Sunday News-Wrap 3.20.22
Wars, Wits... and the Transformative Power of Stepping Off-Script
Sunday newShrink greetings, and happy Spring — at last!
This edition is a News-Wrap, which looks at a few clusters of related current news items, issues and people along several soul/psychological themes reflected in today’s title. Given fast-unfolding events in Ukraine, at the end of the post are some breaking and a few of the week’s top stories as of writing time.
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Note: The usual navigating tips for opening links here in the text or browsing to the website are after closing comments, at the bottom of this post.
connecting themes….
You might read, listen and watch for some of these overlapping title themes of relevance from the depth/soul psychology dimensions, history, and the journalism and arts of popular culture. (These combine both new and fresh takes on core themes in newShrink’s ongoing soul-tracking process.)
First, more focus on a new theme introduced last week:
🔷 Stepping-out of type-casting. Borrowing the phrase from theater, film or TV, type-casting means actors perform in or are repeatedly selected in predictable, prescribed roles. By contrast, in a depth or soul-engaged life and psychology we are not type-cast. We’re not solely our roles, not just our personalities.. We are more than merely an ego-self, that “resume version” of ourselves — we are also what Jung termed the “capital-S or soul-Self.” Important to note, individuals must first have developed — and have become well aware and familiar with — a solid personality, sense of ego-self, our type, before “stepping off-script” is even possible. The desirability of this strong sense of ego-self can be important to keep in mind regarding leaders. For those who exhibit narcissistic or even sociopathic tendencies, a fragile or empty sense of self is a defining, intolerable vulnerability that unconsciously drives such individuals and makes them dangerous.
🔷 Particularly in light of this “Women’s History Month” considering the role and primacy of both history, at the cultural and global level, and the unfolding of our individual life-story, our individuation;
🔷 Also looking toward wholeness for both genders (and gender-identities) via engagement with healthy conscious masculinity and femininity regardless of gender. (Many of today’s examples illustrate what that looks and feels like — warmer, more emotionally engaged men and stronger, more creatively fierce-feminine women when it’s time to be.)
🔷 The creative as an essential force of our humanness. As noted in last week’s newShrink, Marion Woodman considered it what makes life worth living. And Jung includes creativity as one of the fundamental human instincts or drives, along with sexuality, hunger, thirst, aggression, pleasure, et. al.
Finally (and related):
🔷There are many psychological/soul dimensions of humor and comedy, many of which are useful and therapeutic both individually and culturally. (This was a theme explored in the “comedy, psychology and the news…” section of last summer’s newShrink 8.6.21) and others revisited below.
… with stories
1. March is “Women’s History Month”
As described last week, Charles Frazier’s fact-based historical novel Varina portrays the First Lady of the Confederacy, Varina Howell Davis. She and her husband, Confederate President Jefferson Davis, are the top far-left pictures above.
Next to them are her close friend and fellow slavery-opponent, S.C. plantation aristocrat Mary Boykin Chesnut. With Mary is her husband James, a U.S. Senator who resigned his seat to return to South Carolina and begin the secession that led to the Civil War.
Mary Chesnut’s Civil War Diary — thoroughly annotated, vetted and edited by Pulitzer-winning historian C. Vann Woodward in 1981 — and her astonishing life were title subjects of the 9.24.21 Shrink-wrap last fall. Another companion piece, and favorite, regarding historic American women was last summer’s 7.2.21 newShrink, “Dearest Friend.” It’s about First Lady Abigail Adams’ remarkably close relationship and earlier, rich transatlantic wartime correspondence with husband John during the American Revolution.
Having now read and vividly experienced Varina with book club, I highly recommend it. Meanwhile, this New York Times review offers a glimpse of Varina and the Frazier novel about her: First lady of the Confederacy considers her painful past. The Washington Post review of Varina is good, too.
A few thoughts:
🌀Although Chesnut’s is a first-person account of her many descriptions of activities and her relationships with Varina and Jefferson Davis, the rendering by Frazier from Varina’s viewpoint rings true — and suggests thorough research (as well as skilled writing and much psychological insight to the inner life of this complex woman.)
🌀 Both Chesnut’s family of origin (Boykins/Millers) and marriage were among South Carolina’s plantation-owning (enslaving) wealthiest. By contrast, the still young teenaged Varina Howell was effectively traded over as chattel to marry the much older widower Jefferson Davis by a father whose repeated failed financial speculations had left her with no money and few marriage prospects. (Like many Confederate women and widows everywhere, Chesnut would ultimately be nearly destitute by the end of her life. The war destroyed the Southern land- and cotton-economy, leaving many land-poor. James died earlier, and even had there been much left besides idle land, U.S. women were legally defined as property themselves so could not own or inherit even from their own families of birth.)
