Week 10

There are times when the quarter system is just so stressful compared to the semester system.  I'm not sure why  MCC uses the quarter system.  For most classes, it's impossible to attend half-time!  Two classes that are 4.5 hours each = three classes that are 3 semester hours each = 3/4 time.  And I have to maintain half time or else the underwear gnomes will steal me away in the middle of the night.  (<-- gratuitous South Park reference)

So, as everyone is always complaining about, I'm nuts.  I'm so stressed at trying to get it all done.  The chapter on stress did nothing but depress me.  I am trying my best to learn to handle stress as well as I can, but I think a hardy personality is at least partially something you're just born with.  The rest of us have to work hard to de-stress -- and paradoxically, that's a stressor!  Being told you're coping poorly and it's negatively affecting your health only makes you worry more if you're already coping poorly.  Talk about a vicious cycle.

Anyway, personality.  And Freud, this extremely influential thinker of the 20th century.  I know he contributed an amazing amount to psychology, but I just can't get over his obsession with sex.  I find that just offensive and disturbing.  Really.  Even he said "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar," didn't he?  And I find it highly implausible that binge eating disorder is the result of, say, not being breast-fed.  Urk.  Also, as the text notes on p453, he's been criticized for being sexist and focusing on male development only -- as I understand it, the Electra Complex was almost an afterthought.  And on that subject, would gay and lesbian children still develop inappropriate feelings for their opposite sex parent, or would it be the same sex parent?

I 'm really glad that other psychologists de-emphasized the sexual aspect of the whole thing.

I like the trait approach quite a bit, even though it is not explanatory, simply because it tells us what we and others are like so that we know how to deal with others best.  It's very useful for learning more about how we deal with the world and with others, and how others deal with the world and with us.  I think this helps a lot when it comes to learning how to make the most of our lives and navigate interactions with others.  Myers-Briggs personality inventory is mentioned, and I know it's used widely in institutions settings.  I like that a lot because a person's type tells me something about their basic reactions and a little bit about their lifestyle.  And I'm an INFP, which means nothing to you if you don't know what it means, but to me was an awesome way to further my understanding of myself and the world.

I know the book mentions humanistic theories like Maslow and Rogers as being perhaps overly optomistic, but I would really like to think people work this way.  If only more people would behave with unconditional positive regard when we need it!  Most people could always benefit from a little more love. :)  Kids really, really need more of it and often have a tough time getting it from their parents.  At least that's been my observation.

Just for the record, the Rorschach inkblot on page 470?  I saw two people, two moose, and a frog.  What does that mean?

So, this week:  me = crazygonuts, psychology = totally cool and interesting as always, religion class = getting neglected, time = growing sort.  Deep breaths.  Heh.