Thursday, September 25, 2008
Freud, part 2
Give us an example of one instance in which you or someone you know (make up a name to protect the innocent or guilty) used an ego defense mechanism. Be sure to identify the defense mechanism used. Then tell us if you believe ego defense mechanisms are real and a natural way to deal with difficult psychological conditions. Be sure to explain why or why not.
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Hmmm...
Well there was this one time I was at a family gathering in Massachusetts with all of my cousins. I have many cousins on my dad's side of the family, seven first cousins, and about sixty second, third, and distant cousins. One of my cousins, let's call him "Joe" (to hide his identity) was at the party. He is three years younger than me and I decided to go and talk to him about school, life, etc... When I went to speak with him, he was talking like he didn't want to associate with me or even be talking with me in the conversation. He pulled out his "cool" cell phone and kind of ignored me as he pretended to listen. The ego defense mechanism which I feel he used was "superego". His "ego" was so high because he thought he was so good-looking and so cool that he wore only Abercrombie and Fitch clothes and played hockey..... I felt a sense of separation when speaking with him and it made a very awkward conversation, so I got up, and talked to someone else.
I think that ego defense mechanisms are real and a natural way to deal with difficult psychological conditions because everyone has different thoughts going on in their mind. Everyone has different problems, and we don't know everyone’s backgrounds or family lives or even how they feel about themselves. I feel like ego defense mechanisms are real and they do exist, even more in our society today then ever.
~Natalie
One situation in my life where a defense mechanism was used was when my mom and i recently babysat my 3 year old cousin. The defense mechanism that i think my cousin used through out the day was her "ego". The book states that the ego "must deal with external parental demands and limitations. Implicit in those demands are the parents values and morals, their ideas of right and wrong ways to think, act, and feel." This "ego" was demonstrated in my cousin that day when she was refusing to go "potty" when she hadn't gone all day. Because we wanted to prevent her from having an accident, we had to bribe her with a reward in order for her to go to the bathroom. This helped her to realize that she was wrong. Another situation in which my little cousin used this defense mechanism was when it was time for her to go to bed. Because she didnt want to go to bed, she got mad and defensive. After telling her that we were first going to read her a story, she felt better and was no longer being defensive. As a child, she has to listen to what others tell her, but as she gets older, she will learn what is right and wrong and what she has to do to "satisfy her desires and instincts."
Marissa Mardo
When I get in trouble in school and get a detention I never end up going not because I want to blow it off its because I forget about it and I guess you can call the repression. I believe that ego defense mechanisms are real because that happens to me all the time
Ok, I'll call this person John. I'm usually the one that my family tends to criticize for stupid little things, but I don't take it seriously. One of these people is John, who actually seems to like to judge people and basically tag team against someone. But if they do or say something and if someone says anything against him, even if we're not criticizing him, he suddenly gets all moody and defensive. He can't handle other people being right and him being wrong and then according to him, we all don't know what we're talking about. John then jumps on an opportunity to attack another person, to take the focus off himself. Lets just say its really annoying.
-Michelle :)
On my Birthday in the summer i was out to dinner with my family and friends. After dinner we were walking down near waterfire and my friend Georgia fell and almost fell straight into the gross dirty water. Luckily we caught her and she was alright. Ever since then when I bring up this event she always says she does not really remember it and does not go forward with the conversation. This was a slightly embarrassing moment and she probably just does not want to talk about it. This method is called repression. She did not want to address the embarrassing situation that involved her and I don't blame her. This repression is a ego defense mechanism and they are used widely throughout humans every day.
Mr. Yip
I am going to comment on a posting from the previous blog (Freud, part 1) by Michelle because I am not sure everyone will return to that thread (unless you have not posted there yet).
Anyways, you should go back to read Michelle's last post. Her intuition on Freud is outstanding! I was going to mention in class later about Freud's self-analysis but Michelle guessed that much of his theory was based on an examination of his own unconscious. Ted, before you say "ah-ha! I knew his theory is baseless!" give me a chance to talk about it.
Freud engaged in a long self-analysis about his past and asked himself deeply probing questions about all his feelings. While there were many occasions he faced very troubling thoughts about his feelings towards both of his parents, he pushed on. Whether he was correct or not, I believe this was one of the most courageous acts undertaken during the 20th century. While he did not face physical danger, he put himself in a position to be scarred psychologically.
This self-analysis formed an important element of his theories, along with his work with the many patients seeking his therapies. And Michelle, you are correct that much of his thinking about incest with parents comes from this deep probing of his own unconscious.
I think we have already seen in this class that many of you are reluctant to admit certain things about yourself (think about whether you would have gone to 450 volts in the Milgram experiment). I am not suggesting that you ask yourself and admit that you have thoughts of incest, but admitting it would certainly be an extraordinarily difficult act. No wonder if we do have them that they are pushed deep into our unconscious.
Just some food for thought.
Michelle,
When I read what you wrote in the last blog, I got a chance to understand Freud a little better.
