Self Analysis 1951 List 7

← Self-Analysis (1951)

List 7

Survival Factors

In that the basic drive of life is Survival and in that good Survival must contain an abundance, the survival characteristics of people, organisms, matter, energy, space and time, from the viewpoint of an individual, are very important. The incentive toward Survival is the acquisition of pleasure. The thrust away from death is the threat of pain. High ideals and ethics enhance the potentialities of the individual and the group in surviving. The ultimate in Survival is immortality.

The factors which make up life can become contradictory in that one item can, in itself, assist survival and inhibit survival. A knife for instance is prosurvival in the hand, but contra survival when pointed at the breast by somebody else. As a person advances in life, he becomes confused as to the survival value of certain persons, various objects, energy, space and time. The individual desires survival for himself, for his family, for his children, for his group, for life in general, and the physical universe. Confusing one thing with another and beholding an item which was once survival become nonsurvival, beholding nonsurvival entities taking on survival qualities, the ability of the individual to evaluate his environment in terms of whether it assists or inhibits survival deteriorates.

An individual, a family, a group best survives, of course, when prosurvival entities are in proximity and available and when contrasurvival entities are absent. The struggle of life could be said to be the procurement of prosurvival factors and the annihilation, destruction, banishment of contrasurvival factors.

Emotion is directly regulated by prosurvival and contra survival factors in life. When an individual procures and has in his proximity a strong survival entity such as another person or animal or object, he is happy. As this prosurvival entity departs from him, his emotional reaction deteriorates in direct ratio to his belief in his ability to recover it. As it threatens to depart he becomes antagonistic and fights to keep it near him. If its departure seems certain, he will become angry and lest it become prosurvival for another life form and he is assured he has lost it, he will even destroy it. When he realizes what his own state may be or the state of his family, children or group with his prosurvival entity departed he experiences fear that its loss will be permanent. When he recognizes what he believes to be a nearly irretrievable absence of this prosurvival entity he experiences grief. When it is considered to be lost permanently he experiences apathy and in apathy he may even go to the point of saying he did not want it. Actually, from antagonism on down the tone scale of emotion all the way to grief, he is still fighting to get it back and only in apathy abandons it and negates against it.

In the case of a person, animal, object, energy, space or time which threatens the survival of an individual, his family, his children, or his group, the best survival can be accomplished when such an entity has been banished or destroyed or is as distant as possible from the individual, his family, his children, or his group. In the case of the mad dog, the greatest danger exists when he is nearest and the greatest safety exists when he is most distant or absent. With contrasurvival objects, then, we have the tone scale in reverse. When the contrasurvival object is present and cannot be put away, the individual experiences apathy. When the individual believes himself to be threatened or when he feels his family, his children or his group are threatened by a contrasurvival object to a point where he cannot easily repel it, grief is experienced, for grief contains some hope of victory through enlisting the sympathy of one’s allies. When a contrasurvival entity is threatening to approach, fear is experienced, providing one feels that direct attack is not possible. If the contrasurvival object is near, but the individual, his family, his children or his group feel that it can be conquered, even though it is already too close, anger results. If a contra survival entity might possibly approach, antagonism is demonstrated. Above this level contrasurvival objects may be more and more distant or easily handled up to the point where the individual can even be cheerful about them, at which time they are either absent or can be handled with ease. Individuals get into a fixed emotional state about their environment when contrasurvival objects remain too statically in their environment or when prosurvival objects are too difficult to obtain and cannot be procured or brought near or seem inclined to leave. Mixed with these emotional states is the confusion occasioned by a dulled ability to differentiate between the pro and contrasurvival of an entity.

A parent is contrasurvival in that he punishes, is much too big, and cannot be contributed to, which lessens the survival potentialities of a child. On the other hand, the same parent furnishing food, clothing and shelter, and also, but not least, being an entity which loves and can be loved, is a prosurvival entity. The parent entirely absent, then, is not a satisfactory survival state. The parent present is not a satisfactory survival state. Hence an indecision results and the individual demonstrates anxiety toward the parent. But this anxiety exists because of many hidden situations extending back to the beginning of an individuals life. The following questions are designed so as to permit the individual to reevaluate the prosurvival and contrasurvival nature of persons, animals, objects, energies, space and time in general.

