American Government……Leadership or Not?

In light of the recent shutdown in our United States government, I decided to take a look at our supposed leaders and examine the aspects of true leadership and see if those who are in charge of our governments functioning are actually true leaders, or just a group who are being followed.

There are many aspects of leadership that are accepted by most psychologists and business people, however here(for the sake of time and space)we will discuss those few that are accepted as the most important.

The first aspect (and perhaps the most important) is do the leaders create a Vision that others can believe in, rally around and become a part of? This nations founders had a powerful vision, not only something that people could believe in and become a part of…but something that they would have to rally around to grow as individual and groups. Does the American government currently have a Vision that the people can believe in? Obamacare? Tax Reform? Jobs? The Economy? It really doesn’t appear so. The latest government approval rating shows that around 5% of Americans approve of the job the United States Congress is doing. President Obama is doing somewhat better at about 44% approval(Galllup)……These number show little belief in the government and it’s Vision.

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The next aspect of leadership is being able to set goals that are achievable, and creating a dynamic that allows the group(in this case the American people)to participate in achieving these goals. This principal of involvement allows others to offer their expertise and skills to making the goal possible, and this principal also creates the possibility for innovation and the establishment of new goals. This was one of the pillars that the United States of America was founded on, maximum utilization of expertise and participation. The marginalization of certain groups of people is causing harm to this nation, because we are not taking advantage of their expertise and skills, all because they are different or don’t have as much as others. Leadership is not occurring if only the leaders are participating.

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The final aspect of leadership that we will discuss today(remember there are many others)is the ability to motivate others to motivate other to achieve the aforementioned goals, without motivation people will not participate in the needed tasks, or will participate, but not for very long(or willingly). Motivation goes hand-in-hand with having a Vision people can believe in, but as a leader you must maintain that believe and energy, otherwise it will lose it’s drive. There are many examples of our government offering it’s people motivation(whether intrinsic or extrinsic); Motivating the American People from an agrarian economy into the more aggressive industrial economy, The Roosevelt Administration motivating the American People out of The Depression and into World War II, and the increase in national infrastructure. However I see just self-motivation, and the motivation for survival amongst many of the American people, I see no connective motivation from our government.

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According to these standard factors that dictate leadership, there is little to no amount of leadership currently coming from our nation’s capitol. Leadership tends to come directly from the American People, the people provide their own vision for their future which they interpret into survival and social goals.People provide their own motivation in America today.

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‘The Breakfast Club’ Ends the MFF Summer Movie Series at Montclair State University

The Montclair Film Festival ended their Summer Movie Series with the showing of John Hughes 1985 classic ‘The Breakfast Club’. The arguably all-time best high school flick ever made, and on of Hughes most identifiable works.

This film strikes a chord with everyone who sees it, and tonight was no different. Pre-movie entertainment consisted of a collection of some of the best music from the 80s (Tom Petty, Pat Benatar, Modern English….), which got the crowd in the mood for one of the best, hard-hitting films ever to come out of the 80s. The crowd seemed excited for this film to begin, especially after the success of the rest of the summer series. It was a beautiful night or an outdoor film, even though I felt a few raindrops fall during the start of the movie at a little before 9:00, the weather immediately cleared as a perfect breeze moved in for the rest of the night.

Both young and old attended; this wasn’t just a student event. Those who remembered ‘The Breakfast Club’ from the 80s in the theaters attended, those who have been introduced to the classic on VHS and DVD, and those who had never seen this ‘must see’ film before. The crowd easily exceeded 250 individuals, and as with the previous outdoor showing of ‘Big’, this movie attracted passersby all night.

Everyone enjoyed hearing the multitude of classic lines from this film, such as; “So it’s sorta social, demented and sad, but social, Right?”, “Does Barry Manilow know that you raid his wardrobe?”

This film does a masterful job of bringing you back to your teen years, bringing up memories of the ‘cliques’ back in high school and how the we’re so different and yet so very much alike. ‘The Breakfast Club’ started out as five very different teenagers who for one reason or another ended up in detention, and quickly became a group who recognized the need for support and encouragement.

With the summer ending on a high note with the successful showing of ‘The Breakfast Club’, I look forward to future showings of more classic movies in and around the Montclair, New Jersey area.

Dr. Jekyll & Mr Hyde, A Reflection of Our Own Inner Monsters

In 1886, Robert Louis Stevenson penned the often misunderstood story of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. This is often thought of as a story of Good vs Evil, but if you examine the story more closely one will discover that Dr. Jekyll was not only pursuing the ‘Evil’ side of himself, but the many selves that lie beneath.

