corrente

Here's the Wikipedia definition of "projection":

According to the theories of Sigmund Freud, psychological projection is a psychological defense mechanism whereby one "projects" one's own undesirable thoughts, motivations, desires, feelings, and so on onto someone else (usually another person, but psychological projection onto animals and inanimate objects also occurs). The principle of projection is well-established in psychology.

An illustration would be an individual who feels dislike for another person (let's say Bob), but whose unconscious mind will not allow them to become aware of this negative emotion. Instead of admitting to themselves that they feel dislike for Bob, they project their dislike onto him, so that the individual's conscious thought is not "I don't like Bob," but "Bob doesn't seem to like me."

Peter Gay describes it as "the operation of expelling feelings or wishes the individual finds wholly unacceptable - too shameful, too obscene, too dangerous - by attributing them to another." (A Life for Our Time, page 281)

The concept is anticipated in the Gospels: "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"
- Matthew 7:3 King James Version of the Bible

It was Dick Cheney's "chutzpah" (back) that got me thinking about this. I mean, could Cheney really be lying? Or was it possible—just possible—that he believed what he was saying, even though it bore no demonstrable relation to the truth?

Of course! WPS in action! Cheney—as does any rational person—is deeply concerned about fundamentalists getting hold of a loose nuke and taking out a city. But he can't admit to himself that he bears any responsibility for the situation: the cognitive dissonance involved in admitting that "mistakes were made" on his watch is simply too great for him. So what does he do? He projects the fear that he cannot admit to himself onto Kerry!

The examples are everywhere.

1. The Clenis™ Republican sexual looseness has been a byword ever since Henry Hyde's "youthful" indiscretions and Livingston's resignation, all the way through Jack Ryan's sex club escapades to O'Reilly's thing for loofah (not to mention Bob Dole and Viagra, and Lynne Cheney's steamy lesbian novel). So, can the Republicans admit to themselves that they're just as sex-obsessed as the average pr0n-consuming Jack(s) and/or Jill(s)? Hell no! They project the sexual feelings they cannot admit to themselves onto The Clenis™

2. Cowardice Bush didn't fulfill his obligations to his country in the National Guard; in fact, he his "PTI 961" means that the Air Force judged him "unfit to serve." Can the wingers admit that Bush is a coward? Of coursenot—they're chickenhawks themselves! Can Bush admit this to himself? Of course not! So they project the feelings of cowardice they cannot admit to themselves onto Kerry—and the SBVF[cough]T are the result.

3. Flip-flopping How many reasons did Bush give for the war? Was it 23? Campaigns against nation-building, then does it. First opposes the DHS, then supports it. Opposes the 9/11 Commission, then supports it. There are plenty such lists. But can Bush admit to himself that he changes his mind? Can the wingers? Of course not! So they project their own flip-flopping onto Kerry.

It's amazing. Not only have the wingers decided they aren't part of "the reality community," they project all the fears and feelings they can't admit to themselves onto... Who? The reality community!

No wonder my head feels like it's exploding sometimes, with all that projection directed at it.

These are just a few examples of WPS. Readers, can you give more?

Me and my shadow....

NOTE We'll have more about another Republican psychological fraily, Winger Persecution Complex (WPC) another time.