"Who you gonna
vote for?"
I asked with some
trepidation, awaiting Momsie's usual lecture on the right to voting privacy.
" DEFF" She stated firmly.
"Sorry, I didn’t quite hear that - say
again?" I asked.
" The DA - you
know, the Deteriorating Allies and the EFF - the Excitatory Fulminating
Furies…. I am voting for them together." I laughed at her absurdities. In
our little South of Africa, we are having our municipal elections. This is what
happens to Momsie's brain at such times. As an arch moralizer, she becomes
unsettled at the various political shenanigans and, as she puts it " the
House Husbands of one of the ex British
Colonies" (Sadly, most of our
politicians are male). She becomes positively speechless with exasperation at times which is a welcome
break for the rest of us. We had not yet reached the speechless stage in this
conversation so I settled in for a lengthy listening session.
"You know that
as your life psyho-spiritual guide, it behooves me to educate you on the
matters of your role in society - including your political role. This is the
era of the shift from the shadow to the light." She said, launching into
the profound Jungian stuff.
"Ok Momsie, so
you are using the language of the famous Psychologist, Carl Jung. I wonder if
he would be happy with your commentary of the universality of political roles
using his theory of archetypal selves, or universal personality types of all humans,
in this context? " I asked thinking I had a good point but I did not want
to hear her answer in case she did not agree. I hastily added, if only to show
that I was trying to keep up with her in the Jungian stakes; "If the
development from an authoritarian perpetrator society requires of the victimized oppressed
exploited masses to rebel, then surely it is a phase - a necessary process,
which takes time. As far as I understand it, the roots of our transition from
the victim-perpetrator opposites began hundreds of years ago, culminated in
more focused action about 50 years ago
and supposedly ended with Nelson Mandela as president about 20 years ago."
"Yes and
no". She answered in her usual
paradoxical fashion. You would never guess how complex her words are when
looking at her benign, rather drowsy gaze.
"20 years ago was the first adult step that the oppositional victim
archetype took. The oppositional characteristic of the collective rebel psyche
is the main survival coping mechanism of the oppressed. We grew up with our collective unconscious
perceiving all authority, as something to oppose - openly and
secretly. That means that destructive
and immoral behaviours like cheating, lying, stealing and sabotaging were seen as a justifiable way of
showing courage. Passive aggressive behaviours like pretending to not know how
to do a job so as to slow things down, or not doing a job properly and blaming
it on others, became the main ways of acting out against the oppressor. Some acted out more openly in their
oppositionality and obstructionism. A few with more organized violence. It
could be argued that the process was successful politically". She paused to
see if I was following. I was trying.
"The process
for the collective psyche is much slower than the political one and seems to be
stuck." She continued, finding her flow. "The oppressed archetypes,
which probably includes all those who are not politicians in power, are still stuck in those behaviours against
any and all authority, believing that only when they themselves are the ruling authority, all will be well.
This addiction to the rebel archetype, to obstructionism as a show of power,
has become the currency, the badge of honour for the rebel hero."
I struggled with
articulating my thoughts. "Hmm, but not all people are actively
obstructionist, so what happens to my
inner rebel if I am not acting it out?"
"If you do not
show this obstructionism badge by supporting the leading obstructionists
verbally or in membership and action, you are accused of being a traitor at the
worst and at best, a cowardly fence sitter or selfish elitist". Momsie
said with some sympathy. That stung a bit. I have been so accused. "But it sounds like you are saying that
being obstructionist, which included all those horrible things of lying,
cheating, stealing, vandalizing, etc are good things to do if you think you are
fighting for the rights of the disadvantaged and oppressed." I said,
trying to make sense of whether she was understanding or directly supporting
obstructionism as a method of action against oppressive authorities.
"Obstructionism
does not build skills , knowledge or services. It engages with celebrity style
emotionalism. The drama of the intensity of the victim who becomes the bully
while still claiming to be the victim.
Like all bullying, this behaviour holds everyone trapped in extreme
emotions and behaviour. Those around are forced to act more extremely to
contain the histrionic behaviour to prevent further destruction. This gives the bully even further ammunition to claim that they
are being treated badly. Rule by chaos, the true anarchists aim, is purely that
in their lack of skill and accomplishment in constructing knowledge, skills and
services, they find destructive ways to address their own unconscious and conscious feelings
of helplessness. They then feel empowered by the mayhem that they have caused
as it becomes the main indicator that they have had some effect on the world.
The notion of "We shall make this country ungovernable" as many of
these archetypes say, is the reaction of their greed. ' If I cannot have what I
want, I will make sure that you cannot have it either' is their attitude. Of course, their longer
term aim is to take over when there is a power vacuum".
