DIVINE ECHOS IN THE STIR

The Oceanic Feeling: A Whisper from the Divine?

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In chapter one of Civilization and Its Discontents, Freud starts by discussing the validity of the feeling of religion and he ponders if it is based on a misunderstanding of the world. Freud terms this feeling of "oceanic oneness" as a feeling that people report when they are feeling at one with the universe. Freud also states that many people interpret this feeling as evidence of a higher power. Freud did not have those feelings and he was skeptical of its religious significance. Freud suggested that it may be a way of coping with the feeling of isolation and insignificance that comes from living in a large and impersonal world. In chapter one, Freud goes on to say that a psychoanalytic explanation of this feeling is necessary and then he takes a stab at it.


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In this chapter, Freud discusses the development of the ego in early childhood 

Freud states that the ego extends into the unconscious id and has a definite boundary from the outside world. The state of being in love can blur the ego's boundaries. Pathology can also disturb the ego's boundaries. Freud also believed that the ego's self-recognition can be disturbed and that its boundaries between itself and the outside world are immovable. Freud believed that this feeling of oneness that is associated with religion and believing in a higher power may be a regression to an earlier state of mind in which the ego is not yet separated from the outside world. Freud admitted that it was difficult to prove or disprove this hypothesis. 

1. The infant's ego is initially fused with the external world and it only gradually learns to distinguish between itself and the outer world by a process that is driven by the need to avoid pain and seek out pleasure.
1. Freud believed that this feeling of oneness with the universe/ higher power was a vestige of the original feeling of the ego and that this feeling is probably present in many people to varying degrees.
2. Freud pondered the possibility that this feeling of oneness is a glimpse into our deepest selves and our connection to the world around us.

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Freud discusses the concept of conservation of memory in the mind

• Freud makes an analogy of the fact that we can find traces of ancient Rome in the modern city to finding traces of our earliest memories in our minds.
• It is possible for the way that the ego feels in our infanthood to exist alongside the ego feels in its highly developed state of maturity.
• Freud stated that one part of an attitude or impulse can survive unchanged while another part undergoes further development.

Freud's analogy of Rome and the human mind suggests that our minds are layered with our earliest memories and that they are still present even though they are buried under the layers of development which has implications for our understanding of ourselves and our world

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Freud discusses the limitations of our ability to understand the mind in terms of spatial representation.

Freud gives another analogy:

1. He imagines a city where all the buildings from the past are still standing even though they are now stacked on top of each other.
2. He states that this would be impossible in the real world because the same space cannot hold two of the same things at the same time.
3. Freud compares this city to the human mind by stating just as this city preserves traces of its past so does the mind.
1. Freud points out that events such as trauma or inflammation can damage and lead to the loss of memories.

• This is a good analogy; however, the mind is more resilient to change while cities are constantly changing.

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Need for Religion

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Freud believed that the need for religion is more likely derived from the child's feeling of helplessness and the longing it evokes for a father

Freud discusses how the oceanic feeling could become connected with religion later on

• This feeling is a first attempt at the consolation of religion and another way of the ego denying the dangers it sees threatening it in the external world.
• Freud stated that he found it difficult to work with these theories or to prove them. but that he was sure that the "oceanic" feeling may play a role in a religious belief.

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Conclusion

Freud's arguments are based on both psychological and philosophical reasoning and he uses his knowledge of the development of the ego to argue that the "oceanic" feeling is likely related to an early stage in development. He uses his knowledge of the history of religion to argue that the need for religion is more likely derived from the child's feeling of helplessness and the longing for its father.

The author's arguments are persuasive, but they are not without their critics. Some people have argued that the "oceanic" feeling is not simply a regression to an early stage in development, but that it is a genuine experience of something beyond the self. Others have argued that the need for religion is not simply based on the child's feeling of helplessness, but that it is also based on a desire for meaning and purpose in life.

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References

 Freud, S. (2014). Civilization and its discontents. Penguin Classics.

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Freud On ICE:

 Crystals From Down Under

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Sigmund Freud's approach to treating crystal meth addiction would likely be different from Jung's in a number of ways. Freud believed that addiction is a symptom of repressed childhood trauma or sexual conflict. He would likely use psychoanalysis to help the person to uncover and address these issues.

Freud also believed that addiction is a way of coping with anxiety.

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Freud would probably use dream analysis, free association, and other psychoanalytic techniques to uncover any repressed childhood trauma or sexual conflict.