Thanks for clarifying some things up.
~Natalie
I have been told I had a tough childhood, lots of bad expeiriences and the like, but i can't really remember anything from before the age of 11, so i guess thats a prime example of repressiion =\
oh oop, the above comment is from Mike D'Amore
This older family member that I have named…um…Bruce… just turned 81 last month, and to my family’s dismay has still not retired; for Bruce still runs the company that was given to him more than 30 years ago by my great-great Uncle, along with a relatively hefty fortune. But, now 30 years later, he refuses to give it up to my awaiting mom and dad, stating that “it’s his; he wants it; he earned it and paid for it; and even if he’s too old to work anymore; too bad.” And he cries and whines and spits and waves his arms about.
My dad even settled a deal with him to by his rightfully inherited business, yet Bruce still wants it all for himself. If he sells it he wants to take all the money from the business, and the furniture, and the rugs, and even the pictures on the walls – it’s like a snobby little kid refusing to share a toy. He wants everything for himself. No one can have it. Because as he puts it “Its Mine! All Mine!”, then he makes a face. I’m not kidding.
If this isn’t some warped form of Regression I don’t know what is.Bruce seems to be resorting back to child-like behaviors; perhaps because he knows he's getting old or he thinks his fortune will fail if he gives up the buisness. So to answer the question – yes I believe in most of these defense mechanisms. And any resolution to them would probably be best approached through calm talking and quiet manners, so the person with the problem doesn’t freak out and fall further into psychological self-defense.
So this one time in 9th grade my friend "Mary" had a fight with her boyfriend and they broke up over something really stupid. Anyway, she asked me to help her out with her Spanish homework and I told her that I couldn't help her because I didn't know what I was I was doing either. So she completely lost it on me, saying how I was a bad friend and was never supporting enough. I believe the ego defense mechanism she used was displacement. She was taking all her anger and frustrations out on me when there was no need for it. I know she probably didn't mean to take her problems out on me but I thought she needed to talk it out with someone and not hold everything inside.
Michaela Laliberte
I believe that everyone including myself has used projection just so we don't have to take the blame ourselves. Whether you did something at home, school or work and tried to set the blame on a family member, coworker or friend. I am not saying it is right to project blame on others when you are responsible for it. It takes a big person to accept fault. Also when you don't want to face something that has happened and would rather not talk about it, we tend to repress our thoughts and feelings. Mr. Yip, I just want to thank you for giving us the parents to take part in our child's school work, and share our feelings. Cheryl Duguay, Matt Benoit's mom
I would definately agree in that projection is a defense mechanism that all people use. No one ever wants to take the blame for something and lots of times its much easier blaming it on someone or something else. For example, when asked why one doesn't have their homeword done, most kids come up with an excuse that is usually untrue, trying to blame something else for them not doing their homework. Another example would be at home when your mother asks you who made the mess in the house. Most people, like myself, will quickly blame it on sibling, regardless of who made the mess. Therefore, projection is used all the time as a defense mechasism whether or not its the right thing to do.
Sincerly, Benjmain Miguel Pickering
Alright,
So i know this kid named Nick and Nick uses displacement a lot. if he has a bad day in school or something bad happens to him, he will use karate or video games to take out his aggression therefore providing an outlet that does not affect him or anyone around him in a negative way. I also agree that projection is used by most people if not everyone, it's so simple to to make up an excuse such as "why didn't you do your home work?" and your answer would be "well, because i was going to do it but then my friend came over we started playing a game and then we went and got something to eat." that's not a good excuse, home work should come first (i should practice what i preach)
Alrighty. There was this one time, when I was at the mall with my cousin, and I was wearing a short sleved shirt. And one girl, who I have no idea of who she was, came up to me, and grabbed my wrist. She was with about three other girls, and then came with her. She then begain to swing my wrist around in the air screaming "OH MY GOSH! Look at how small your wrists are!" and I was just like, yea...? She was like " I wish i was a small as you are." When she was about the same size and age as myself. She then asks me if I was anorexic. I promptly answered 'no' and as I said that, she gave me a look, as if to say, 'girl, there is nooo way that your that small without making yourself sick.' I could read what she was thinking, and then her, and her friends all gave me a dirty, jealous look. And i walked away without a care in the world...only a tad insulted.
I beleive that this girl, and her friends were using the projection defense mechanism. Because my wrists were much smaller than their's. It is not my fault that my wrists are as small as they are, and I do love to compare them to my friend's wrists, only for laughs, but I never want people to think that I make myself sick to get my wrists as small as they are. They were jealous to see the small wrists, and them thinking that I have that 'perfect body.' Today, everyone is looking for that 'perfect body' not only in females, but also males. And when you see someone smaller than you, you cant help but look at yourself and think poorly of yourself. Everybody does that. It's just our individual ego defense mechanism.