We all have our own inner primitive self that we keep under tight control just beneath the surface, the raging beast that gives us strength and drive, the ability to ‘defend ourselves’, we all need this creature of violence otherwise we would not be who we are. We all become angry at one time or another, we all have a selfish side to ourselves(fortunately, most of us can control this aspect)the part of us who is possessive, vain,  controlling…..these are perceived as negative aspects, but they are all part of our whole self.

So, why is this horrible beast so critically important to our well-being? Why is it that we can’t live without the monster inside each of us? A good example is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need’s, an accepted collection of need’s for human psychological actualization. Physiological Needs: This requires the base instincts that we obtain from the predator inside all of us, the hunter that allows us to seek out food, drink(shopping), sex, and allows us to find the resources for sleep, without the creature none of these skills would be present, our survival instinct belongs to the beast. Safety Needs: These needs require the strength and protective instincts that the monster affords us all, our pursuit of security, employment, law & health are actually consistent with this. Psychological Needs: As we climb Maslow’s Hierarchy we see the emergence of the human intellect, compassion, control, in other word’s the ‘Jekyll’ to the ‘Hyde’ that we have been discussing. In obtaining the Psychological Needs(Family, Affection, Relationships, A Work Group)we must control the beast, and use the powers of judgement that come with our advanced intellect. Esteem Needs: Most would think that we had taken the final step away from the beast, but remember that the beast is proud and vain, both necessary aspects of self-esteem. Self-Actualization: Now that we have reached the pinnacle of Maslow’s Hierarchy, we find the emergence of our personal Dr Jekyll, the creativity, morality, problem-solving, acceptance……but what gives us this drive to achieve these aspects, what gives us the energy and strength to reach this point…..the beast.

There are those in our society who have for one reason or another given into the monster inside, given into the baser predatory instincts. These are societies criminals, individual who have created their own form of self-actualization, sociopaths. When control is removed from the beast this is the result. But worry not, those who have left societies norms have been found to have some form of moral or psychological defect….these are the few, most of us have learned to integrate our own personal Mr Hyde with our Dr Jekyll into healthy productive lives.

Robert Louis Stevenson, a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist & travel writer, was well ahead of his time in his understanding of the human condition, or was he just spinning an entertaining tale about a man who tried to achieve more than he should?

Boeree, D. C. (2006). Abraham Maslow. Retrieved from http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/maslow.html

Profile of the Sociopath. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.mcafee.cc/Bin/sb.html

Robert Louis Stevenson. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.robert-louis-stevenson.org/

Stevenson, R. L. (1886). The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde.

Why Does My Cat Own All My Stuff????

Haven’t you ever wondered why your cat seems to consider everything in your house(and everything around your house)as belonging to him or her?  Why cats do what they want, when they want? Probably because they are awfully adorable when they are doing it…..but I digress. So, why do cats think that everything belongs to them? We may never REALLY now why cats are so possessive, but we can guess.

Even the cutest, most adorable cat in the world is a predator, under all of that soft fur is a hunter, an animal that is capable of invoking untold amounts of terror in it’s prey. Cats can become very possessive, of people, of  toys, of their food(did you ever try to take food away from a cat….not recommended). This is when cats are isolated, and do not experience the companionship of other pets or people. When cats are exposed to new experiences, and animals they become very communal creatures(they may be a bit standoffish at first, and may ‘tests the waters’), eventually younger cats can become lifelong friends with anyone.

So, eventhough you cat may never give you up and may think  that you belong to him or her, cats are flexible and will allow others into your life and theirs. Older cats(like people)are more set in their ways and may not be open to other people or animals messing with their stuff(or you).

Why are cats so possessive? It’s that primitive brain, that part that tells the cat “If I give you my stuff, what will I have when I need it?”, we all have that as a part of who we are, but it is our intelligence that allows us to share our space with others, to understand that others may need our “stuff” but that  they may be willing to share their stuff with us when we need some. Cats(like other higher animals)are very much like people, sometimes standoffish at first(depending on the vibe they get) when dealing with new situations, but then they open up to the experience(very often completely).

So, when you look at a cat, don’t see an aloof, snobbish animal who wants nothing to do with you accept to take all of your stuff…..see a loving creature who may just be misunderstood, and who may come to love you more than you love it.

Vampires….not what you think.

Vampires, the ancient evil that plagued medieval Europe’s perceptions of the night, the immortal terror that would supposedly stalk the people of that time by cover of darkness, those beings who would exsanguinate people for sustenance. But there are people among us today who exhibit all of the aspects of the Vampire.

There are two different distinct definitions of the term Vampire according to Webster’s Dictionary,

Vam-pire, noun                                                                                                                                                                              

1 : the reanimated body of a dead person believed to come from the grave at night and suck the blood  of persons asleep

2 a : one who lives by preying on others

   b : a woman who exploits and ruins her lover

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The most telling of these two definitions is the second, “One who lives by preying on others”.

