bloom the tragic nature of human existence

7/27/2019 Bloom the Tragic Nature of Human Existence

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THETRAGICNATUREOFHUMAN

EXISTENCE

SandraL.

Bloom,

M.D.

THESADSTORYOFOEDIPUSTHEKING

Tragedyisnotexactlythesamethingasbadthingshappeningtogood

people,orjustoverwhelmingbadthingshappeningtoanybody,ortolots

ofpeople.Itsmorecomplexthanthatanditscomplexityhelpstoshed

lightonwhytragicoccurrencesaresooftenthecauseofindividualand

organizationalarrest

of

growth

and

change.

Its

really

amental

model

issue.TheOedipusMythisoneofthefoundingstoriesofWestern

civilization.MostpeoplehaveheardofOedipusbecauseofFreudsideas

surroundingpsychosexualdevelopmentandtheOedipalComplex.But

evenmorethanthat,thestoryofOedipusprovidesagoodillustrationof

childhoodadversity,multigenerationaltrauma,badluck,andfateandwe

suspectthatmanyofourreaderswillneverhaveheardthefullstoryof

thisunluckyman[1].Hereshowthestorygoes:

CadmuswasthelegendaryfounderofthecityofThebes.Becausein

Thebanmythicalhistory,victorysooftenentaileddisasterforthevictors,

aCadmean

victory

was

proverbial

in

Greek,

referring

to

avictory

that

damagesthevictorsasmuchasthevanquished[Vietnam?Iraq?).

CadmusgrandsonwasnamedLaius,andhewasanastypieceofwork.

Asaresultofyetanotherofaseeminglyendlesscycleoffamilyfeuds,

LaiushadtofleeThebesandhewastakeninbyPelops,KingofPisa.Not

beingaparticularlygratefulguest,Laiuscarriedoff(euphemismfor

sexualassault)Pelopsson,Chrysippus,wholatercommittedsuicide

(presumablyanancientGreekexampleofsexualabuseanditspossible

consequences).Whateverthecase,thegodApollothroughtheDelphic

oracle warnedLaiusthat,aspunishmentforhisbehavior,ifhefathered

ason,thatsonwouldkillhim.Butdespitehisperfidy,Laiusrecoveredhis

kingdomandmarriedthebeautifulJocasta(rememberthatname)buthe

remainedhauntedbythepredictionoftheoracle.Accordingly,whena

sonwasborn,Laiushadthebabysfeetpinnedtogetherwithaspike(yes,

letsrememberthatshowOedipusstartedlife)andthengavethebabyto

aservanttoabandononMountCithaeronwhereitwasexpectedthatthe

babywouldbeeatenbywildanimals.


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Insteadtheservantgavethebabytoashepherdwhobroughthimto

Polybus,kingofCorinth,andMerope,hisqueen.Thesetwo,being

childless,broughthimupastheirownson,naminghimOedipus(swollen

feet)fromthedeformityofhisfeet.WhenOedipuswasgrownup,after

beingtauntedwithbeingnotruesonofPolybus,hewenttoDelphito

enquireabout

his

parentage.

The

Delphic

oracle

told

him

only

that

he

wouldkillhisfatherandmarryhismother.Oedipusimmediatelyassumed

thattheoraclewasreferringtohisadoptiveparents,sodecidingneverto

returntoCorinthbecausehelovedthepeopleheknewashisparents

(abandonedbyhisbiologicalparents,nowheisforcedtoabandonthe

parentshelovedinordertoprotectthem).Nowhomelessandindespair,

hebegantowanderinthedirectionofThebes.Ashewaswalkingalong

theroad,bychanceheencounteredastrangerandhisservantsataplace

wherethreeroadsmet.UnbeknownsttoOedipus,thiswasLaiuswhowas

onthewaytoseetheoracleagainbecausehehadreceivedomensthat

hissonwouldreturntokillhim.Inastandoff,Oedipusrefusedtogiveway

whenorderedtobythekingandLaiuseitherrolledachariotwheelover

Oedipusfootorhithimwithhiswhip.Inanger,OedipuskilledLaiusand

hisattendants,thusunwittinglyandunknowinglyservingasthe

instrumentofFate.