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It is important to note that Freudian therapy is not without its critics. Some people believe that it is too focused on the past and that it does not offer enough practical help for people who are struggling with addiction. 

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Unveiling the Shadow:

 Jung's Approach to Crystal Meth Addiction

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Carl Jung's approach to treating crystal meth addiction would probably focus on helping the person to understand and integrate the unconscious forces that are driving their addiction. Jung believed that addiction is a symptom of a deeper psychological problem and that in order to truly recover, the person must address the underlying issues.

The shadow is a key concept of Jungian psychology. The shadow is the part of the unconscious that contains all of the negative and unacceptable aspects of our personality. The shadow is an important part of the psyche which must be integrated into the conscious personality in order to be whole and healthy.

In the case of crystal meth addiction, Jung would likely focus on helping the person to identify and understand their shadow. I believe he would then help them to learn to accept and integrate the shadow into their conscious personality.

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Jung believed that archetypes are universal symbols and patterns that are embedded in the collective unconscious and that they play an important role in our lives and are useful to help us understand our deepest motivations and desires.

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Jung would possibly look for archetypes that are relevant to someone's addiction. The archetype of the trickster is often associated with addiction and other forms of self-destructive behavior. Jung would strive to find the archetype that is driving someone's addiction to get a deeper understanding of their own motivations.

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A Jungian strategy might contain the following key components:

1. Understand your shadow
1. dream analysis
2. journaling
2. Get to know your shadow - do not shadow shame.
3. Get to know the archetypes relevant to your addiction

JUNG

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Jung was a loyal supporter of Freud early in his career. Freud considered Jung to be his heir apparent, but their friendship and cooperation ended after several years due to theoretical disagreements. Jung was hesitant to embrace the Freudian concept of sexuality and libido and he was critical of Freud's views of human sexuality. Jung developed his own original theory of personality, which attracted a large following. (Shiraev 2016)

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• Jung believed that dreams contain experiences beyond conscious awareness. They should be understood as a multistory house in which the basement is the most fundamental and ancient features

• Jung and Freud disagreed on the theory of dreams. Jung believed that dreams are like mythological stories and images that draw on the experiences of our ancestors. Jung believed that fantasy and our dreams serve as a connector between the experiences of our ancestors and our own experiences.

• Jung was fascinated with mysticism, spirituality, and alchemy, and is seen in his theory of dreams and symbols

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Jung believed that the unconscious mind contains mental relics from earlier generations and that these relics appear in dreams and symbols.

Jung believed that symbols were the unconscious aspects of someone's perception of reality.

Jung argued that memory exists below the threshold of consciousness and manifests on the symbolic level. Jung believed that symbols that spontaneously in dreams provide insights into the individual's unconscious mind.

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  references

Shiraev, E. (2016). Personality Theories. SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781506300795

The Workplace Needs Introverts

 How to Create an Environment Where Everyone Can Thrive

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Short Personality Test

1. assertive
2. talkative
3. bold
4. not reserved
5. energetic

Next to each word rate on a scale of 1 to five of how much that it applies to you. 1 being not at all and 5 being very much so.
Now add up your score and what is your total?

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 According to Gino (2015), if you score 10 points, you will likely have an introverted personality.

• Introverts comprise from 1/3 to 1/2 of the population (Gino 2015).
• Most workplaces are set up exclusively with extroverts in mind.

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Extroverts are often characterized by (Gino 2015):

• Gravitate towards groups and constant action
• tend to think out loud
• they are energized and recharged by external stimuli such as personal interactions, social gatherings, and shared ideas
• being around other people gives them energy.
• Team leaders who are extroverts can be highly effective leaders when the members of their team are dutiful followers looking for guidance from above
• Extroverts bring the vision, assertiveness, energy, and networks necessary to give them direction.
• Extroverted leaders are likely to feel threatened when  the team members are proactive and take the initiative to introduce changes, champion new visions, and promote better strategies
• Extroverted leadership may drive higher performance when employees are passive 
• Extroverted leadership may drive lower performance when employees are proactive

Introverts are often characterized by (Gino 2015):

• Usually dislike noise, interruptions, and group settings
• they tend to prefer quiet solitude, time to think before speaking or acting, and building relationships and trust one-on-one
• they recharge with reflection and deep dives into their inner landscape to research ideas and focus intensely at work.
• Introverted leaders are better when the team members are proactive and take the initiative to introduce changes, champion the new vision, and promote better strategies.

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Dominance complementarity

• Groups tend to be more cohesive and effective when they have a balance of dominant and submissive members (Gino 2015).
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Adam Grant of Wharton and Dave Hofman of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studied a US pizza delivery chain.

