righteous, the best, the most powerful, the one and only, the purest, the most patriotic etc. To belong or to be affiliated increases solidarity and cohesion. This results in making manipulation easier {appealing to symbols like flag, star spangled banner, country, political party etc.} with its message of hate, prejudice and aggression. The individual can then feel proud by being part of this most wonderful group. Like as in individual narcissism, these individuals and their mob react with rage, anger and violence to any real or even imaginary wound or perceived threat. The image of one’s own group is elevated while the other group is despised, demonized, devalued, made less human or into non-persons. Additionally, these non-humans are characterized as being cruel and disgusting and defined as having deplorable physical characteristics like color of skin. Further, group narcissism, historically, is one of the main causes of destructive human aggression i.e. Hindus and Muslems; Catholics and Protestants; Israeli’s and Palestinians; Crusades and Muslems; White Nationalists and Jews, LGBT, Muslims, Blacks, Hispanic etc. Moreover, group consensus does not correlate with being right, moral, ethical, patriotic or good. Having someone agree means just that someone agrees.

Hate Crimes, according to FBI statistics, have been on the rise especially since 2016.  Hate groups also have increased from 784 in 2014 to 1,020 in 2018. Unfortunately, the President, in response to Charlottesville 2017, reinforced  his support of hate and prejudice with these Neo Nazi , White Supremacist , Aryan Nation groups when he said something to the effect that” there were very” fine” { excellent, first rate ,admirable, wonderful, great , exceptional, outstanding} people on both sides of the rally.  White Supremacy is a “racist belief that white people are superior to people of other races and therefore should be dominant over them.”   I do not define a White Supremacist or members of that hate group as being fine persons. Only those who are mentally disturbed would classify these people as “fine. “These ideological groups promote and express hatred both verbally and physically toward other groups especially minorities.

With the internet, it’s become easier  for these fringe  groups to recruit and become affiliated especially because of the recruits lack of life satisfaction, insecurity, non-  effectiveness, impotence, being easily lead,  having a scarcity of material wellbeing, without healthy direction, excessive boredom,  extreme hate ,alienation ,lacking empathy, requiring excitement ,stimulation, with a disturbed conscience , and mental health disturbance. In conclusion, all these people share a similar character type.

Discriminatory Practices

The May 5,2019 edition of The New York Times, in the Sunday Review section, provided, In  three articles, descriptions pertaining to racism, in our country  in the past and in the present . It’s clear that continued racism exists overtly.  It’s only the scapegoating and hatred toward some groups that have changed.

The article “When America Built Another Kind of Wall” depicted the despicable hateful sentiment, attitude, and nativism of the elite, and the powerful roughly 100 years ago in our Republic with the following quotes: 1. Calvin Coolidge “Biological   laws tell us that certain divergent people will not mix well or blend. The dead weight of alien accretion stifles national progress.” 2. The New York Times “American Institutions are menaced by swarms of aliens.” 3. Edward A. Ross, sociologist, “They are immune to certain kinds of dirt. They can stand in what would kill a white man.” 4. President of MIT “Newcomers from eastern and southern Europe where vast masses of filth who were living like swine.” 5’ Joseph Lee, Boston philanthropist, “Europe would be drained of Jews- to its benefit no doubt, not ours.” 6. Maxwell Perkins, Editor “Whether we like to admit or not, the mass result of the mixture of the two races in the long run, gives us a race reverting to the lower type. Lower than the Nordics are the questionable Alpines. Lower than the Alpines were the woeful Mediterranean’s. The cross between any of the three European races and a Jew is a Jew.” 7. Carl C. Bringham, psychologist and developer of SAT “There can be no doubt that recent history has shown a movement of inferior peoples or inferior representatives of people to this country.” 8. Perkins and others “The rush of lower races is threatening the very blood of our country.”

The thinking and blatant prejudice by the privileged white {WASP} resulted in the passage of the 1924 Immigration Act. Prior to this legislation, 220,000 Italians entered Staten Island .After this legislation, fewer than 40,000 were admitted. Reductions were imposed on other eastern and southern European groups. However, thousands of openings remained for Britons, Scandinavians   and other Nordic peoples. Further, Madison Grant, founder of the Bronx Zoo was asked “Can we build a wall high enough around this country, to keep out the unwanted?”

So much for change. Although, except for social media, overt hate dialogue has been modified regarding race, Xenophobia etc.  In the next article, “Taxing the Rich is Harder than it Sounds” described the unfair discriminatory policies of the government’s IRS institution. Large corporations and individuals making $ 10 million or more are no match for the IRS’s slashed budget. The wealthy powerful have unlimited resources and brain power that intimidate the inept and weakened IRS. The wealthy have taken advantage of the loopholes in the tax code and have created sophisticated tax shelter schemes. Essentially, they are not audited. Instead , the IRS picks on or audits about 1/3  of claims pertaining to earned income tax credits {one of the largest anti-poverty  government programs} .These 1/3  were found in mostly African –American counties in the deep south.  The IRS wins over the more vulnerable .The system continues to be rigged and unfair.

Another discriminatory institution was exposed in the “Imprisoned for Helping the Widow Next Door” article. In the 1970’s our countries incarceration rates were about the same as Europe’s. Atty. Gen William Barr in 1992 issued a report “The Case for More Incarcerations.” America listened. It worked. Today with 5% of the world’s population, we lock up almost 25% of the world’s prisoners. We hold the record. We are number 1! This statistic does not make America great. Instead, it exposes our prejudices.

These, in many cases, victims are not eligible for Pell Grants {for schooling and training} nor eligible to vote. We also know about the discriminatory
 hiring practices, housing difficulties etc. pertaining to this racially biased jailed population. Our prejudiced policies and profit motive have magnified the racial gaps, left millions marginalized, added to income inequality and again have scapegoated the powerless.

 We have destroyed the hope of a positive present and future for too many.  We[FL1] , the voters, and the lawmakers are guilty and have perpetuated and reinforced deplorable practices. It’s clear that discrimination has been in place per our Constitution (African Americans were 3 out of every 5 slaves counted as a person} since the start of our Republic.  It’s up to us to get in touch and change our unjust discriminatory belief practices with reason and less with twisted emotion or hatred. In essence, critical and independent thinking must challenge and overcome the existing faulty ideology that pervades our political and capitalistic way of life.

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 [FL1]