Previously, I spoke of how the extraverted
thinking type selects a range of generally
accepted norms, and observable facts to form
the extraverted formula, a criterion by which
he judges the world, people, and from which
he derives meaning as well as a moral code
for how others ought to behave.
He's quite rigid and harshly screens out what
doesn't comply with his way of thinking.
I mentioned the benefits of this rigidness
in the last video but today we focus more
on the negatives, then we shall summarize.
Apart from others, it is the person in question
whose life is the most undermined by this
rigidness.
The extraverted thinking type, given his attachment
to a single cheriched course of doing and
being, there are so many activities he completely
rules out, which otherwise could be quite
enriching.
For instance, this type perceives as nuisance,
metaphysics; religious experiences, and suchlike
intangibles.
What doesn't obey the laws of logic and empiricism,
arts and music; aestetics; establishment of
strong emotional bonds, any such activities
that trigger intense feelings; or mere sensations
even, are completely discarded into sheer
unconsciousness.
The feeling function is not totally repressed,
but is often subordinated by thinking.
When something has to be felt viscerally,
like a beautiful scenery at the ocean, the
mind of this type can never let loose, and
will still be thinking thoughts, instead of
contemplating simply.
Our psychology has its own defence mechanisms
against psychic imbalance, so fortunately
he's able to sense instinctively when it is
time to put that thinking mind to rest, and
dive into some emotion-triggering activity.
Preoccupation is what makes things worse.
If he does not intervene to let out that emotional
side on occasion, goes on too long operating
on his habitual rationalistic guise, he becomes
hysterical, and some depressions ensue as
a forced retraction, compensating his prolonged
repression of emotion.
Jung emphasizes that feelings are not completely
repressed in this type.
He does apparently seem to feel something
after he has thought about the thing.
Feelings are more often repressed, but sometimes
follow as an afterthought, which is what keeps
this function undeveloped for him.
Intuition and sensation are repressed as well,
but "The first function to be affected by
the conscious inhibition is feeling, since
it is the most opposed to the rigid intellectual
formula and is therefore repressed the most
intensely."
Thinking has the upper hand.
Some feelings take effect on a conscious level.
Most are thwarted into the unconscious, instead
replaced by a thought, but nevertheless they
still influence the individual in many wicked
ways.
Any kind of feeling, be it joy, sadness, say
it got repressed, it then follows a course
of being distorted-- the core is altered.
It resurfaces but often in a form of bad intention.
A desire to help someone can seem pure to
the person in question on a conscious level,
but since some kind of feeling got repressed
in the past, even if it had no relation to
this current desire, it re-emerges, attaches
itself to that benevolent motive, and twists
it into a selfish one, making the person help
others and feel like he's being altruistic
on the surface, but deep down, and unbeknown
to him, an unconscious need to feel approved
of, to be titled as righteous, expecting to
receive sth in return, all operate under the
radar.
"If the repression is successful, the subliminal
feeling then functions in a way that is opposed
to the conscious aims, even producing effects
whose cause is a complete enigma to the individual."
"For example, the conscious altruism of this
type, which is often quite extraordinary,
may be thwarted by a secret self-seeking which
gives a selfish twist to actions that in themselves
are disinterested."
"There are guardians of public morals who
suddenly find themselves in compromising situations,
or rescue workers who are themselves in dire
need of rescue.
Their desire to save others leads them to
employ means which are calculated to bring
about the very thing they wished to avoid."
"Only an inferior feeling function, operating
unconsciously and in secret, could seduce
otherwise reputable men into such."
The latter negative effects of repression
mostly happen if the person goes on too long
living without compensating his predominant
lifestyle with some kind of retreat or emotional
activities, which serve as diversion from
his overly thinking mind.
Repression is always on and it's a healthy
psychological mechanism against overwhelming
emotions.
Here however, repression is exaggerated because
of a hysterical state, depressive episode,
or due to an overpreoccupation in the world
of thoughts without consideration to pause,
to engage in something that would trigger
one's feelings.
This negative repression can be released by
simply putting aside work, watching a movie,
entering a deep relationship, basically making
way for emotions to arise and express; he
must do this if he is to avoid the consequences
of the emergence of exaggerated repression.
