April/2024 - New Slaves for the New Global Economy - Part 4 Paying the Mental Price

  

Pioneers in the mental health industry like Hobbes, Reich, Adler, Horney, Freud, and Fromm have long contributed precautionary insights into not only the social environment capitalism needs to flourish but also the effects it has on the human condition; the slave, the automaton, you. Fasten your seatbelts and let’s go for a ride down the rabbit hole to where the mad hatters wait.

Being part of nature and yet able to transcend it, “Man is born a freak of nature …  He must fight not only against the dangers of dying, starving, and being hurt, but also against another danger which is specifically human: that of becoming insane (Erich Fromm).” As one learns the social process of becoming a citizen, one trades the spontaneous acts of instincts for institutionalized “Roberts rules of Order” and, as Hobbes points out, one’s selfish nature for power begins to conflict with the herd mentality of sharing. But by becoming part of society, a power felt as unshakably strong, eternal and glamorous, one participates in its strength and glory. Thus, beginning to surrender parts of personal freedom, one’s self-identity and meaning of life are determined by the greater whole into which self is submerged (e.g. church, school, job), with little room for negotiation/compromise: To get your reward, your treat, your check; Simply obey guilt and shame free. But note: Nazi criminals claimed they were only following instructions/orders.

Thus “Man has only the choice of either destroying self or others (Freud’s Death Instinct theory), and Karen Horney’s Neurotic Character. Unlike psychosis (a condition in direct conflict with social reality and needing direct intervention), neurosis is a relatively mild mental illness involving symptoms of stress (depression, anxiety, obsessive behavior, hypochondria, and illogical fear) but not a radical loss of touch with reality. Yet while less severe than psychosis, neuroses causes chronic distress in multiple areas of life from interpersonal relationships to work and even school. In comes Dr. “Kill Dare” with the legal chill pill and Dr. “Ben Crazy’s” therapeutic couch to seal the deal.  Point: The automaton needs temporary reliefs (vacations) and periodic tweaking (therapy). The system is flexible enough to even entertain Fascism (Donald Trump). The information boom is full of confusion and misdirection. Capitalism is gaining momentum toward a global economy (at the expense of growing things like human trafficking and hedonistic addictions), and the mental health industry becomes a booming business.

Faced with an alienating atmosphere of high competitiveness, the average automatons live with constant fear, distrust, and envy. Bouncing between roles of submission and domination separation/estrangement from some essential aspect of self and society often results in feelings of powerlessness or helplessness. Thus, the average person develops varied forms of addiction and sado-masochistic tendencies; the need to dominate or be dominated as a way to escape unbearable feelings of isolation and insignificance. But we’ll delve deeper into this form of neurosis in the next article. For now, suffice to say that Sado-Masochism is affecting interpersonal relations, marriages, and child rearing practices.  

 

People Eyes

 

There are people all around me

Surely warm caring and kind

But trapped somewhere deep inside

I don’t know why — I can’t seem to see their eyes

Can’t help wondering if perhaps they can’t see mine

 

The portals of their souls

Seem so old, so cold, so closed

Suddenly now sold - no more love bold

Yet after long the thought and effort  - maybe it’s just me inside

All hope gone — no point — a sudden loss — a temporary cost

 

My heart and soul is heavy

A burden to my now frail frame

For sure - something in me dizzy and afraid

Yet therein, t’ween pain of lonely and despair

For sure — somewhere therein deep - God seed of love and grace.

 

And so to face adversity and possible disgrace

I rise to greet the sun and pray the son greet me

I strive with life to keep pace

With the human race to be at one I chase

In effort to open eyes - I hope they try and open mine

Perhaps with eyes opened wide — some day -

We see with the rising sun

We really all but one - just one with the only begotten risen son