🌀Both women, in differing circumstances and for different reasons, were deeply and broadly educated, in languages, culture and the literary and historic classics — to an extent rare for women in their time. This seems to have both served each of their respective adaptations and survival through many devastating times of war, deaths, illness, unspeakable losses… and yet also heightened the suffering of their awareness without any increase in their power, autonomy or capacity to effect change.
🌀Especially wrenching from the psychological perspective, as young pubescent girls both were prescribed regular doses of opium and/or laudanum by male doctors — as was common practice for “managing their issues.” (Throughout their lives, presumably with a lot of their contemporaries, both Chesnut and Davis were regular users of sometimes large amounts of opiates that they took along with wine and other spirits.) This echoes so much the writing and earliest work by Freud and other pioneers in psychology. Their first efforts were with female patients who presented with an array of symptoms broadly labeled “hysteria,” some if not most of which were created or exacerbated by strict Victorian-era controls over and literal binding and corseting of the female body.
🌀 Related to this, though it didn’t come up in book club discussion I found it both fascinating and disturbing that Varina Howell Davis had a well-documented, periodic experience of vividly prophetic dreams — which had begun at puberty (and around the time she began being dosed with opium.) How interesting, and chilling, that full force of institutional controls over women — in medicine, religions, governments, even their own families — tends to begin with their bodies and just happens to coincide with girls’ physical and unfolding sexual maturity. The content of Davis’ documented prophetic dreams interested me as well, for her striking visions of the Civil War before its events occurred mirror so closely those that Jung experienced prior to and at the start of World War I and later wrote about extensively. (Additionally, along with client-work I have had a long dream study and practice since adolescence, inspired by some precognitive content. Thankfully none of it on mass scale or violent, and blessedly no prescriptions involved!)
🌀 One element in Mary Chesnut’s diary, by her own self-descriptions and in a vast array of accounts about her, is her highly developed, multi-faceted and ironic sense of humor and comic delivery. Along with her writing she describes humor as a major coping device for dealing with a difficult extended family, lifelong poor health (related to heart and lungs, not just opioids), depressions, infertility, wartime hardship, later destitution, etc. By contrast, although Varina comes through in the Frazier book as highly aware with a wise and well-developed intellect operating on multiple levels, I didn’t find her witty and don’t recall that Chesnut pattern. (I have not read accounts from Varina herself, or a scholarly biography yet, so it may very well just be that Frazier didn’t know of or didn’t develop her sense of humor.)
🌀Finally, will note that I wish we didn’t still need “Women’s History Month,” “Black History Month,” etc. They clearly don’t work very well or we wouldn’t keep needing them. (And yet, we do…)
Moving to the next photo image…
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2. Editor rushes anti-war protest during Russian state-run TV and is immediately arrested. (From NPR)
“A Russian TV journalist who burst onto the set of a live TV news broadcast to protest Russia's invasion of Ukraine was quickly arrested and is the subject of "a pre-investigation check," according to state-run Tass media.
The woman, Marina Ovsyannikova, is an editor at Channel One; she protested the war by walking behind a news anchor while holding a sign reading "No War" and telling viewers they were being lied to. It also said "Russians against war."
In court Tuesday, she refused to retract her statement against the war, according to Russian news outlet Mediazona. [Meanwhile],
Russia arrests nearly 5,000 anti-war protesters this weekend
Ovsyannikova's whereabouts were in question after her arrest, but she later appeared in a district court, sitting next to her lawyer, according to human rights attorney Sergei Badamshin's Telegram channel. The Novaya Gazeta newspaper said she faced an administrative charge of organizing an uncoordinated event.
🌀I saw interviews with and about Ovsyannikova on NBC and ABC News. She was incarcerated for more than 24 hours without contact with anyone who knows her, or with even the system’s limited legal counsel options.
🌀It sounded likely she still has legal, or worse, challenges ahead. Apparently there is another, more serious or at least more complex, case already in progress against her for online comments she is accused of posting.
Next, by design as in last week’s edition we have:
3. “Autocratic-invader Russian President Vladimir Putin a pair of inscrutable eyes peeking through the small opening of a vast and still-unknown white space”
This Frontline documentary is thorough and good. (Be aware it’s around 53 minutes long.)
Now, as mentioned last week I want to revisit the column by The New York Times’ David Brooks:
“This is why Putin can’t back down”
While I think there are excellent points and Brooks’ overall thrust and conclusions are sound, I described a couple of concerns to think further on in last week’s newShrink (3.13.22 #4. item: why Putin Can’t Back Down.) On review I’ve realized the problem is just couple of misused terms. One is here, with his use of “identity politics.”