• They compared the profitability of 57 stores
• assessed each store leader's levels of extraversion
• how assertive, talkative, bold, and energetic he or she was
• Then for the following 7 weeks, they tracked each store's profits

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Their Results

• Extroverted leadership was linked to significantly higher profits than those led by introverts
• 16 percent higher
• Extroverted leadership was linked to lower profits when the employees were more proactive.
• 14 percent lower

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Discussion of  Results

• Introverts can use their strengths to bring out the best in others.
• Introverts' strengths are often locked up because of how work is structured.
• In a work culture, the typical meeting is loud and talkative, the workplace is open, and the desks are practically touching. Where there are high levels of confidence, charisma, and sociability - Introverts often have to adjust who they are just to pass or fit in. Still, they do so at a price to themselves and the company.

According to Gino (2015), here is how to get the best out of introverts through such meetings:

1. At Amazon, every meeting starts in total silence.
2. Before anyone can say anything, everyone must quietly read a six-page memo about the meeting's agenda for 20 to 30 minutes
3. After reading the memos, the group can focus on reaching shared understandings, dig into data and insights, and have a meaningful debate.
4. This reading time gives the introverts time to process and formulate their thoughts and for some to build up the courage to share with the rest of the team.
5. It often encourages extroverts to listen and reflect and open up to the perspectives of their more silent peers.

According to Gino (2015), the" real magic" is in the writing of the memos:

1. The six-page memos are referred to as narratives, and they tell a story. They have a conflict to resolve and should conclude with solutions, innovation, and happy customers, and this structure provides the meeting with structure.
2. The writing forces the memo authors to reason through what they want to present, ponder tough questions, and formulate clear, if not persuasive, arguments.
3. Some companies are even banning PowerPoint.
4. These memos level the playing field for introverts in an extroverted office meeting session.

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 References

Gino, F. (2015). Introverts, Extroverts, and the Complexities of Team Dynamics. Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, 2–5.

Raymond Cattell

The Psychologist Who Put Personality Traits on the Map

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• Raymond Cattell was a British-American psychologist who made significant contributions to the fields of personality, intelligence, and multivariate statistics. He is best known for his development of the sixteen personality factor questionnaire which is a widely used personality test that measures 16 basic personality dimensions. (Shiraev 20016):  
  
  
  
  
  

1. warmth vs coldness
   
   
   
2. reasoning vs imagination
3. dominance vs submissiveness
4. liveliness vs seriousness 
5. rule-consciousness vs spontaneity
6. social boldness vs shyness
7. sensitivity vs toughness
8. vigilance vs trust
9. abstractedness vs concreteness
10. privateness vs openness to change
11. apprehension vs self-confidence
12. traditionalism vs unconventional
13. group-dependence vs self-sufficiency
14. perfectionism vs unconcern
15. intellectualism vs anti-intellectualism
16. imagination vs practicality

Cattell believed that personality traits were fundamental underlying elements of daily human behavior and experience. He used factor analysis to identify the basic dimensions of personality by studying large datasets of personality ratings and self-assessments. This work led to the development of the 16PF which is a reliable and valid personality test. 

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 Cattell contributed to the study of intelligence.

Fluid Intelligence - the ability to think abstractly and solve novel problems.

Crystalized Intelligence - the knowledge and skills that are acquired through experience 

Cattell believed that fluid intelligence is more important for success in school and in the workplace. He also believed that fluid intelligence declines with age, while crystallized intelligence can continue to increase throughout life.  (Shiraev 20016)

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Multivariate Statistics

• A set of statistical methods that are used to analyze data with multiple variables allows researchers to study complex relationships between personality traits and other variables. 
• Cattell used multivariate statistics to study the relationship between personality traits and job performance, academic achievement, and mental health.

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He is considered one of the most quoted psychologists of the 20th century and beyond.

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 References

Shiraev, E. (2016). Personality Theories. SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781506300795

Gordon Allport's Legacy

The Quest for Personality: 

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 Gordon Allport

Believed that personality is unique to each individual and influenced by both internal and external factors. He developed a three-tiered model of personality traits (Shiraev 2016):

1. Cardinal traits
1.      dominant and pervasive and they shape a person's overall personality\
2. Central traits
1. less dominant but they are still important and have a significant impact on behavior
3. Secondary traits
1. Only present in certain situations and are less likely to influence overall behavior.          

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References

Shiraev, E. (2016). Personality Theories. SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781506300795