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]

Friendship

The article “Should I Make Friends As I Get Older” in the February 26, 2018 Time magazine had suggestions on the “how to.” Loneliness has increased and considered an epidemic despite the popularity of social media. In fact social media might be a contributing factor with its superficiality and anonymity. One doesn’t have to put in much effort to tweet etc., to be emotionally engaged or directly risk rejection.

Studies found that loneliness increased risk of dying by 26%, and was more deadly than obesity and air pollution.  Factors that influenced mortality included increased heart rate, higher blood pressure or hypertension and cardiovascular disease. In other words, loneliness was not good for the heart. On the other hand, one study found that friendships in old age were a stronger predictor of well- being than family ties. I’ll bet that some are unable to find the wisdom in that study. One can always turn to their pets as did this 92 year old man “A lot of my friends have passed away. But I have Princess my late wife’s Pomeranian. She’s there to greet me and sit on my lap while I watch TV. She gives me all the affection I need. She makes my life worthwhile.”

Research studies on health and illness point to the benefits of human connection.  92 year old Meyer Seidman’s statement was included, in the article.  It was implied that a pet, in his case a dog, was related to his well-being. However, what can be concluded from his statement? How physically healthy was Meyer? Was Meyer the best judge of his physical health? How cognitively and emotionally healthy was Meyer? What was Meyer’s definition of worthwhile? Would a video taping of the Meyer house hold give a fuller picture of Meyer in his daily living?  What would Meyer’s medical doctor conclude after a physical was performed?  How important was the Pomeranian lap dog in the equation?

 I concluded that Meyer’s statement was just what it is and doesn’t support the idea that a dog is a friend, there by contributing to longevity. His credibility and reliability are in question.  In Howard’s “How to live to 100 Years Old: 16 Lifestyle Characteristics of the Oldest and Healthiest People in the World, “he reported that his conclusions were based on 24 studies of 100 year olds around the world. Of the 16 characteristics, there were no mention of pets or more specifically a dog as being a contributing factor.  For those doubter’s ,I end with a Josh Billings quote “ It is better not to know so much than to know so many things that ain’t so.”

Personally, within the past year, I had lost one of my dearest friends Jonathan Jordan and my Border Collie Sherry. These two occurrences have left their scares. It has not been easy because of the sadness, loss and joy connected with the many flashbacks of memories. One of the issues in aging is the out- living of those that matter most. There’s no magic pill to fix living with loss.

Kurt Lewin Part 2

A third experiment had to do with Level of Aspiration per Lewin, Dembo, Tamara, Festinger and Sears. In this case, a self-set goal was determined by success or failure of reaching the goal. Goal success increased the challenge. Imagine performing a high jump with the bar set at a certain height. With repeated success [balance, stabilizing, or constancy] at that certain height, the bar can be raised [dynamic equilibrium creating new tension] with a new positive valence, more difficult goal to accomplish. In the NBA, winning the game, winning the series, and winning the championship are example of goals, goal attainment, and equilibrium changes. Success or goal completion reduces the tension, thus achieving homeostasis.

My first ultra was a 50 K in 1997. Then, I heard about the 100 mile one day Western States event. Before I could complete that positive valence goal, I had to qualify by running in a 50 mile competition race. With success at the 50 K, and the 50 mile run, the Western States became my next level of aspiration. With success for that goal, I reached homeostasis. Now, I can choose and have other positive valence goals for other running events. Yes, creating tension and challenges are important.

Leon Festinger, another of Kurt Lewin’s doctoral students, postulated a theory of Cognitive Dissonance.  Within motivational dynamics, attitude, beliefs, ego involvement are significant. If information is consonant with one’s attitudes, beliefs etc., there is an absence of tension or dissonance. If the information is dissonant however, there arises dynamic tension with motivation to reduce the tension.

Employing Festinger’s theory to some of the recent behavior of Atty. Gen. Barr, I found the following.  Initially, Barr reported that he did not read the entire Mueller report with all its substantiating evidence nor did he testify before a second congressional judiciary hearing. The Mueller report and the congressional hearing was dissonant to Barr’s with his attitude and beliefs etc. regarding indicting a sitting president; his loyalty and protection for the president; his standing within the Republican Party; his position and legal opinion as Atty. Gen. and the well-being of his supporters. The report in question, with all its negatives and wrongdoing regarding the behavior of the president and his loyalist’s followers coupled with questions by attending the Congressional committee would result in too much tension or dissonance. Behaviorally, to not read all the evidence and to avoid the congressional judiciary hearing, allowed the dissonance to be dissipated broadly speaking.  Of course, a more complete account employing field theory constructs would include the totality of the perception of Barr’s psychological facts, his complex energy field with all the identified psychological forces, and their particular interactions within his life space. However, that’s beyond the scope of this post.

Needs, tension reduction, interrupted tasks {non-closure}, satiation, level of aspiration and, cognitive dissonance are significant motivational concepts that add knowledge regarding human behavior. Thank you, Dr. Kurt Lewin for your significant insights and contributions to the study of psychology.

Kurt Lewin

Balance, regulation or homeostasis had been established per physiologist Cannon and biologist Selye and others.  Freud’s model incorporated drive reduction of instincts or impulses .Further, Kurt Lewin’s Field Theory model also applied tension reduction as motivational in his examination of human behavior as well.

