According to Freud,, our personality is comprised of 3 parts, the "id", the "ego",and the "super-ego". (for the purpose of this post, it would be helpful to allow yourself to attach a new meaning to these terms) The id is that which drives all of our behavior, based on our primal desires and/or needs. For instance, an infant feels hunger and needs to express it.
At that point, the "ego" takes over and expresses that need in such a way that will ensure that the id is satified, so the infant cries, which is perfectly normal and acceptable.
Eventually, however, the ego begins to run into conflict in how it finds expression, and begins to come under the influence of the opinion of those around it, such as "MOM" or "DAD"!
These significant "others" can accept that an infant may express hunger by crying, but as this child grows, it should normally find a more articulate method of expression, such as simply asking for food. We do not find it acceptable for a normal 18 year old to cry because it wants dinner.
This outside influence thus helps to form the "super-ego", or, a moderating force "over-riding" the ego, in order that the needs of the "id" are presented in socially acceptable forms.
All of us have needs and desires, some we express and some we repress, according to how our super-ego allows us. While we all have desires for food, sex, socialization, etc., we moderate them into culturally and socially acceptable ways. (this is what HAY MAKER tries to do when he is fantasizing about his French-Canadian hussy and we to some degree allow him to)
Up until the past 40 years, the very strong Victorian values of our culture were the dominant influence in forming our "super-egos", and the dark side of our "id" and its expressive "ego" was strongly held in check by our conservatively dominated "super-ego".
Therefore, while we all had/have socially unacceptable primal urges and desires, we have learned how to "behave", or, express them only in ways that are permissible in our culture.
For example, we meet our need to eat, but only our own food, or our neighbour's, by their invitation. We have sex with our chosen mate, but we don't grab the first attractive male or female we meet on the street and have our way with them.
In the past 40 years, however, society has thrown off many of the restraints that were associated with Victorianism, and substituted them with "ideals" that were developed on a personal, self-centered ( unrepressed ego-driven) level. The result is that the "ego" expresses the desires of the "id" in very raw and sometimes hurtful ways.
So Twotimer, I guess I said all of that to say that:
1) - no, there are no more weirdos than ever, there have always been those who had aberrant tendencies, they just didn't act them out as freely because of better socialized super-egos.
2) - If you think it's bad now, just wait another 10 or 20 years as the last vestiges of Judeo/Christian culture are eliminated from Western society.
But really, Twotimer, because of your roots, I probably did not need to lecture you about Freud!
:wink:
