Life's Greatest
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Saturday, October 23, 2010
I was at an old man's place, when I saw a Chinese scroll hanging on his wall. I was quite enthused by it. I asked him where he bought it, as I would like to have it. After a while, when he saw I really liked it, he took it down and gave it to me! I was very grateful. Below is a translation.
- Life's greatest enemy, is yourself;
- Life's greatest failure, is yourself;
- Life's greatest ignorance, is cheating;
- Life's greatest sadness, is jealousy;
- Life's greatest mistake, is self-abandonment;
- Life's most admirable, is the spirit of learning;
- Life's greatest bankruptcy, is the loss of all hope;
- Life's greatest fortune, is good health;
- Life's greatest debt, is the debt of honour;
- Life's greatest gift, is forgiveness;
- Life's greatest deficiency, is the lack of wisdom;
- Life's greatest comfort, is the ability to give;
- Life's most depressing temperament, is a lack of self-respect;
- Life's greatest sin, is self-deception, and deception of others.
Jacqueline on 9:49 AM
People who ‘don’t know’ :-)
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Check out following link. Rather interesting. It borders on how and why people who 'know' may not know, and those who 'don’t know', may know. I suppose the ‘chain of events’ that take place in more analytical minds may know there may be some learning we are not aware, or mindful of. ‘So, let’s withhold our judgment’. Some food for thought. Be careful not to create self-fulfilling prophecies. ‘If you think you can, or you think you can’t, you are probably both right’ – Henry Ford.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11206057
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11206057
Jacqueline on 9:14 PM
Frost/Nixon interview
Saturday, October 16, 2010
I finally watched this DVD, which my friend Tsu San got for me quite some time ago. Great movie. It showed how men and women of the highest calibre and assertion may do more harm than good to society, without values and conviction. It also showed how one, irregardless of the highest position, may feel slightly better after acknowledging their fault and recognising their authenticity, without believing too much of their self-propaganda. Somehow felt the Frost interview was more of a salvation for Nixon, rather than a humiliation.
Jacqueline on 9:39 PM
Elephant and chain
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Do you know why, despite their enormity and strength, elephants can't break free of their chains? It may be because they never try. A trainer (metaphorically adult) puts the chain onto a baby elephant, so when the weaker youngster tries, it never succeeds - a psychological barrier is formed.
Jacqueline on 1:04 PM
Shaun's 'master-piece'
Saturday, October 09, 2010
Check out Shaun's 'master-piece' in the photos =) Got numbers, his 'name', his mum's 'surname', 'Chinese Characters' like 'che', 'xin', 'yun', 'da', 'xiao', his favorite words like 'apple', picture of bicycle (if you can see it), and probably some Egyptian. =)
Jacqueline on 2:14 PM
Authenticity
Friday, October 01, 2010
Was studying the work of one of the most creative and original psychologist Carl Rogers (1902 – 1987), when the following caught my attention.
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Psychopathology (simply the study of mental illness la)
Psychopathology (simply the study of mental illness la)
'Rogers describes the concepts of congruence and incongruence as important ideas in his theory. In proposition #6 he refers to the actualizing tendency. At the same time he recognizes the need for positive regard. In a fully congruent person realizing their potential is not at the expense of experiencing positive regard. They are able to lead lives that are authentic and genuine. Incongruent individuals, in their pursuit of positive regard, live lives that include falseness and do not realise their potential. Conditions put on them by those around them make it necessary for them to forego their genuine, authentic lives to meet with the approval of others. They live lives that are not true to themselves, to who they are on the inside.
Rogers suggests that the incongruent individual who is always on the defensive and cannot be open to all experiences is not functioning ideally and may even be malfunctioning. They work hard at maintaining/protecting their self concept. Because their lives are not authentic this is a difficult task and they are under constant threat. They deploy defense mechanisms to achieve this. He describes two mechanisms: distortion and denial. Distortion occurs when the individual perceives a threat to their self concept. They distort the perception until it fits their self concept.
This defensive behavior reduces the consciousness of the threat but not the threat itself. And so, as the threats mount, the work of protecting the self concept becomes more difficult and the individual more defensive and rigid in their self structure. If the incongruence is immoderate this process may lead the individual to a state that would typically be described as neurotic. Their functioning becomes precarious and psychologically vulnerable. If the situation worsens it is possible that the defenses cease to function altogether and the individual becomes aware of the incongruence of their situation. Their personality becomes disorganised and bizarre; irrational behavior, associated with earlier denied aspects of self, may erupt uncontrollably.'
Rogers suggests that the incongruent individual who is always on the defensive and cannot be open to all experiences is not functioning ideally and may even be malfunctioning. They work hard at maintaining/protecting their self concept. Because their lives are not authentic this is a difficult task and they are under constant threat. They deploy defense mechanisms to achieve this. He describes two mechanisms: distortion and denial. Distortion occurs when the individual perceives a threat to their self concept. They distort the perception until it fits their self concept.
This defensive behavior reduces the consciousness of the threat but not the threat itself. And so, as the threats mount, the work of protecting the self concept becomes more difficult and the individual more defensive and rigid in their self structure. If the incongruence is immoderate this process may lead the individual to a state that would typically be described as neurotic. Their functioning becomes precarious and psychologically vulnerable. If the situation worsens it is possible that the defenses cease to function altogether and the individual becomes aware of the incongruence of their situation. Their personality becomes disorganised and bizarre; irrational behavior, associated with earlier denied aspects of self, may erupt uncontrollably.'
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In a nutshell, to be mentally healthy, you need to be sincere and authentic.
In a nutshell, to be mentally healthy, you need to be sincere and authentic.
Jacqueline on 10:55 PM