It can 'happen' in the most (apparently) "respectable" families. It knows no distinctions of Class, Race, Creed, Gender or Education. It is very hard to identify until a full-blown problem already exists. It is very, very hard to 'cure!' Various religions have called it 'wickedness' and blamed it on 'the devil;' various cultures throughout time have tried-out their own approaches to dealing with it. But we are STILL stuck with it; our entire species is riddled with scattered examples of THE CRIMINAL MIND.
But it is NOT an 'accident!' That Psychological 'distortions' such as this are CAUSED (and therefore, eventually PREVENTABLE as well as 'TREATABLE') is the hope of what all human societies call 'The Law.' Law and Order are mankind's response to the Criminal Mind, and (considering that the vast majority of humanity would never commit ANY form of serious "crime") the entire institution of Law and Government itself exists only to deal with this tiny minority of criminals. Unfortunately, the institutions of Law and Government in even the most modern societies have not been founded upon CLEAR UNDERSTANDING of the Criminal Mind and it's SANE treatment. We are of the considered opinion that this oversight COULD be corrected.. and a truly wise method of dealing with both Prevention and Correction of criminality could be found.. if the principles of LOGIC rather than emotionalism were applied to it. That is our intention here.
Let us examine the primary tenets of Psychological Theory, and see how this 'twisting' of an individual occurs. Sigmund Freud identifies four primary parts of the Psyche or Mind. These are the Ego (the conscious mind with which we think and respond;) two 'lower' portions of Psyche, called 'the Id' (the Unconscious, a vast realm of possibilities, in which we dream.. filled with Symbols representing the almost limitless number of responses we COULD have to the almost limitless number of situations we could face in waking Life;) the 'Libido' (our personalized 'reservoir' or "package" in which we travel through the Id, the Libido houses or embodies our Sexual Urge and other details of our Self-Gratification drives;) and 'the Super-Ego' or CONSCIENCE (which Freud identified as the source of our "higher aspirations" and feelings of fairness.. normally called 'spirituality' or a relationship with 'God.') In the normal, healthy human being, Ego walks through life "looking up" to Super-Ego for guidance; this is called 'Uprightness' or 'Spirituality' in most societies. This, however, is conditioned by a GRATIFIED LIBIDO.. for Libido is FAR more powerful than the Ego, and it's drives (if frustrated or unfulfilled) can completely over-ride the Ego's self-control.. leading to apparently 'random acts of passion.' This simple category of 'wrong-doing' is easily understood.
But, if the Libido's needs have been made virtually IMPOSSIBLE within normal human society, Ego can turn AGAINST SUPER-EGO ITSELF.. a condition which we call 'Psychic Inversion'.. the consequences of which are quite devastating; the individual ceases to 'look up' to conscience, and elevates THE LOWER SELF (Ego, Libido and the Id) to the highest place of honor. Thenceforth, whatever Libido considers 'good' but society considers 'bad' (even in small doses) BECOMES "good" to the Ego(even if carried to an extreme;) and violence toward the society becomes quite probable. As the lower self, unguided by Super-Egoic Conscience, prowls the Id, it may seize-upon even the most horrid possibilities as 'good' simply because (as the mountain-climber once said,) "it is there" to find.. and monstrous inhumanities of thought and action can occur. Without the control of a well-integrated relationship with Super-Ego, Ego becomes literally a Wild Animal.. whose Libidinal urges for self-gratification and survival in a world hostile to it's nature lends it almost heroic levels of cunning, daring and expertise at fulfilling it's 'outlawed' self-gratifications.
This 'twisting' of the human Psyche is neither inherited nor in-born; but OCCURS as the result of experiences which shape and mold the Psyche during the developmental years of childhood and adolescence. DENIAL of Libidinal Urges is the most fundamental detail in the process of Inversion. We all get told 'no' countless times in childhood; but it is only the literal 'outlawing' of some part of one's Libidinal Need in life, that can begin the process of Psychic Inversion. Being told by the parents and/or society that what one wants will NEVER be possible (because it is 'wrong' or 'bad') bottles-up the potent forces of the Libido, and eventually the Ego will lose 'respect' for Super-Ego (and everything ELSE in life which calls itself an 'authority') and suddenly.. often even before the individual realizes it themself.. they have become 'antisocial' and 'criminally minded.'