“Maybe we should see this invasion as a rabid form of identity politics. Putin spent years stoking Russian resentments toward the West. He falsely claimed Russian-speakers are under widespread attack in Ukraine. He uses the tools of war in an attempt to make Russians take pride in their group identity.”
🌀In the sense of the rest of the piece I think Brooks means Putin is a demagogue, operating in cult of personality that’s a closed loop. And what demagogues do is propagandize — turn the beliefs, prejudices, fears, hopes, dreams, and/or total fabrications of those they seek to control back against them.
🌀What Putin does is actually the opposite of identity politics. (For the sake of contrast to illustrate, Stacey Abrams is an excellent identity politician.) Identity politics is practiced specifically and expressly to protect the ideas, beliefs, and persons of those kept powerless, abused, attacked, subjugated — or worse — solely because they happen to be, and happen to be identifiable as, part of a group.
🌀To label Putin an "identity politician” makes as little sense as his labeling Ukrainian President Zelenskyy a Nazi. (And the fact that Putin and his policies and actions routinely punish, harm, disappear, even kill members of identified groups he disfavors makes this an unfortunate misuse of terms.)
🌀Later in the piece, Brooks repeats for effect the clinical term narcissists and narcissism both individually for Putin and about nations and groups. It’s largely accurate and effective to highlight that narcissistic grandiosity actually is a defensive cover for intolerable vulnerability, weakness, emptiness… in fact, these are defining elements of clinical narcissism. What’s missing here is allowing for the fact that these processes — of experienced or defended-against vulnerability — are unconscious and therefore out of control. This generates massive instability and chaos, involving the individual and/or the group or nation. (If narcissists could see and admit these dynamics, they wouldn’t be narcissists. That’s why the disorder is so rarely formally diagnosed, treated or healed — there isn’t a solid ego-self there to bear the shame of it.)
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Now we come to a pair who illustrate some aspect of each of today’s themes: perspective of history, several examples of “stepping out of script” over the course of their lives, conscious vs toxic masculinity and femininity exhibited, a transformative view of creativity and highly developed (even professionally successful) relationship with humor and comedy:
4. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska of Ukraine
Much has been written and aired about the President, particularly given his earlier career path as a successful comedy and creative producer and performer. For me, however, there was much of his basic biography that I didn’t know. And I knew nothing and was curious about his wife, Olena, their relationship and the two children they have long wisely kept low-profile.
Here are interesting profiles of Olena Zelenska, from The Washington Post, and Glamour.com, respectively.
And a more personal take on Volodymyr:
Volodymyr Zelensky Is Playing the Role of His Life: Servant of the People (NYT)
In his TV sitcom and now at war, Ukraine’s actor-president has modeled an idea of leadership that is very different from Vladimir Putin’s.
On the humor front, it’s hard to beat last week’s (hilarious) You Tube Zelenskyy spoof on his own masculinity (newShrink 3.13.22.)
A few thoughts:
🌀The couple met in university, where she studied architecture and he earned a law degree. They married after dating eight years, and in 2003 co-founded their comedy and creative production company — with both producing and Volodymyr primarily performer with Olena as writer. Here is the published mission statement from the start of their company:
“Our ambitious objective is to make the world a better place, a kinder and more joyful place, with the help of those tools that we have. That is, humor and creativity.”
Not exactly a frivolous reality TV show.
🌀Their company’s successes included his performance on Ukraine’s version of “Dancing with the Stars,” as the voice in both “Paddington Bear” 1 and 2, and with the hugely popular, “Veep”-like political satire “Servant of the People.” The latter became his campaign slogan and helped frame his philosophy of leading.
🌀Both had transitioned into respective roles once taking office in 2019, and both by all accounts are now firmly committed to standing with their people and fighting the Russian invasion.
🌀From a psychological standpoint it is not surprising that both have been successful with comedy — particularly comedy of the satirical sort, including self deprecating humor such as the Beonce song video. This kind of humor and comedic performance require a sense of irony, being able to stand in multiple realities at once. That requires a strongly defined sense of self… one solid enough that the person can step outside and beyond it to observe and create from other angles and dimensions. (The term “comfortable in one’s skin” comes to mind.)
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Some other Ukrainian line-crossers… heading back toward the war-zone:
5. Women Return to fight and help (CNN)
The woman in the photo above is Daria Vasylchenko, soldier and medic with Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces. (Photo is by Heidi Levine of The Washington Post.)
