The cliché “ what makes Johnny click “ has been pondered by the greatest philosophers. Determinants of conduct have been explained as based on knowledge, instinct , free will ,unconscious factors, hedonism , needs etc. Machiavelli , in the 16th century, observed the government of Florence. He concluded , was inferior to those of ancient times and attributed the defects to education and to religion. He saw princes motivated to gain power by egoism. Machiavelli thought that the major motives used to manipulate the populace were fear and love with fear being stronger and more durable. This essay addresses fear with its implications and ramifications.
Otto Rank wrote about birth, and man's motivation to avoid separation anxiety. Afterbirth, the infant's survival, security and well-being is primarily based on the mother or caretaker with its need for dependence and affiliation . Within this dyad, results in the emotions of fear, anxiety, tension and stress .These terms are used interchangeably. While pursuing pleasure, security and survival from the mother, it also experiences conflict, frustration and tension with the object . In other words, the need for affiliation results in experiencing degrees of pleasure, love, comfort, as well as elements and expressions of tension, frustration, conflict, aggression, hate and hostility. Early learning experiences and their associations first begin, according to Piaget, in the sensorimotor stage; then the preoperational stage ; the concrete and finally the formal operational stages of development . With that in mind , are examples of what can take place in the primitive mind of youngsters based on interactions with mother. 1. The image of the caretaker might be something like, if cared for, then a "good" mother. 2. The image of a "bad" mother resulting from the mother's tension or preoccupation during feeding . Later, additional images can be formed - a seductive mother ; an overprotective mother ; a helicopter mother ; a spoiled child mother etc. These memories can be repressed ,denied , modified or rationalized over time..
A second example taking place in the primitive mind pertains to associative learning as illustrated by Franz Kafka in one of his short stories. “ A dog who lived in a kennel, surrounded by a high fence, was urinating one day when a bone was thrown over the fence. The dog thought, "My urinating made that bone appear." Thereafter, whenever he wanted something to eat. He lifted his leg. “ A human example would be crying and then receiving the nipple . To receive a nipple, a crying response is learned.
Returning to the nursing situation ,in the sensorimotor stage of cognitive development, in which a hungry, tense baby is seeking to satisfy hunger, security and relief from a tense ,harassed ,tired immature mother .The baby’s goal is to reduce hunger which is pleasure. Within this frequent situation, the infant "learns," remembers and develops expectancies . Is the nipple "Good" because satisfaction is coming; good, but "unsatisfactory" because the baby is not hungry; " wrong" because the nipple doesn't give milk; or "bad" nipple because the mother is anxious, not available, hurried inconsistent or preoccupied. Henry Harlow's research demonstrated the emotional benefits for a held baby , during feeding, with tactile warmth versus without . In contrast to the emotional deficits in having a bottle propped for the baby to function on its own.
During the sensorimotor, preoperational , and concrete stages of cognitive development, the baby learns, within its dyadic interactions. Mother can be good or bad ; father can be good or bad as can siblings and others . Further, the perception , the memories, the primitive learning ( lack of knowledge, vocabulary, information and inability to abstract ) personal images - the personifications of things , ideas , persons or groups are formed ,although limited and affect reality . Moreover, with primitive cognitive development, associations , oversimplifications , images, biases ,fear based prejudices and paranoid ideas are formed in the mind within cognitive stages of development .
These representations become ground-floor or a foundation for biases, prejudices or inflated goodness that interfere with developing a sense of empathy .Furthermore, The Golden Rule suggests we treat others the way we want to be treated. However, if primitive thinking and irrational behavior is the norm, we don't want to be influenced by them in the same way. With empathy, we can love another and recognize our neighbors as separate human beings. Without empathy, human relations suffer. In other words ,during cognitive development, we create images of good, bad, ugly , With the capacity for abstract , objective , scientific, logical, moral , and ethical thinking, beliefs can be changed and modified . If not, one can be fixated at primitive levels and accompanied with cognitive dissonance ( taking in information based on the preexisting) behavior. Primitive thinking distortions interfere with evaluating objectivity, truth , reality and with meaningful unions.