OedipuswentontoThebes,whichwasatthattimebeingterrorizedby

theSphinx,amonsterwhodestroyedthosewhocouldnotanswerthe

riddlesheposed.Creon,brotheroftherecentlywidowedJocastaand

regentofThebesofferedthekingdomandJocastaaswifetowhoever

shouldfreethecityoftheSphinx.Oedipusguessedtheanswertothe

riddle

and

the

Sphinx

killed

herself.

The

grateful

citizens

of

Thebes

appointedOedipustobetheirKingandinfairytalefashion,hemarried

thestillbeautifulJocasta,havingnoideathatshewashisbiological

mother.Thingswentwellforthecoupleforawhile.Theyhadtwolovely

daughtersandtwohandsomesons.ButthereisnoescapingFate.Thebes

becamedevastatedbyplagueandfamineandtheDelphicOracle

proclaimedthattheonlywaytosavethecitywastoexpelthekillerof

Laius.Noonehadputtwoandtwotogetherafteralltheseyears,sono

oneknewthatKingOedipuswastheguiltyparty,notevenOedipus.

But,wantingtosavethecity,KingOedipusdecidedtoinvestigatethe

decadesold

murder

of

his

predecessor,

King

Laius.

In

his

investigation

of

Laiusdeath,Oedipusdiscoveredthatthemanhehadkilledinthequarrel

onthewaytoThebeswasLaiusandworseyetthatLaiuswashis

biologicalfatherandhisbelovedJocasta,hismother.Apollospunishment

ofLaiushadbeenplayedoutthroughhim.Inhorroranddespair,Jocasta

hangedherselfandOedipusblindedhimselfwithapieceofherjewelry.

Hewasthendeposed,andsentintoexile,andlivedouthislifemiserably


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[847,872].Hisdaughters,AntigoneandIsmene,andsonsEteoclesand

Polynicesallcametodisastrousends[12].

TheOedipusstoryunfailinglyillustratesthetragedythatishuman

existence.Evenasthesonofaking,Oedipusgetsaverybadstartinlife

abandonedtodie,withspikesdriventhroughhisfeet(presumably

alreadyatoddlerandwalking),thepartofthisstorythattypicallyisthe

mostignoredandthemosthorrificisthisancientstoryofchildabuse.

Theoriginalperpetratorisnevertrulysociallycondemnedforhiscrimes

forhissexualassaultofaninnocentboyorfortheabuseandintended

murderofhisownson andevenhisdeathdoesnotserveanysenseof

justicewewouldrecognize.Thegodsmakehimpay,butlargelythrough

wife,hisson,andhisgrandchildren.Oedipustooktheburdenofthis

multigenerationalviolenceonhimself,andtorehisowneyesout.Hisfate

washisdestinyandhecoulddonothingbutpunishhimselfforthe

twinnedsinsofkillinghisfatherandmarryinghismother.

TheOedipalstoryringsanoteoftruthtousbecauseitisnotunlikethe

storiesoftheyoungpeoplewhocomeintoresidentialtreatmentand

juvenilejusticesettings,whohavehurtothersandaredoingviolenceto

themselves.Theyhavemistakenthetraumaoftheirlivesfortheirdestiny

andinsteadoflearningwhatitmeanstobesafeintheworld,tomanage

emotions,toworkthroughloss,andenvisionadifferentlifeahead,they

keepmovingdeeperanddeeperintothemuck.Aswegettoknowtheir

stories,therootsofdestructionreachfarbackintimeandifwedo

nothingtohelp,thecontagiouseffectsofinterpersonalviolencecontinue

spreadingthroughthegenerationsastheydidforOedipusandforthe

childrenthat

followed

him.

ThisisNOThowweAmericanslikestoriestoworkoutatall.Behind

AmericanthoughttodaythereliesastrongJudeoChristianheritage

whichisbasedontheconceptofjusticeandthevisionofajustworld[3].

Wearenotcomfortablewithtragedy.Inourversionoftheworld,the

GoodGuyswinandtheBadGuyslose.Godisjustandifyoujustplayby

therulesyouwillbesafe.Andifthingshaventgonerightforyou,its

becauseyouscrewedupsomehow.Welargelyanderroneouslychoose

tobelieveinajustworld,whereeachpersongetswhatheorshe

deserves,aworldofinevitableprogressinwhichthejustarejustly

rewardedand

the

guilty

are

punished.