And from ABC News: Braving conflict women join flow back into Ukraine
A related story, depicted in accompanying images above, is on children’s artwork and descriptions about the war. (WAPO)
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Now we come to one of my favorites from both the comedic and the soul/psychological dimensions (the topic of last summer’s Ted Lasso newShrink piece 8.6.21.)
6. “This is not a soccer show: How Ted Lasso became a television phenomenon.” (CBS)
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Please do catch this linked interview — it’s fun, highlights the show accurately and covers a surprising range in a short time.:
🌀Co-creator star Sudeikis describes how the show is written and designed intentionally to discredit the toxic masculinity that boys face looking up to and aspiring to be like professional athletes and other idealized “tough” guys.
🌀He describes it as “a feminine approach to a typically masculine job.”
🌀And don’t miss Brett Goldstein, whose priceless, potty-mouthed “cauldron of emotion” character Roy Kent arrived rather like a case of possession. Goldstein had been hired to write for the show, but came to the producers one day saying, “I think Roy Kent is living inside me.” (Turned out he was. It only took one take for him to come out.)
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Partly for time and stamina reasons and partly because there is such a rich and varied array of related resources and media on this final news figure, I will let the visuals above and the linked items here speak for themselves.
7. From ‘Scared Little Girl’ to World Cup Champ: The Jessica McDonald story (Series in The Charlotte Observer).
The series includes links to McDonald’s podcast. Payback: Fight Like a Mother
There’s also a lovely graphic novel version of her story — all aimed at improving pay equity, child care and conditions for professional athletes who are mothers.
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With the final photo we wind up with some news that’s brighter… literally:
8. U.S. Senate votes for the “Sunshine Protection Act”
At last: The one and only thing this or any recent U.S. Congress votes unanimously for, more sunshine! Previously the House and now the Senate have approved making Daylight Saving Time permanent starting in fall of 2023. It’s a move primarily to eliminate harmful sleep-health impacts of the twice annual schedule changes and allow more daylight during evening rush hours when darkness creates more traffic and other hazards than in morning.
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top of the news…
Ukraine Live Updates: Zelensky Calls for Talks With Moscow after Brutal Weekend of Clashes (NYT)
“President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was time to meet after Russia made gains across the country and the humanitarian crisis worsened, especially in Mariupol…
As the fighting raged, Ukraine faced a worsening humanitarian crisis, and military losses mounted on both sides. A senior Ukrainian military official said on Saturday that the strike on the barracks, which happened Friday in the southern city of Mykolaiv, had killed more than 40 marines.
At the city morgue, the bodies of dozens of marines in uniform were laid out side by side in a storage area.”
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Earlier this week…
Invoking America’s Darkest Days, Zelensky Pleads for More U.S. Aid
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine called for a no-fly zone and more weapons to combat Russia’s assault and implored President Biden to be “the leader of peace.”
The above linked story has an embedded link to a 2:01-minute Video:
‘We Need You Right Now’: Zelensky Appeals to Congress (from Sarahbeth Maney of The New York Times)
“President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine called on U.S. lawmakers to do more to help his country fend off Russia’s invasion, tying the defense of Ukraine to the defense of democracy itself.”
Annotated Transcript: Zelensky’s Speech to Congress
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine addressed a joint meeting of the House and Senate to press his case for more aid to Ukraine amid devastating attacks by Russia.
U.S. Adds ‘Kamikaze Drones’ as More Weapons Flow to Ukraine-
This week the Biden administration identified an additional $800 million in aid to Ukraine, as bipartisan discussions continue over grave and complex risks of escalation to nuclear-war posed by a NATO no-fly zone that Ukraine has asked for.
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Here is a one-time housekeeping update that I realized might have been overlooked at the end after closing comments of last week’s edition:
A new option + stuff that isn’t changing
• If you read and/or subscribe to several Substack newsletters and writers’ other work — especially those like Heather Cox Richardson and Robert Hubbell, who publish daily instead of weekly or less often — you may find the new Substack app a convenient one-stop place to find everyone. (The app is just for IOS users now, available through the app store, but there’s a signup waitlist for Android.)
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• As always I’m so happy you are here and grateful to have you reading! If you try the new app, I’m happy to hear and pass on any feedback you have to Substack.
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Just because…
And, that is all I have! Talk to you next week.
🦋💙 tish
… it is important that awake people be awake,
or a breaking line may discourage them back to sleep;
the signals we give — yes or no, or maybe —
should be clear: the darkness around us is deep.
— William Stafford, “A Ritual to Read to Each Other”
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