Odds are that you know one of these emotional vampires, these are the people who can suck the fun out of any situation, those who drain your energy without offering anything in return. These can be the interfering mother-in-law, the overbearing boss, “The Victim”(the most deceptive of all the emotional vampires), those who must control every situation, those who constantly talk and never allow you to be part of the conversation, and the Drama Queen. These are often referred to as narcissists, depending on the level to which they take their behavior.

There are tried and true method of combating these individuals ‘energy-sucking’ abilities, and it doesn’t involve using a cross, holy water or a wooden stake. The way to handle these ’emotional vampires’ is with self-confidence, tenacity, and a self-optimistic viewpoint. The general method for handling these people is to ignore them, but these ’emotional vampires’ will often not recognize their behavior…..so, you often will have to stand up for yourself and assert your own personality.

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So, remember…..that when you refer to the ‘vampire’, you are referring to a creature that is a metaphor for some of our darkest, most socially disruptive psychological dysfunctions, narcissism, obsession, and sociopathology.

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References

Emotional Freedom, Judith Orloff, MD

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/emotional-freedom/201101/whos-the-emotional-vampire-in-your-life

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Webster’s Dictionary

Vampire

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vampire

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Psychology Today

Narcissim

http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/narcissism

Mental Pools

We all play in our own individual pools of thought and perception, these are unique to each of us(as unique as our own fingerprints). These ‘pools’ of thought often dictate how we approach the world and other individuals, how we view ourselves and how we deal with problems and issues that may arise…..these pools are always expanding as we learn and grow as individuals, as we experience new events, our pools may even overflow into the pools of others.

In order to understand where other people are ‘coming from’, we often will have to ‘play in other people’s pools’, getting inside another persons head, sharing in another person’s experiences. Through sharing we can often open up rivulets between individual pools of thought and perception, which allows us to expand ourselves, our nature, and our concept of existence.

The introduction of trauma, damaging emotions, or thought patterns have often caused a ‘ripple effect’ in many pools of thought, creating feelings of guilt, depression, and inadequacy. These thoughts and perceptions effect everyone connected with that individual in a multitude of ways….so, be careful before you ‘pee in someone else’s pool'(you never know what the effect might be).

Fortunately, this works both ways…..as trauma and damaging emotions have a ‘ripple effect’ in one’s pool of thought, so do positive emotions, these often have an effect on everyone(assuming that their ‘pool’ hasn’t been mired by too many depressing, negative emotions).

So, although we have these pools of thought and perception that we all have that often dictate how we will view the world and others, it is important that we engage in relationships with others, that we experience new things when we can, that we do what we can to make ourselves better people. In other words, when the opportunity presents itself, go ahead and jump in the ocean.

Examination of Fear

Why do many of us love Horror Movies? They give us the opportunity to experience our fears in a safe, secure environment. Many of our ‘phobias’ are the storylines for some of our favorite(and not so favorite)horror films.

Isolophobia(Fear of Being Alone) –
The Fear involved in the Haunted House Scenario, such as Alien(the classic Haunted House in Space)or the classic story of The House on Haunted Hill is derived from the fact that we are communal animals, we fear being seperated from those of our own kind, being out of contact with our local support system. Several other phobias related to Isolophobia include, Taphephobia(Being Buried Alive – Buried Alive), Agoraphobia(Open Spaces – Wolf Creek), Spacephobia(Outer Space), Claustrophobia(Confined Spaces).

Hydrophobia & Ichthyophobia(Fear of Water & Fear of Fish) –
Probably the most ‘influential’ horror movies involving the fear of water and fish continue to be Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster smash Jaws and the always frightening(on soooo many levels)Open Water(Open Water falls into multiply catagories here, but the most obvious is Fear of Water & Fear of Fish). But where does this fear come from? Our fear of water comes due to a number of reasons; it’s awesome power(it is one of the few unstoppable forces on earth), and it’s lethality(On average, 4,000 people in the USA die from drowning each year…225,000 people were lost during the 2004 Sumatra Tsumami …approximately 90% of all hurricane deaths can be attributed to the storm surge, the dome of water created by the low pressure center of a hurricane).

The Fear of Fish often comes from our fear of what is strange or obscure(fish come in all shapes, sizes and varieties…from the Octopus, to the Trout, to the Sea Cucumber). When it comes to movies such as Jaws or Open Water(or Orca), we fear the size, strength and physical lethality of the many predators that inhabit our oceans(Sharks and Killer Whales), and the unpredictability that comes along with their        primitive animal nature.

Necrophobia(Fear of Death or Dead Things) –
This is quite possibly the most easily understood fear out of all of those listed here. Death and Dead Things(Zombies, Mummys, Spectres…)remind us of our own mortality, our eventual deaths. One of the most disturbing forms of death in horror movies involves the inherent Fear of Devouring(Phagophobia)which is most prevalently featured in the George Romero Zombie Horror movies Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Land of the Dead, and Diary of the Dead. This fear of being consumed harkens back to our primitive pre-history, during which time our ‘fear-response’ protected us from predators hunting us for sustenance.