Sickness

is

the

problem

of

the

individual,probablygeneticallyandbiologicallybasedandtheconcern

onlyofthemedicalandpsychiatricexpertsassignedtoameliorateitor

simplytolerateit.Povertyisthefaultoftheimpoverished.Crime

warrantspunishment.Withinoursegregated,individualized,demystified,

andfragmentedlivesweavoidresonatingwiththesufferingofothers,

wearenotourbrotherskeepers.Wepretendwehavesolveda


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problemoncewehavefoundsomeonetoblameforit.Lockthemupand

throwawaythekey;morelawandorder;morejailtimethosearethe

socialprescriptionsofthelastfewdecadesandforlongbeforethat.

Theprofoundexistentialandethicalproblemforpeoplewhoworkin

humanservicesisthatwhenwedeeplylisten,thestoriesofourclients

livesreadmuchmoreliketheOedipusstorythananoldcowboyWestern

orRushLimbaughsviewofreality.InOedipusstory,wheredoweput

theblame?Wheredoesitallstart?Whosefaultisitanyway?AndifLaius

wastoblame,whyisitthatOedipusandhisentirelyinnocentchildren,

aretheoneswhotakethefall?

AncientGreeceisoneofthebirthplacesofdemocracyandthebedrock

civilizationforWesternthought.TheGreeksdidnotseetheworldinthe

samewayastheancientHebrewsormodernAmericans.Deathisand

alwayshasbeenhumankindsgreatestmysteryandourawarenessofour

own

mortality

our

greatest

burden.

Born

in

utter

helplessness,

we

strugglefrombirthuntildeathwithourdesiretobeincontrol,tonever

againexperiencetheterrorassociatedwithbeinghelplessand

vulnerable.FortheancientGreeks,humanlifewascontrolledbyforces

thathumandesigncouldnotcontrolandwhichwerefrequently

capriciousandbeyondrationalexplanation.Theyperceivedthatwe

wouldalwaysstrugglebutthatthestrugglewashopelessthat

ultimatelywecannotcontrolourlivesandthatweallendinthesame

place.Forthem,yourfatewasyourfateandyoucouldnotoutrunthis

naturallawthatgovernedtheuniverse.Itisfromthisrecognitionthatthe

Greekscreateddramaandparticularly,thetragicdrama.AsGeorge

Steinerhas

said,

tragic

drama

must

start

from

the

fact

of

catastrophe.

Tragediesendbadly.Thetragicpersonageisbrokenbyforceswhichcanneitherbefully

understoodnorovercomebyrationalprudenceTragicdramatellsusthatthespheres

ofreason,order,andjusticeareterriblylimitedandthatnoprogressinourscienceor

technicalresourceswillenlargetheirrelevance.Thereisnouseaskingforrational

explanationormercy.Thingsareastheyare,unrelentingandabsurd.Wearepunished

farinexcessofourguilt(p.8)[3].

IntheGreekworld,partofbeingahumanbeingwascomingtogripswith

thissenseoftragicconsciousness,lookingexistentialterrorintheface

andstaringitdown.InaninterestingconnectionbetweentheGreeksand

ourmodern

world,

psychiatrist

Jonathan

Shay

(see

Chapter

9),

after

years

ofworkingwithVietnamVeterans,cametobelievethattheGreekshad

actuallyinventedtragicdramaasatherapeuticmethodtohelpyoung

combatveterans,scarredwithwhatwenowrecognizeasPTSD,tobe

abletocomebackandhealsothattheywereabletoparticipateina

democraticcommunity.Herecognizedthatinordertoparticipatein

combat,soldiershadtoovercomesocialmoralityornomosinordertokill


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whatsoldiersmustdoinwararetransgressionsinsociety.TheGreek

philosopherAristotlesawtheaterasamethodforproducingcatharsis

andenablingreturningsoldierstobereintegratedintothecommunity.