Naturally, the other great determining factor in whether or not Inversion will occur from Denial-trauma is the absence of a strong Super-Ego relationship. ETHICS in any form, instilled early in life and nurtured as an essential part of human nature, is fundamental to psychic health. If our society has failed to protect it's youngsters from psychically damaging Denial-trauma, it has completely ignored it's DUTY to provide young people with a workable set of Ethical Standards. This pressing need is one on the motivations behind this article, and we will speak further on it soon.
The Psychic Symbols involved in this process are in themselves fascinating. One's relationship with Super-Ego (or the spiritual aspirations of the self) is symbolized in our most ancient and enduring cultures as BIRDS, because birds 'fly upward' and respond to the light of the Sun (the primary symbol of Super-Ego as an abstract principle.) The primary symbol of the Id or Unconscious Mind, is DARKNESS (the opposite of the Sun's Light;) and especially the darkness hidden within the Earth (which is the primary symbol of the Ego.. our 'earthly self.') Thus, caves are the most common place in dream where we encounter the Id and it's forces. Libido, meanwhile, is something very like a 'Wizard' or 'Magician;' some powerful being which can shift it's shape to fit it's needs, and whose instinctive urges take the form of animal-shaped 'Totems' that express symbolically what the Libido is trying to gratify at the moment. Thus, a perfectly healthy human Psyche may dream and visualize itself as a Lion (the Libidinal need for Authority and public respect,) guided by 'Winged Creatures' (messages from the Super-Ego) as it explores the night (seeing what the Id has to offer for one's gratification of those needs, at the moment.) This admittedly 'strange' but very natural and primitive sort of inner symbolic "Logic" goes-on in each of us constantly.
But in the Inversion-prone or already Inverted individual, the only wings they can dream-of are those that fly DOWN into caves (the Id) within the earth; and it is a BAT or bat-winged creature which guides the Totem 'animal' of the Inverted.. and the totems themselves are those of fierce, cunning and vicious 'animals' indeed. Werewolves prowl the caves of the Inverted Mind, as do Vampire Bats, silent Felines who slay by stealth, and monstrous forms compounded of many frustrated drives added together to form Minotaurs, "devils" and other nightmare monsters.
Psychotherapy attempts to help the Ego IDENTIFY and FACE their inner symbols.. leading to consciously dealing with the frustrations, drives and processes going-on in the Psyche. Sadly, it has become almost traditional for Psychotherapists to use the 'silent can-opener' approach, to this process; they ask questions, evaluate, but seldom EXPLAIN IN REAL TERMS WHAT IT "MEANS" ABOUT THE 'PATIENT.' This may 'seem' a friendly and supportive way of dealing with things that could make the patient feel 'bad' about their behaviors.. though in the long run, it PERMITS those behaviors to continue almost indefinitely. Yes, sometimes the silent approach pays off, and a patient discovers their 'twist' of thought, how it occurred and what it lead to.. and recovers the balance between the four great forces within their Psychic makeup; but this is by no means typical.
In most cases, Psychotherapy (as we have had it in the past) has become more a 'nursing home' for the Inverted, rather than a direct 'surgery' where injury is professionally FACED and CONFRONTED with clear therapeutic tactics. This is "understandable" in that Psychotherapy is accustomed to dealing with such ACTUAL ILLNESSES as Psychosis and Neurosis, which require a gentle and supportive environment in which the individual can heal from traumatic experiences (and further trauma would slow that healing or even block or prevent it.) But, treating Inversion as an 'illness' in the individual is clearly NOT ACCURATE; for Inversion sprang not from the inner self but from OUTER or SOCIOLOGICAL REPRESSIONS.. and it is really the Society as well as the individual that needs 'cured;' the individual needs 'fixed' by allowing them the RIGHT to 'harmless' self-happiness, while the society needs 'fixed' to prevent FUTURE damage to evolving minds yet to be born. Repression of human nature is the source of Inversion; and that is SOCIETY'S 'sin' against it's people.
What we obviously need in our society is thus a distinct approach to Inversion, that treats it not as 'mental illness' but as A SOCIOLOGICAL ERROR; an error which could (and should) be caught the first time it occurs, and quickly 'fixed' to prevent lasting damage to the Psyche. Our recommendations are quite 'serious' and well-considered, but we know that there will be few outside the fields of Criminal Psychology and Education who will either understand them as logically 'needed,' or act upon them as sound policies to implement in society. Most will see the following ideas as merely 'radical thoughts;' and will dismiss them as one more wasted drop of ink on the Information Super-Highway. But to those who DO know the Mind and Society, and who have the ability to recommend policies for the public good, we offer these solutions as both WORKABLE and DESPERATELY NEEDED, if our modern society is to outlive the criminality it has spawned among us.
