Citation

Twemlow SW. Psychoanal. Inq. 2016; 36(6): 497-509.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/07351690.2016.1192399

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article addresses the issue of why it is that United States of America glorifies violence and, at the same time, is scared of it, out of proportion to the country's overwhelming world strength and influence. The article focuses initially on the need to own weapons of mass destruction beyond those needed for sports, including hunting. My psychoanalytic hypothesis suggests that there is a displacement of a fear of being seen by the world as altruistic and, therefore, feminine (castrated and weak); and a hypermasculine defensive façade is often adopted. A history of altruism as reflected in community attitudes is given together with several examples of how altruistic interventions can be very helpful both in schools and in community-wide interventions. The article is the first in a series that will explore altruism as a drive and important in individual analysis beyond its role as an ego defense.

Language: en