Bycatharsis,Aristotleusedthreemeaningsofthewordthatwerecurrent

inhisday:1)religiouspurificationofaritualtaintandexpiationofa

religioussin;2)medicinalpurgationofsomethingunhealthy,poisonous,

orimpure;3)mentalclarification,removingobstaclestounderstanding,

thepsychologicalequivalentofproducingclearwaterfrommuddywater.

Hebelievedthatallthreewerenecessaryfordifferentbattlescarred

individualsandthattheexperienceoftragicdramacouldprovidethem.

AsShaywrote,

MyconjectureisthatthedistinctivecharacterofAtheniantheaterarosefromthepoliticalneedtopurify,purge,andreclarifycivicunderstandingtoitsreturningsoldiers,

sotheycouldagainfulfilltherolesofcitizensofademocracy.TheancientAthenians

hadadistinctivetherapyofpurification,healing,andreintegrationofreturningsoldiers

thatwas

undertaken

as

awhole

political

community.

Theater

was

this

community's

primarymeansofreintegratingthereturningveteranintothesocialsphereas

Citizen(p.3)[4].

ItisinterestingtonotethatinordertotreatreturningWorldWarII

veterans,MaxwellJonesalsoturnedtotheusesofdramaasaprimary

methodofsuccessfultreatmentwithintherapeuticcommunities.Some

ofthemostsuccessfulprogramstotreatVietnamveteranssufferingfrom

chronicPTSDwereprogramsthatusedritualandthecreativearts.Inthe

developmentoftheSanctuaryModel,psychodramagroups,threetimesa

week,werefortwentyyearsacrucialpartofourtreatmentofadult

survivorsof

childhood

abuse

[5].

And

today,

many

of

our

participating

programsaroundNewYorkCityareworkingwithCreativeAlternativesof

NewYork,implementingdramatherapytohelptraumatizedclientsto

heal[6].

FortheGreeks,everytragicheroandbyextensioneveryhumanbeing

hasaHamartiaoratragicflawanditiswovenintohisorhercharacter.

Thehamartiaissomequalityuponwhichcivilization,humanfreedom,

andhumanwellbeingdependqualitiessuchascourage,wisdom,

intelligence,piety,resoluteness,integrity,andconcernforothersthat

areliableincertainunforeseeablesituationstoleadtodisaster[875].

Theforce

of

tragedy

is

then

that

the

highest

virtues,

the

qualities

that

are

most

necessaryforanywellledlifethemselvescandefeattheachievementoftheir

appropriateend,eudaimonia,awellled,happyhumanlife[7].Fortheancient

Greeks,therootsourceofWesternculture,therewasnosuchthingas

autonomousart.Therewas,instead,aunityofculturalpractices

religiousworship,tragicandcomictheater,architecture,sculpture,

painting,poetics,dance,andmusicwereintegrated.FortheGreeks,art


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wasalwayssimultaneouslypersonalandpolitical,expressiveand

therapeutic[8].

ISBIOLOGYDESTINY? OURTRAGICFLAW

Butintheinterveningcenturies,wehavelostourawarenessofthetruenatureofhumanexistence,oftragicconsciousness,ofthetragicsense

oflife[9].Dowe doallhumans haveatragicflaw?Exposureto

overwhelmingtraumaticeventsandhumanevolutionareintimately

entwined.Inherbook,BloodRites,BarbaraEhrenreichhaspointedout

that,Theoriginaltrauma,meaningofcourse,notasingleeventbutalongstanding

condition wasthetraumaofbeinghuntedbyanimalsandeaten[10].Viewingour

distantpastfromthisperspective,itisawonderthatourspecieseven

survived,givenourlackofadequatedefenseorprotectiveadaptations.

Todoso,wedevelopedsomeveryspecialadaptiveskills.Welearnedto

bondtogetherandfighttogether,notonlyforfoodbutalsoformutual

defense.Wedevelopeduniqueformsofcommunicationinorderto

conveyinformationovertimeandoverspacesymbolsandthen

language. Ourbrainsenlarged,becomingcapableofmakingthousands

ofassociationstoanyevent.Ourmemoriesbecamemoretenaciousthan

thoseofourmammalianancestors,compellingustoholdonto

informationthroughoutalifetime,particularlymemoriesinducedbyfear.