Sight, Smell, Touch, Color, Tone, External Motion, Emotion, Loudness. Body Position, Sound, Weight. Personal Motion

Can you recall a time when:

1. A person you disliked was about.
2. An individual you liked stood above you.
3. You finally accepted a person you liked.
4. You enjoyed accompanying a person you liked.
5. You were against a person you liked.
6. You acquired an individual you liked.
7. You and a person you liked engaged in a pleasant action.
8. Your action resulted in getting rid of somebody you didn’t like.
9. You enjoyed seeing somebody you admired.
10. You advanced toward a person you liked.
11. You acquired an object which you adored.
12. You knew somebody felt affection for you.
13. You got away from a person of whom you were afraid.
14. You walked after a person you liked.
15. A person you liked aided you.
16. You and people you liked were all together.
17. You almost met somebody you disliked.
18. You were glad to be alone.
19. Somebody aided your ambition.
20. You were among people you liked.
21. You found somebody amiable.
22. A person amused you.
23. You finally didn’t have to be anxious.
24. A person you liked appeared suddenly.
25. You had a good appetite.
26. You approached somebody you honored.
27. Somebody approved of you.
28. A person you liked arose.
29. You were arrested by somebody’s beauty.
30. You enjoyed an arrival.
31. You found out you didn’t have to be ashamed.
32. Somebody you liked was asleep.
33. You assailed an enemy successfully.
34. A person you honored assisted you.
35. You enjoyed an associate.
36. You felt assured by a person you liked.
37. You were astonished to find out somebody respected you after all.
38. You attacked somebody you didn’t like.
39. You were attached to a friend.
40. Somebody you liked gave you attention.
41. You were attractive to somebody.
42. You were awakened by somebody of whom you were fond.
43. You were glad to find somebody was bad.
44. You played ball.
45. You played a battle with children.
46. Somebody considered you beautiful.
47. You discovered you had become fond of someone.
48. Somebody you disliked begged you.
49. You began a friendship.
50. You discovered you didn’t have to behave.
51. A person you disliked was behind you.
52. You were below somebody you liked.
53. Somebody of whom you were fond bested you.
54. You were beside your favorite friend.
55. You discovered you were liked better than you thought.
56. You were between two friends.
57. You bit somebody you disliked.
58. You decided to be blind to a fault.
59. You liked somebody who was black.
60. Somebody asked you to blow hard.
61. Somebody’s question made you blush pleasantly.
62. Somebody made you feel bold.
63. You were glad somebody had been born.
64. Nobody could bother you.
65. You had reached the. bottom and started up.
66. You bowed to a friend.
67. You were in a box with a pleasant person.
68. You broke bread with somebody you liked.
69. You breakfasted with somebody you liked.
70. You liked somebody so much you could hardly breathe.
71. You brought somebody a present.
72. You brushed against somebody you liked.
73. Somebody helped you build something.
74. Somebody kissed a burn.
75. You were so happy you felt you would burst.
76. You buried something you didn’t want.
77. You were too busy to see an enemy.
78. You stood by somebody.
79. You saw something you disliked in a cage.
80. You answered a call from a friend.
81. You broke a cane.
82. You captured an enemy.
83. You no longer had to be careful.
84. You found somebody cared.
85. You enjoyed being careless.
86. A cat you didn’t like walked away from you.
87. You discovered you weren’t the cause.
88. They couldn’t catch you and you realized it.
89. You were certain of a friend.
90. You discovered you had charm.
91. You enjoyed a child.
92. You found a church pleasant.
93. You discovered there were friends in the city.
94. You and others left the classroom.
95. Somebody believed you were clever.
96. You found an enemy was clumsy.
97. You didn’t have to clothe yourself as directed.
98. You threw away a collar.
99. You didn’t have to comb your hair.
100. You were comfortable with a person.
101. You saw an enemy coming and didn’t meet him.
102. You could come as you pleased.
103. An enemy had to obey your command.
104. You found you were in command.

Sight, Smell, Touch, Color, Tone, External Motion, Emotion, Loudness. Body Position, Sound, Weight. Personal Motion