According to Lewin, a need created a hypothetical state of tension within the individual or person.  Tension was reduced with the Individual by his locomotion or movement toward the goal. Without going into detail regarding life space, psychological environment, goal attainment, permeability of boundaries, part -whole relationships, vectors etc., the goal might have had positive or negative valence characteristics attached to it. There also might be obstacles, barriers, hurdles that have to be navigated or reached by going over, under or through to accomplish the goal.  The research examples that follow illustrate his drive reduction hypothesis model.

Zeigarnik, in her experiments, had children perform a series of tasks. On some of the tasks, the students were interrupted [unsuccessful goal attainment] before they finished the particular assignment. On the other tasks, the students were allowed to complete [successful goal attainment] the assignment. The students were then asked, to recall all the tasks. Statistically, the interrupted or unsuccessful tasks were remembered the most. In essence, the completion or success of the goal reduced the tension and a homeostasis state was reached. With non-completion or a non-success state, motivation and tension still remained and the task was remembered. Just think of a weekly TV series, serial or show. Tension exists. In order to remove the suspense or tension, we have to view the next episode or outcome.  With the absence of suspense or drama, there is an absence of tension. We then have reached balance or homeostasis.

Karsten’s experiment had to do with drawing a simple version of a cat. The cat had a circle for its head, a larger circle for its body, two triangles or ears on the head, and a single line or tail coming from the body or larger circle. The subjects were asked to copy or draw the cat on paper until told to stop. Without fail, the subjects drew the cat over and over, going from left to right in a relatively neat straight line. After a while, the drawings changed dramatically and were distorted by becoming smaller, larger, and no longer on a straight line. It’s clear that boredom, interfered with the task or goal. Initially, the goal had a positive valence but it became a negative valence over time {repetition}, as tension was reduced.  Going from a positive to a negative valence was called satiation. Satiation or drive reduction with lousy work performance was clearly exhibited by workers on an automotive assembly line. Workers frequently were late, missed work, and used drugs and alcohol to combat the effects of satiation from repetition. In fact the Japanese automakers, Incorporated a team approach with communication, group cohesion etc. to reduce the dynamics of satiation and poor performance. Teachers also destroy interest in learning by employing monotonous or repetitive classroom and homework assignments that result in satiation.

To Be Continued

Hans Selye

While researching the effects of depression and stress on the heart, I thought about Dr. Hans Selye with his pioneering research on stress and distress. Dr. Selye was born in Europe and achieved his Doctor of Medicine and Chemistry in Prague. During his illustrious career , he was  affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, McGill University and the University of Montréal.

Dr. Selye believed that stress was an everyday experience. He hypothesized that the body responded in a stereotyped manner with identical biological changes to stressors. Stressors include heat, cold, lifting rocks, running 50 K’s, going without food, having sex, working etc. Regardless of the stressors, the biological changes are characterized by enlargement and hyperactivity of the adrenal cortex, shrinkage or atrophy of the thymus gland and lymph nodes, along with the appearance of gastrointestinal ulcers. Adding to the ideas of Walter B. Cannon, the organism physiologically was often in a state of homeostasis. With stress, the body is no longer in homeostasis but adapts, adjusts and attempts to regain homeostasis.

Selye established a model referred to as the General Adaptation Syndrome [GAS] that took into account the body’s organ changes caused by cold, heat, infection, trauma, hemorrhage, nervous irritation etc. There are three stages in Selye’s GAS model. Stage 1. The alarm reaction in which the body shows the changes characteristic of its first exposure to a stressor.  Hormones cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine are produced along with the fight or flight response. Stage 2. Resistance occurs as a result of continued exposure to a stressor and is compatible with adaptation. Stage 3.  Exhaustion follows as a result of too long of a continuous exposure to the same stressor to which the body became adjusted. Eventually adaptation energy is exhausted. Signs of the alarm reaction or distress occurs but now it’s too late, irreversible and can lead to death.

Dr. Selye suggested that there was superficial, deep, adaption and finite energy. In other words, stressors can be withstood [resistance] for just so long because the body subsequently reaches an exhaustion state. He also believed that a stressor does damage over time and leaves its chemical scar. As a result of accidental conditioning, various body parts such as heart, kidney, brain, gastrointestinal tract can become affected. Eventually, the weakest body link breaks down first. With the breakdown, the body goes in and out of homeostasis but the adaptation process leaves an indelible mark over one’s lifetime.

Dr. Selye stated there was a close association between work, stress and aging. He stated that aging results from the sum of all the stresses to which the body had been exposed during lifetime. With aging, there are irreversible scars that accumulate as evidenced by tissue damage, and the loss of elasticity of connective tissues. However, as far as endurance was concerned, the body’s   superficial energy can be replenished after rest or with some activity diversion. In the end, the body breaks down to the stage of exhaustion or death.

According to this pioneer, distress affects the body, brain, heart, liver etc. throughout our lives. One way to reduce the lifetime of chemical scars, is to minimize stress in our lives. Selye identified notables such as Pablo Casals, Winston Churchill, Haile Selassie, Albert Schweitzer and numerous others who   enjoyed their creative working pursuits. Simply put, find work that you enjoy and that allows you to be successful. To combat the physical decay of senility, Selye either swam or rode his bicycle for an hour, every day at 5 AM.

PS

I found in the April 15, 2019 edition of Time “Listening to uplifting dance music may help you get over a cold. The 2008 study by researchers in Germany said 50 minutes of the music cut volunteers levels of the stress hormone cortisol and boosted antibodies.” Further, I received in the mail a continuing education class titled “Mindfulness and Stress Reduction.”