Ouremotionalsystems,hardwiredtoourautonomicnervoussystemas

aninheritancefromourmammalrelatives,becameevenmoreintimately

connectedtoourmemories,ourneedtoattachtoothersofourkind,and

ourcomplex

network

of

thoughts

and

ideas.

Althoughultimatelythisgrowingcomplexitygaveussuperiorityover

otherspecies,thereweresomedistinctiveproblems.Likeourmodern

computers,thesophisticatedfunctioningofourcomplexbrains

demandedahighdegreeofsystemintegrationandcertainoptimal

conditionsforproperoperation.Ourbigbrainsmayhavebeenthe

reasonwestartedkillingotheranimalsforfoodbecausethebrain

consumesproportionately,suchahighlevelofenergy[11].

Traumaticexperienceproducesaphysiologicaloverloadthatthebrain

andbody

are

unable

to

adequately

manage

ifthey

are

to

continue

functioningnormally.Ourprimarydefensetocopewiththisphysiological

overloadisthemechanismwediscussedearliercalleddissociation.

Althoughalifesavingcopingskillintheshortrun,dissociationproduces

fragmentationofvitalmentalfunctions,andtheresultisdiminished

integrationandthereforeimpairedperformance.Becausewehave

foresight,wecananticipateproblemsahead;forthesamereasonwecan

anticipatetheendofourownlivesandofeverythingwehaveever


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known.Ourcapacityfordissociationgrewoutofanothervitalneed

springingfromourtraumaticpast.Ourcentralnervoussystemisvery

vulnerabletotheeffectsofstress.Overwhelmingstressisphysiologically

andcognitivelydisorganizing.Dissociationhelpstoprotectandbufferthe

centralnervoussystemfromthisphysiologicalandemotional

hyperarousal.

Ouremotionsalertusthatsomethingisoutofkilter,notright,notwhat

wewant.Theyareoursensitivementalradar.Weperceivethe

experienceofourfeelingsthroughourmindsbutbecauseeveryseparate

emotionevokesaspecificpatternofresponseintheautonomicnervous

system,everyemotionradiatesaneffectthroughouteveryorganinour

body.Everylanguage,infact,hasdozensofexpressionsforemotions

thatareexpressedinphysicaltermsalumpinthethroat,abroken

heart,bowelsinanuproar,asickeningfeelingallareexamplesof

thisdeepknowledge.Butbecauseouremotionsaresointimately

connectedto

our

vital

organs,

it

is

entirely

possible

to

die

of

fright

or

die

ofabrokenheart.Additionally,prolongedemotionalarousalhasnegative

consequencesforvitalorgansystemsintheformofstressrelated

illnesses[12].

Sinceoneofthemainpurposesofouremotionsistoalertustothe

occurrence,significance,andnatureofeventsandexperiencesthatare

partofourreality,anydisorder,anydisruptionofestablishedmeaningor

belief,willevokeapowerfulemotionalresponse.Thisresponsewillnot

stopuntilthedisparitiesareresolved,untilwehavereorderedourreality

[13].Ourfeelingswillnotletusrestuntilourinnerconflictshavebeen

resolved.

Underconditionsofextremestress,victimsoftraumaexperience

speechlessterror.Thislossoflanguagefunctionisfrequentlyprofound

andextremelyimportant.Thetraumaticexperienceandallassociations

toitcannotbeincorporatedintoacognitiveschema,partlybecausethe

brainsystemthataccomplishesthistaskisshutdownundertheimpact

ofextremestress.Thevictimexperiencesandremembersthetraumain

nonverbal,visual,auditory,kinesthetic,visceral,andfeelingmodalities,

butisnotabletothinkaboutitorprocesstheexperienceinanyway.

Ourcognitiveprocessesaredependentonlanguagefunctionandwithout

wordswe

cannot

think.

Trauma

produces

adisconnection

syndrome,

a

functionalsplitbrainpreparationinwhichthetwohemispheresappear

tofunctionautonomously,atleastasitconcernsthetraumatic

experience.

Thetraumatizedpersonbecomespossessed,hauntedbythetheaterin

hismind.Hecannotcontroltheintrusiveimages,feelings,sensations.

