Social Aspects: Psyche is Distributed

In the same way that dreams can be meaningful, we can see our "selves" as coherent wholes or as collections of different influences. To the same extent that dreams, ideals, and imaginings are real, it can be helpful to shift from one perspective on self to the other. Let me just be clear that it makes no difference to me whether we focus on this meaning (whatever we might see as meaningful) as coming from God or collective social archetypes or whether we say we create it. If we can see it and affirm it, I am curious about how it works and Jesus can have all the credit for all the good that might come out of the curiosity and abundance.

When I say psyche is distributed, I am referring back to my essay on Self-Identity and Globalization. In this case, the distributed part means a few different things. The first is that the influences from the four "collections" which bombard, support, and/or direct us do not come pre-packaged as coherent and integrated. Sometimes our genetic temperament is helpful and sometimes not; sometimes our family histories and roles are helpful and sometimes not; sometimes our national cultures and stupidities are helpful and sometimes not; sometimes our beliefs and experiences with ultimate meanings or spirituality are helpful and sometimes not. What's more, most of the time these different influences push and pull us in a variety of directions. By putting together what we know of each of these four collections, we can say that they have a certain shape. And while maybe no one know exactly all of what goes into genetic code or American culture, for example, we can say that some things are a significant part of American culture at any given time (road trips, NYC, and big sky country) and some things are not (enlightened--or even respectful--political debate).

The various influences will sometimes lend themselves to counteracting influences from other levels. (The customs that fit with being trained as a therapist do not jive with the vitriollic nature of political talk radio shows.) And at other times or other instances, the influences will potentiate one another. (The customs that fit with being trained as a therapist align with a general emphasis on global equality over 16th century nationalism and racism.)

Naturally, we find that a distributed description tends to fit societies as well as individual people. My people are American, but I don't provide southern comfort or an educated New England liberal emphasis on history and debate. Nor would I expect them to cook me a shoo-fly pie should I visit. The whole may be greater than the sum of its parts, but the parts are interesting in and of themselves. That's distribution. Not all the wonder goes to the overall picture or one of the parts.