During my cognitive development, my personification included Gov. G.Mennen Williams ,called “ Soapy “( Colgate- Palmolive family) . My dad's friend Harry Sears said the governor was "clean." Unions were personified, along with fighting discrimination and prejudice because my father was president of the union and all colors of people visited our home Later on, I visited the Teamsters union hall on Jefferson Ave. with Jimmy Hoffa. Outside in the parking lot, during winter, were men wearing long overcoats adjacent to parked black cadillac’s . Labor Day in Detroit was a big deal and another of my personifications as was the Jefferson -Jackson Dinner . I also have a picture of Dad with the Governor signing protective legislation for postal workers from dog bites. Years later, when my father retired , I heard many testimonials and accomplishments attributed to him based on his leadership at those special and memorable retirement dinners. That reinforced my understanding of the benefits of union leadership .
Empathy, humanism, fair play, truth, also became personified based on identifications . My father’s mission of assisting others irrespective of religious belief ,skin color , righting a wrong , fighting discrimination and prejudice was a common reality. His cognitive, emotional and compassionate empathy was expressed daily. Note, my brother and sister also learned and practiced empathy in their careers .
Proceeding from cognitive development, we turn attention to the negative consequences of tension. Tension can be positive or pleasurable as with infatuation or can be negative as with pain and discomfort . Research has documented that excessive negative stress creates a wide range of ailments. They range from mental frustration, anxiety, depression, headaches, allergies, ulcers, to heart disease. In the long run ,excessive stress shrinks brain size , wears down the immune system and leads to cancer and other diseases. Negative stress increases the body's production of free radicals and is associated with the stimulation of the adrenal glands that produces the stress hormones cortisol , epinephrine and norepinephrine which then burn energy at a high rate. Free radicals become the polluting byproduct . This occurrence sets off a chain reaction resulting in still more free radicals . Free radicals are associated with hypertension, ulcers, myocardial infarction, diabetes, infections, arthritis, cerebrovascular accidents, psychosis, cirrhosis, along with Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease. Also, high levels of cortisone diminish muscle growth and are associated with acne, alcoholism and obesity. Note, that not all levels of stress are the same. Death of a spouse is much more significant than a weight gain of 10 pounds. However, it's the constant bombardment of fear ( which we are not equipped to withstand) that's perpetuated within our society by our current political state .
Fear remains a constant “brainwashing” device politically. Locally, we elect representatives to city , county , state and federal offices. With gerrymandering, a political party can ensure its stronghold on areas ensuring its power and control. Thus , we have the likelihood of minority rule with doctored boundaries. North Dakota has two senators as does California which is another example of an uneven playing field . Five members of the Supreme Court determined abortion to be a crime, another example of minority power. More threats to well-being include the potential government default regarding the debt; the burning of books, eliminating teaching of CRT, discriminating against LGBT and others. Do not forget the war in Ukraine, ”rioting “ in the street because of the Trump indictment, murder of children in the schools, rising mortgage rates, inflation, discriminating against the right to vote by Blacks and college students, income inequality and so many other fear based threats. And, the purpose of the Texas Senate passing a bill requiring the irrelevant 10 Commandments to be prominently displayed in every single classroom ?
Believing a pathological liar and incorporating “ fair and balanced “ lies from Fox news pertains to the 10 Commandments . Unfortunately, the identity of many of these folks is related to being manipulated by the big lie. The Fox news payout exposes their fear of being wrong and becomes dangerous because they have to maintain that Illusion. .In other words, the reality of truth is a threat, because they have nothing to gain by it and will simply make them sick .The cliche “ the truth hurts “ fits.
In conclusion, the employment of political fear-based tactics is not new but continues today and significant in perpetuating illusions regarding security , freedom and justice. Our current state of knowledge depicts Homo sapiens as anxious, insecure , requiring dependence while seeking security, comfort,pleasure ,happiness or power, possession and status within human dynamisms. Research has well documented the implications and negative ramifications of the dangers associated with fear, anxiety, stress, and tension. With that being said, it's not surprising that our country again is at a critical crossroads with its inordinate amounts of physical and mental sickness . At the present, our governmental process is based on a plutocracy rather than a democracy because of the wealthy super PACs dictating policy. Their goal is egoism and greed ,not empathy or humanism. Take it from Machiavelli, fear works politically, in large part ,based upon education and religion.
Reference
Klatz, Ronald and Goldman, Robert. Stopping the Clock.
Sullivan, H. S. Conceptions of Modern Psychiatry.
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