Dysmorphophobia(Fear of Deformity) –
The Fear of Deformity is a very natural fear that we all possess to one degree or another, once again we fear things that are strange or different, but in this case we fear that such deformity could be inflicted on ourselves. Be it Freddy Krueger’s horribly burned face(Nightmare on Elm Street), the various facial deformities of Jason Voorhees(Friday the 13th part 2), or the various mutilations feature during the Hellraiser series of films…we all fear for our own appearance when confronted with deformity.

Demonophobia or Daemonophobia(Fear of Demons) –
As human beings we have an inordinate fear(and for some a facination with)of the supernatural, specifically; demons, devils, witches and other occult practices such as black magic(depending on one’s theological beliefs). Demons have specifically invoked fear in horror movies through their use of dominating abilities, such as; Possession & Mutilation(The Exorcist), Controlling their surrounding environment to envoke happenings(The Omen & The Omen II), Inhabitation and Domination of a physical location(The Amityville Horror)…or in the case of the movie Paranormal Activity, all three! Once again, we fear what we cannot control and what we cannot comprehend.

Molysmophobia or Molysomophobia(Fear of Contamination or Infection) –
This is an interesting fear, because instead of fearing an external force that we cannot control(once again, we fear what we cannot control or comprehend), Contaminations and Infections are INTERNAL forces that exist within our bodies that we are unable to control(or even see for that matter)or escape from. During the horror movie Quarantine, Jennifer Carpenter‘s character’s fear originated from her inability to combat the infection that was(supposedly)within her.

Xenophobia(Fear of Strangers) –
The fear of strangers is one of our most basic instinctual reactions…we fear what we do not know! We fear for our personal safety and the safety of our loved ones, we also fear for our personal possessions, and that fear often does not subside untill we gain some ‘personal knowledge’ or ‘influence’ over the Strangers that we are encountered with. During the movie The Strangers terror escalates because we are never quite sure of the intent of the ‘family’ that persistently ‘terrorized’ stars Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman.

Spectrophobia(Fear of Ghosts) –
The Fear of Ghosts(or Spectres, Shades, Apparitions)is an ancient fear that involves a number of aspects from our list here. Fear of the Supernatural, once again we fear what we are unable to control(The Shining), Fear of Strangers(Xenophobia)- We often know nothing about these spirits, where they really come from or how many there truely are(Poltergeist), Fear of Dead Things(Necrophobia)- Ghosts and Spirits are once again often a reminder of the afterlife and our own mortality(The Others, The Sixth Sense). We all live in a ‘tangible’ world and we are used to dealing with material objects and individuals, spirits and spectres in the horror movies exist on a level beyond our control and comprehension…creating fear and apprehension.

Zoophobia(Fear of Animals) –
A fear of animals often arises from a fear of their primitive nature and a lack of understanding of their inherent psychologies, animals don’t adhere to our conventional civilized morality, and animals are capable of defending themselves with far greater skill than any of us could ever hope for. A great many animals are capable of inflicting lethal force on us as people; Bears(Grizzly), Lions & Tigers(Prey) Bees(Swarm). And in the case of Apes(Planet of the Apes), they can be disturbing because they are so similiar to who we are, and they remind us of what we once were. Further subcatagories of Zoophobia include; Agrizoophobia(Fear of Wild Animals), Myrmecophobia(Fear of Ants), Arachnophobia(Fear of Spiders), Chiroptophobia(Fear of Bats), Apiphobia or Melissophobia(Fear of Bees), Ornithophobia(Fear of Birds), Gatophobia(Fear of Cats), Cynophobia(Fear of Dogs) Alektorophobia(Fear of Chickens)….

Dementophobia or Maniaphobia(Fear of Insanity or The Insane) –
Insanity is an integral part of most mainstream(and not so mainstream)horror movies, be it the psychotic Freddy Krueger from Wes Craven’s Nightmare on Elm Street, the murderous serial killer Michael Myers from John Carpenter’s classic Halloween, or the disturbed Jason Voorhees from Steve Miner’s Friday the 13th part 2(and the ensuing series of movies), we fear the insane due to there unpredictability and the lack of control that they represent. Often the insane do not share our common morality and that frightens us. True life examples of what the ‘insane’ are capable of include; Ed Gein(inspired The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Norman Bates from the classic movie Psycho & Buffalo Bill(Jame Gumb) of The Silence of the Lambs), Ted Bundy, John List(inspired The Stepfather)

Looking into further Fears and Phobias? Check The Indexed Phobia List.