Theycomeintoconsciousnessunbidden,terrifyinglyvivid,producinga


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viciouscycleofhelplessselfrevictimization.Butherewearefacedwitha

dilemma thevictimoftraumaistrappedwithinthesilenceof

unwitnessedmemory.Toheal,hemustspeak,hemustfeel,andhearing

thewords,hemustincorporatetheexperienceintosomekindof

cognitiveschemathatallowshimtomakemeaningandfinallyputthe

experiencebehind

him

so

he

can

go

on.

But

the

biological

responses

to

traumainhibitandprohibitsuchspeech.Thebrainisdisconnectedfrom

itselfandperceivesanyattempttoreconnectasadangerousthreatto

survival.Sointrusivesensoryexperiencesandnegativefeelings

predominate,behaviorbecomesincreasinglyseparatedfromthesocial

meaningsystem.Thepersondisconnectsfromotherpeopleasthey

activelyavoidlisteningorparticipatinginadialoguewiththevictim.

Trappedintime,whiletheworldmovesonaroundhim,heisneither

alivenordead.Hecannotescapethetrapalone,thebiological

reverberationshavesetupasnarewhichgrabsathimandrefusestolet

go.So,hedoestheonlythinglefttodo hespeaksintheonlyvoicehe

hasinthelanguageofthenonverbalbrain.Heacts.

Anyeffortshetooktoprotecthimselforothersatthetimeofthetrauma

wereafailure,andyetimagesofwhathecouldhavedone failed

enactment continuetoobsesshim.RobertLiftonhastalkedabout

failedenactment,inwhichsomebeginning,abortiveimageforms

towardenactmentinamorepositivewaythatisneverpossibleto

achieve...aschemaforenactmentthatisnevercompleted(p.9)[14].This

failedenactmentisassociatedwithprofoundfeelingsofhelplessness,

whichisafundamentalcharacteristicofanytraumaticexperience.Pierre

Janet

believed

that

traumatization

resulted

from

failure

to

take

action

againstapotentialthreat.Theresultinghelplessnessgaveriseto

"vehementemotions"which,inturn,interferedwithpropermemory

storage. Hethoughtthatsuccessfulintegrationofmemoriesdependson

successfulactionoftheorganismupontheenvironment[15].Itisthis

failedenactmentthatpropelstraumaticreenactment,theprofound

tendencytocompulsivelyandbehaviorallyrelivethetraumatic

experienceoutsideofconsciousawareness.ItwasFreud,ofcourse,who

focusedattentiononthisphenomenonthathetermedtherepetition

compulsion:Hereproducesitnotasamemorybutasanaction;he

repeatsitwithout,ofcourse,knowingthatheisrepeating...hecannot

escapefrom

this

compulsion

to

repeat;

and

in

the

end

we

understand

that

thisishiswayofremembering(p.150)[16].

Afterthetrauma,oneofthemostperplexingexperiencesforthe

individualvictimisthattheworldgoesonasbefore,evenastheirown

worldhasbeencompletelyshattered.Otherpeopleoutsideofthe

traumaenvelopeappearrelativelyoblivioustothetraumaticevent

[17].Forthevictim,personalrealityisnolongercongruentwithcultural


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cognitiveintelligence,emotionalintelligence,socialintelligence,and

moralintelligencebecamehighlydependentonattachingtoothersof

ourkindandasthathappened,ourrelationshipswitheachother,within

families,withinourlargerculturesbecameintimatelyconnectedto

survival.Ourprofoundandinnateneedtobondtoothersmakesthe

unvarnishedinevitability

of

loss

unbearable

unless

we

can

alter

the

realityinsomeway,unlesswecantransformthetragicintosomekindof

sharedmeaningonanintellectual,butmoreimportantly,an

emotional/culturallevel.

Collectivetraumatendstobeapowerfulstimulusforgroupdissociation.

Inducingdissociation atrancestate isfareasierinfact,inagroup

settingandallcultureshavesocialmechanisms,oftencloselytiedto

artisticperformancethatusuallyincludesdrumminganddancing

rhythmicactivitiesthataredesignedtoinducegrouptrances [20].