The spectre of 'Big Brother' performing psychological 'programming' on young minds is certainly one to sober us quickly. In making the recommendation that every school-system have a Department of Psychological Services which both evaluates the psychic AND sociological development of each student, AND has the power to implement a program of CORRECTION where damage is already visible, we do so with full knowledge of the hazards a mis-directed approach could produce. However, considering the current level of 'programming' ALREADY IN PLACE (programming that ranges from politics to career-tracking) not to mention the horrid level of programming carried out by Hollywood and Television, a little SANITY in the mix would be a welcome change! Since Denial-trauma is QUITE EASY TO DETECT in youngsters (the sulking, blank or pained expressions on their faces cannot be missed by any but the blind or uncaring) even at the KINDERGARTEN level, a Staff Psychologist could quickly identify children with potential Inversion-track problems.. and then help formulate a deliberate program for FIXING the problem. We do much the same for children who are being abused sexually, nutritionally or racially; and the value of such programs is evident. It is time we also took an active role in supporting the psychic health of tomorrow's adult populace.
It is, however, at around the age of Puberty that the real force of the Libido emerges in children, and Psychological Services are CRUCIAL to adolescents. A two-prong approach seems to be called-for; first, every thirteen-year-old should be exposed to a thorough course in Psychological Development.. allowing them to recognize their own (and eachother's) emerging Egoic and Libidinal needs as well as understanding the nature of the Id and Super-Ego. A very non-invasive course could be developed, in which each adolescent could identify their inner symbolic life in dreams and fantasies, helping them to recognize their own emerging needs from both textbook examples and real-life experiences. Emphasis should be placed on Super-Ego development, with each student being asked to identify their own Ethical Standard, and develop that as part of their own self-identity. This would allow for the entire spectrum of religious as well as cultural and philosophical backgrounds or tendencies, and could help identify Super-Ego-'deficient' individuals (those clearly lacking Conscience-development) for further direct Psychological Services.
The identification of Libido-frustrated youngsters is also fairly easy.. despite the fact that virtually ALL teenagers are confused, frustrated and tense about Sex. Any trained therapist can recognize sexual REPRESSION and differentiate it from 'normal adolescent conflict' over sexual development. If left un-HELPED, such traumatized youngsters with a completely frustrated Libido are a DANGER waiting to happen. Rape and other forms of sexual abuse are entirely predictable from the psychological profile of an adolescent, and it is only the fault of SOCIETY that such festering torment is allowed to grow to adulthood without being helped to find non-violent outlets. A special program of accelerated sex-education should be made available for any youngster with a known history of sex abuse OR a pronounced interest in the subject.
Once a youngster has been identified as either Conscience-neutral (or deficient) or Libidinally Repressed, the Staff Psychologist should recognize a sociological PROBLEM IN THE MAKING, and an advanced series of Ethics courses as well as parent-teacher-student Conferences should follow. Many potential Inversion-tendencies could be corrected, if caught in time; with enormous benefit to society. Not only would this help the educational system (preventing damage, disruption and discipline-problems in the school) it would also help both the family (which is normally already deeply disrupted by the 'problem' adolescent) and the youngster as well.
Another logical NEED in our educational system is for a 'Special Education' Program for DISCIPLINARY PROBLEM-STUDENTS who lack either the Ethics or the self-control to fit into normal classes. Whether held in their own classes at public schools (under police-department discipline if needed) or bussed to seperate 'Military-Prep Schools' where a more discipline-intensive approach is traditional, such students could be prevented from disrupting normal education, while also offering a degree of Corrective Therapy in the form of 'martial law' applied to education. While this may seem 'extreme' to some, this approach has LONG been traditionally available to the wealthy families of most nations, where their 'problem children' can be given some degree of education while protecting them and society both from their lack of socialization-skills. It is clearly TIME that such 'policing' of their educations was instituted, for those NOT wealthy enough to 'hide' them in an exclusive private school.