~nunes
Alrighty. There was this one time, when I was at the mall with my cousin, and I was wearing a short sleved shirt. And one girl, who I have no idea of who she was, came up to me, and grabbed my wrist. She was with about three other girls, and then came with her. She then begain to swing my wrist around in the air screaming "OH MY GOSH! Look at how small your wrists are!" and I was just like, yea...? She was like " I wish i was a small as you are." When she was about the same size and age as myself. She then asks me if I was anorexic. I promptly answered 'no' and as I said that, she gave me a look, as if to say, 'girl, there is nooo way that your that small without making yourself sick.' I could read what she was thinking, and then her, and her friends all gave me a dirty, jealous look. And i walked away without a care in the world...only a tad insulted.
I beleive that this girl, and her friends were using the projection defense mechanism. Because my wrists were much smaller than their's. It is not my fault that my wrists are as small as they are, and I do love to compare them to my friend's wrists, only for laughs, but I never want people to think that I make myself sick to get my wrists as small as they are. They were jealous to see the small wrists, and them thinking that I have that 'perfect body.' Today, everyone is looking for that 'perfect body' not only in females, but also males. And when you see someone smaller than you, you cant help but look at yourself and think poorly of yourself. Everybody does that. It's just our individual ego defense mechanism.
~nunes
whoops, I didnt mean to post the same comment twice... I was really frustrated and not paying attention ...Sorry!
~nunes
Most recently one of my friends used Freud’s rationalization defense mechanism. This friend, let’s call her Jane, currently has a teacher that I had throughout my sophomore year. This teacher is very hard, and thus the workload in the class is pretty serious stuff. Jane, however, feels that it is the teacher going through his lessons too quickly causing her to have a C- in the class, and not her own lack of study time. It especially irritates me because I know how this teacher works, and although it’s a tough class I was able to get into the swing of things and pull off a pretty acceptable grade. Jane also blames the teacher being “mean and rude” on her shortage of knowledge. Sometimes she gets so frustrated (who am I kidding - she’s ALWAYS frustrated with this class) that she takes out her anger on her friends. I for one do not appreciate such behavior, but I now know that this is just another ego defense mechanism being used: displacement.
Now that I know what they are, I can recognize defense mechanisms constantly. It’s not the most efficient way to deal with emotions, but it is very natural among people. I believe in these methods because of how widespread they are. I can’t really argue with something that’s so globalized.
- Katherine Gannon
An instance I can relate to this topic is my Nana! She is 90 and still alive and kickin'! She also is still driving and she isn't driving miss daisy if you get my drift! Ohh aren't we supposed to have a different name, well Suzie Q. She is still driving and she is crazy. One day we were going to the grocery store and we were parking near the little area where you put the carriages after you are done using them. Well she plowed right into the side of it. When I came back from Stop and Shop and saw the damage, I was like Suzie Q what the heck happened. She said, You will never believe this but this truck came from the side and i swerved to get out of the way and those bars stopped me from going into the next available parking spot.
Needless to say, Suzie Q is still driving but is now paying her own insurance! Well half my uncle isn't that mean.
She says that she is a god driver and that she will pay more attention and that what happens to her is normally not her fault!
I have friend that is very into cars and he just moved to lincoln from north carolina, he brags about older cars that he had and he says that he had like 8 diffrent cars but he couldnt bring them to lincoln and hes only 19. I think that he used that to deffend the fact that me and my frined have newer cars then what he currently has. and its always like he had better then what we currently have.
I'm not really sure, if if this could be considered an ego defense mechanism, but here it is. Sometimes, when I get scared or nervous about something, I tend to use denial, by saying, "Oh, I'm fine, what am I worried about? Nothing's gonna happen." Therfore, by doing this, I'm lying to myslef and being denial about the fact that I really am nervous or scared.
-Chris E. (Period 1)
Matt Lasorsa
One time I can remember I used an ego defense mechanism was when i failed honors chem sophmore year. I blamed the teacher and difficulty of the class as the reason for my failure, instead of blaming myself for not studying hard enough.
Because of my situatuation, i do feel that ego defense mechanisms do exist. I have seen the mechanisms Freud has identified in my own life many times, as well as others. Because I have personally experienced it, I believe they exist.
One defense mechanism that I notice that I use frequently (unfortuanetly) is displacement. Sometimes, when I get into a heated arguement with my father, I, of course can't do or say anything back because it'll be disrepsectful. So that hinders me from gettting my point across. Unfortunately, I take my anger out on my older brother, by giving him attitude and being rude to him.
Another defense mechanism I use is repression. Whenever, I'm told to do a chore or something, I try my best to try and forget it and just last week when my devil english teacher said I had detention because I came to class late, I made myself forget that I had detention.
The more we go over these defense mechanisms the more I see it in myself and other people. I like how now I'll be able to identify it in people, whenever they use one.
repression has always beeen the way to ivenever hadany problems from doing so, so ive always done it beit death accidents and things like that.
I can't really think of a big moment in my life where I used an Ego Defense Mechanism but I guess you could say everytime I don't do my homework it's because I "forget" we had any or make myself believe that any was every assigned. I forgot to do these blogs on time.
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