ResearchersattheMaxPlanckInstituteforHumanDevelopmenthave

shownthat

playing

music

together

actually

synchronizes

brain

waves

[21].Therearegoodevolutionaryreasonsforthis.Thecentralproblemforanyspecieswhoseprimaryadaptivetechniquesdependlargelyoncollective,ratherthan

individual,action,istodevelopandmaintainsocialcoherenceandcoordinationover

time(p.28)[22].Dissociationservesthistaskextremelywell,allowing

participantsinasociallycontrivedtranceinductiontoenterthesame

emotionalstate,thesamelevelofarousal,andthesamelevelof

vulnerabilitytosuggestion.Allofthesefactorsservetoenhancegroup

cohesion,decreasegroupconflict,andbemoreopentotheinstructions

ofaleader.Tribaldances,music,drummingandchantingallservethis

purpose,affectingnotjustourpsychebutourbrainfunctionaswell.

Theresultisthatdefiningasharedculturalrealityasabufferagainst

existentialterrorisacentralfunctionofanyworkablefamily,community

andculture.Religious,moral,political,andeconomicideologicalsystems

aredesignedtoprovideabasisforthatsenseofculturalrealityinwhich

eachindividualparticipates.Themaindifferencebetweenculturally

acceptedalterationsofrealitycommonlynotedinreligiousceremonies

andpoliticalevents,andthecommonformsoftwistedrealitynotedas

thesymptomsofpsychopathology,isthatintheformerpeopleagree

togethertoignoreanddenythedistortionsandcontradictionsthatexist,

whileinindividualpathologynooneelseagreeswiththeviewofreality

sharedbythatindividual.Instead,thepersoniscalleddelusional,mad,orattheleasteccentric.

Theresultofthisphenomenonisthathealthisassociatedwithillusions,

infactaconsiderableamountofinsanity,inthesenseofbeingoutof

touchwithreality,isrequisitetooptimalmentalhealth(p.21)[20].

Accordingtooneresearcherwhohasextensivelystudiedpositive


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illusions,ourabilitytoredefineourrealityresultsinanincreasein

productivework,improvesaspectsofourintellectualfunction,improves

ourmemory,inhibitsdisturbingmemories,increasesmotivation,

improvesperformance,improvescoping,andgivesusbetterphysical

health[23].Accordingtosomeauthorities,peoplewhoarehighlyself

conscious,know

themselves

well

and

have

more

realistic

perceptions

of

theworldalsotendtobemoredepressed[20].Asthephilosopher

Santayanaputit,Sanityismadnessputtogooduses;wakinglifeisa

dreamcontrolled(p.261)[24].

CREATIVITYASEVOLUTIONARYNECESSITY

Therehasalwaysbeenaborderlinebetweenthetworealities,thatofthe

existingstatusquocultureandthatofthoseconsideredtobeinsane.

Children,artists,prophets,visionariesandsomepsychotherapists

spendtime

in

this

shadowy

area

and

how

they

will

be

greeted

in

their

culturewillbedeterminedbymanyfactorsincludinghowwillingthe

cultureistocometogripswithadeniedrealityandhowwellthe

individualcanmanagetofitintotheculturewithoutappearingtoo

threatening[20].Foraslongashumanshavebeencapableofpondering

thenatureofillness,diseasehasconstitutedadisintegration,alossof

intactness,abreakup,adeterioration,areductiontofragmentsorparts.

OnewordfortheDevilisDiabolos thedivider,thesplitterinto

fragments[25].Westernmedicinetracesitsrootstothesameancient

Greeksandtheoriginaltherapists,thetherapeutes,werethosechosenas

the

attendants

of

the

cult

of

Asclepius,

the

god

of

healing.

According

to

Plato,itwasAsclepiuswhowasabletobringaboutloveand

reconciliationbetweenthemostantitheticelementsinthebody(p.i)[26].

Asthestorygoes,AsclepiuswasthesonofApollowholearnedtheartof

healingfromChiron,theCentaur,halfman,halfbeast.Healingthetwo

Chironsidesofman,theirrationalandtherational,wastheworkof

Asclepius,whopracticedthedoublesideofmedicine thescienceand

theart.Butlargelyforgotteninthesedaysofmachinesandmanaged

care,istheothervitalpositionthatAsclepiusheld.Hewasalsothe

patronofartists.Servingthegodrequiredartisticperformanceinthe

form

of

ritual,

poetry,

songs,

music,

and

performances.