It should be repeated that Psychic Inversion is fairly RARE even in today's Inversion-encouraging social environment; and the number of youngsters needing such services should not be too much for the system to bear. But even if the number WERE large, society has spawned the problem and should hold itself responsible for it's correction. What we are suggesting is in principle little more than another 'School Nurse;' but one with Psychological rather than Biological 'first-aid' duties; and a School Security Department that does MORE than merely frisk children for handguns at the door! Without such a program, we are left with already severely-damaged young adults, entering society with a lethal charge of PAIN inside them, and the world will be their target.
Once a young adult has entered society with an Inverted Psyche 'aimed' at a world which failed to protect them, what we are left with is the Police Log of any town or city on earth; armed robbery, thefts grand and petty, murder, assault, rape and the rest of what we all refer to as 'crimes.' We may WISH such things never occur; but even that may be a misunderstanding, in the long run.
Consider for a moment a world in which there were no citizens 'unethical' enough to kill. While we are 'programmed' to view killing as 'wrong,' without it there would be neither meat on the grocery shelves, policemen on the beat nor soldiers to defend nations against invasion. Bluntly, while the general ABHORRENCE of killing is a social 'good,' the deliberate USE of killing by the society is ALSO crucial to society as well. This Double Standard within society is itself the root cause of many of our societal problems. Anthropologists tell us that a respect for 'Private Property' is far from universal in our planet's history, though WE call 'taking things because you want them' THEFT.. yet that was NOT the opinion of Polynesian or Native American societies.. who viewed 'taking things' as NEED-FULFILLMENT, and therefore excusable. Our society prides itself on 'the Rule of Law,' and we apply a single universal Code upon a species with a wide variety of PERSONAL 'Codes.'
What we are trying to do here is broaden the understanding.. the actual COMPREHENSION.. of human reality, to FIND A PLACE FOR EVEN THE EXCEPTIONS TO OUR ETHICAL CODE.. so that all but the most distorted and monstrous products of our society can 'be at home' in our world, with a modicum of both respect and approval from the 'norm' they differ from.
At one time (in the 20th Century in fact) it was the custom of the Courts to offer first-time criminal offenders the option of Military Service in lieu of Penal Servitude. Many a young man with a hot temper and agressive gratification-drive equaled only by their lack of a Conscience, was truly IMPROVED by a few years spent under the discipline of Military Law. That is as close as our society has ever come to a WISE handling of the Inversion-prone.. and in it we find hope for future policy-changes. From recognizing EVERY Weapons-owner as automatically a member of their State Militia (a perfectly valid reading of the US Constitution,) to recognizing EVERY first-time Armed Offender and Assault With Intent To Kill as automatic 'enlistment' in the Armed Forces (a clearly LOGICAL statement of the facts, recognized as that by society,) WE HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL ALREADY AT HAND, TO CHANNEL "WRONGDOERS" INTO WORKABLE ENVIRONMENTS WHERE THEIR CRIMINAL TENDENCIES CAN BE CONTROLLED and turned to the 'public good.'
As for non-typical SEXUAL patterns, those too have a possible value in a logical approach to society. Several governments (including the state of Nevada and the nation of Germany) recognize Prostitution as a valid profession deserving legalization and state supervision. There is a place in such a system for both men and women who have an above-average interest in or capacity for sexual experience. Whether detected in adolescence (when education MAY be able to bring that interest-level back into socially 'normal' levels) or later, when career-choice could provide the outlet needed by such appetites.. a place COULD be found for even these most maligned of citizens. It all comes down to PUBLIC ATTITUDES.
The real question posed by such an application of LOGIC to human Law and Order, is DO WE WANT IT.. or would we prefer to keep the status quo, with all of it's failings? We note in response to that question that NO NATION ON EARTH IMPRISONS A LARGER PERCENTAGE OF IT'S POPULATION THAN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DOES TODAY.. only a small fraction of whom are truly either Inverted OR incapable of socially-useful service to an INTELLIGENT community. Our current policies are not only expensive, they also breed MORE OF THE SAME.. for the institution of imprisonment offers an 'easy chair' and free ride for the ever-growing number of truly Inverted Psyches being generated by the status quo.
It is our feeling that our out-of-control society will answer the question FOR US.. in the form of a public DEMAND for reform in both the educational and the legal system, as our society reels from the cost and the pain of IGNORING our Inverted children for TOO LONG.