"Oh
Momsie" I sighed anxiously.
"it cannot be that simple or hopefully not that depressing. Are you saying
that people who are demonstrating and protesting and marching out of meetings
are all not taking responsibility for their actions? It seems like you are
saying they cannot do so because their past has programmed them to
unconsciously act according to their rebel survival instinct?"
"Think about it
by looking at how ordinary citizens go about constructing their lives quietly
step by step. They show patience in attending to the needs of their family day
by day. They use fortitude to endure their hunger, the cold, the long walk to
seek work. They show compassion for their fellows and help out with the little
they have for the neighbours who have no bread or who need a blanket or a warm
fire. They have chosen to face their challenges in a supportive way. All the
while the obstructionist noisily creates
chaos, shouting out their claims of power through the evidence of their
destruction. Some of the voiceless fall for this glamour. They are deafened by
the booming cacophony of the rebels who seduce them into believing that
oppositional disruption is the mark of power.
The rebel archetype needs to make life into a continuous battle to
retain the position of the rebel leader. And yes, this is an essentialist way
of understanding which also generalizes and possibly oversimplifies. I am using
it as a thinking skill, not a diagnosis to be tested in a laboratory or a court
of law. Whether we choose to be conscious is up to each one of us. Our archetypal 'survival' programming occurred unconsciously as we grew
up and influences us in adulthood as individuals, and in large groups. So we
are all in it whether we like it or not.
I was not sure that
I liked that last bit. I can possibly own my inner obstructionist, but lying,
cheating and stealing? These are not things I do, but Momsie assures me that we
all have the potential for all behaviour.
Momsie was staring into the distance and I
thought she had finally nodded off. No, she suddenly sneezed as if launching
archetypal viruses into the air to help me along. She continued "In the
obstructionists world, the amount of people who suffer and the loss of
resources due to burning and other acts of vandalism does not matter to them.
The ends in their chaotic emotionally narcissistic minds, justifies the means.
The lying, cheating, stealing, burning, hurting, blocking, destroying is done
for a good reason, they would argue. ' Holding the entirety of society to
ransom is important', they say,' until we get what we want'. The crass
demonstrations are compulsive for this archetype as they have limited constructive
skills. Their egos are only identified with rebellion against authority."
Momsie licked herself as if trying to soothe the wounds of the rebels' ego or
lick herself clean from their toxic energies.
She looked at me
with her huge green round eyes, always filled with an unfathomable depth and
waited to see if I wanted to respond. I was digesting her words still, so
waited for her to continue.
"The DEFF party archetype makes so much noise that they can no longer hear anyone else. They possibly did
not want to hear in the first place because they are really addressing their
own need for glorification under the guise of concern for others. I find even
my inner rebel wishes to run out and throw stones and set something alight.
Just because watching this stuff resonates with the lowest of my coping
skills and giving vent to my aggression
has been granted permission by their actions. But I am not here to just release
my lowest nature. I am here to develop my highest nature. Which
now, is a desire to invite you, my dear hominidess, to support the carers and
peacemongers in this world. Although, of course if you wish to engage in crass
demos and join the DEFFness, I respect your right to self-determination".
I was all geared up
to defend the right to protest and the right of protesters who are not
destructively intended to continue their protests, when I realised that she was
only focusing on those who engage in outward destructiveness or an implied
threat of physical force. She was not challenging the right of people to engage
in peaceful protest. I felt I had to make the point anyway. "By the
way" I said, waiting to see if she
was concentrating, "Not all Deffies or whichever, whatever people who
protest are fully in their obstructionism. Maybe some are already getting tired
of that particular destructive style". She smiled and nodded in agreement.
To counteract my descent into gloom, I needed to understand how our inner rebel
archetype evolves .
"Can the rebel
obstructionist archetypes within us move into the cooperative constructionist?
Can they become the supporting, nurturing, caring and working together type to
help the sick and old, the cold and hungry? To learn the knowledge and skills
and contribute to those services? Would they name themselves the CCC's - The
Compassionate, Co-operative Constructionists?" I asked Momsie with hint of
desperation in my voice.
"Now that is up to each one of you to put
into practice if you so choose" Said Momsie firmly. "The essence of
every intention and action each day, is whether you choose harm or
harmlessness".
She stretched and
yawned and said:
"Now, I am
going to demonstrate my inner guru archetype by curling up in the pot plant in
the corner and meditate in the sun so I can dream up more solutions for you
homonids ".