Musical

and

poeticcompetitionswereheldathisplaceofworshipandthetempleof

AsclepiusinAthenswasimmediatelyadjacenttothegreatTheatreof

Dionysus[26].

TurningtothenonWesternworld,theNativeAmericanculturesprovide

uswithotherexamplesoftherelationshipbetweenhealingandthearts.

AccordingtotheNavaho,tobesickistobefragmented.Tobehealedistobecome


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Similarly,whensomethinggoesverywronginaninstitution,itisvirtually

impossibletoplacetheblameadequatelyontheshouldersofone

person,evenifwefindcomfortintryingtodoso.Thesituationsarefar

toocomplexforthat. Asinthelivesofindividuals,traumaticexperiences

canputaninstitutiononanincreasinglydestructivetrajectorybringing

withit

asense

of

inevitability,

helplessness

and

hopelessness

for

all

those

involvedwiththatinstitution.Institutionsserveasthemediators

betweenindividualsandcultureandtheyaredesignedtosupportthe

versionsofrealitythattheculturecreatesinordertogivethemembers

ofthecultureasharedperceptionofbeingsaferthanwereallyare.This

needtocreateasharedrealityasabufferagainstexistentialterrorhas

deeproots.

Livingsystemsgrowandchangeallthetime.Changeisafundamental

attributeoflife.Andyettraumaandlossputbrakesontheconstancyof

changeforindividuals,forfamiliesandfororganizations.Oneofthemain

reasonsfor

refusing

to

deal

with

grief

and

loss

in

our

individual

clients

as

wellasatanorganizationallevelistheaccompanyinghopelessnessthat

accompaniesgrief.Itisthepermanencyoflossthatissostaggeringly

difficulttomanage.Itexposesustotheexistentialterrorthatwetalked

aboutearlierandoncethatterroristriggered,individualand

organizationaldefenseswediscussedmoveintoplacetodenyand

discounttheimportanceofthelossesthathavebeensustained.Weare

culturallyunpreparedtodealwiththerealityoftragedy.Itsnotthe

Americanwaytobelievethatlifeitselfhasatragicendingandthatmany

smalltragediesoccuralongtheway.Wearemorecomfortablefinding

someone

or

something

to

blame

because

it

provides

us

with

the

illusion

ofcontrolandavoidsexistentialterror.Whenwetouchthatfear,that

lossofcontrol,wewantrevengewewanttoseethepersonorpersons

punishedforfrighteningusandforhurtingus andineveningupthe

scorewecanmakeourselvesbelievethatwehaveregainedcontrol.

Ourmainprotectionagainstbeingoverwhelmedbyexistentialterroris

culture.Culturalbeliefs,rituals,andthetransformationsthatculture

provides,offerabufferagainstthetragicnatureofhumanexistence.Itis

thesharedsupportofotherpeoplewhocompriseourculturethathelp

usmoveoutofterror,fearandhelplessnessandmoveintothefuture.

Whencommitted

to

nonviolence

and

emotional

intelligence,

aculture

cancurbourvengefuldesires.Thiseffectofcultureistrueforindividuals

andfororganizations.Likewise,organizationsrequireculturalsupport

fromtheculturewithinwhichtheyareembeddedinordertomoveinto

thefutureandnotgivewaytothepullofrevenge,reenactmentand

ultimately,decline.Significantproblemsandsometimesdisaster

ariseswhentheculturedoesnotprovidethesustainingbufferingand

leavestheindividualunprotected.Worseyet,whenthecultureitself


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Wearebarbarians,yetwehavethepossibilityofproducingagenuine

cultureinthefuture.Butlanguage,themostimportanttoolwithwhichto

furtherthis,almostentirelyfailsus.Perhapsothermeanswillappear

laterwhicharemoreusefulforthespiritandfortruth(p.264)[882].

Dr.GeorgGroddeck,Language,1912

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bloom the tragic nature of human existence

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