psychoanalysis

Dear aa, I am just not capable of squeezing what we do in psychoanalysis class into the small comment box. Thus, I hope this entry would allow me to fully express my utter disdain for the module. Let me start by giving you an idea of what i had thought the class would be like. So that when i put the ideal against the reality in juxtaposition, you can imagine my shock at how the class turned out.

Psychoanalysis, I had read, involved Freudian theory. The ego, the superego and the id; and how together they help an individual resolve his inner conflicts. Sigmund Freud's study of the body's defence mechanism and the unconscious mind helped in the development of related areas like psychotherapy, anger management, peer pressure , social norms and etc. interesting isn't it.

The lesson began interestingly enough. He touched on how analysis done during hypnosis actually conforms to the social norms and beliefs of the hypnotist. Thus, is not an unbiaised study of the unconscious mind. He touch on how dream interpretation is actually a branch of psychoanalysis. How the mind tried to protect itself by allowing the bad things to only manifest itself as subtle symbols in our dreams. The crux of the dream analysis is actually the study of the fringe symbols rather than the obvious happenings in the dream.

Then..

"So do you know what is the explanation for you dreaming about yourself writing in your dream?", he asked.
"No", the class responded in unison.
"You are thinking of sex. The pen is a symbol of the p*nis. The ink is you know what. The act of staining the sheets with ink is, in fact, sex.", he concluded.

goodness. He continued..

"Do you know what does the door symbolise?", he asked.
Me being quick as I am, caught on really fast. "It's a symbol of the vag*na."
"Yes and n0. If the door is hinged on one side, meaning you have to swing it open to either the left and right, it might not be a representation of the vag*na. However, if the door is hinged on both sides and opens from the center, then it is what you think it is.", he replied beaming.

omg.. He moved on to the topic of hypnosis..

"Do you know that during hypnosis, most women admitted to being sexually abused by their father? However, this doesn't mean that they are actually being abused. Instead, it could mean that they have a little Electra complex. Same goes for the boys and Oedipus complex."

This left my jaw hanging. How apt to hire a quack to conduct a class on psychoanalysis; brainwashing us with his perverted ideology.

Damn i still have to spend the next 6 Wednesday afternoons with him.

theater

I went for a language themed class - Theater. What I was expecting was to go in to the class, sit down and listen passively to the teacher who will talk about The Arts. The first step into the class and i had to double check the classroom number. Earlier, I came from a class with the tutor calling us "The P*nis Club" as there wasn't a single female in the Psychoanalysis class. So I was a little taken aback when i stepped into a classroom with only girls huddling around the teacher (the small handful of guys were late). The whole class hushed when i stepped in (probably a little disappointed to find out that the first guy to step into the class is an asian). Nonetheless, I was thrilled. The rest of the guys streamed in only after the lesson has begun.

First activity - the usual oral self introduction was unusually quick. The prof ushered in the next activity with a Bang. She got the whole class to form a circle and we started playing ice breaker games.. the same type as the ones you would expect to play during orientation with equally spffy names like "Catch the ball", "Three Claps" and etc etc. Then it sunk in. This is an acting class.

I'm glad that I do not have to sit through long lectures on the evolution of the Stage. All I need to do to pass is to do what I do best.

Talk.

misconstruction

I have been answering several question evolving around how is it like to be back in Paris. It definitely isn't what I have told some of you guys. To clear the air, my life here no where near having "abundance of drugs, booze and meaningless sex". Damn. I wonder who ever gave you guys the idea that I actually lead such a hedonistic lifestyle. If I'm ever on a high, it is probably from endorphin, adrenaline and not drugs. If I'm ever caught between sheets, chances are they are sheets of exam papers and not bedsheets. Life is light years from hedonistic and a step from hermetic. How is my life here?

"the road ahead.."-cj

lonely.

no luck

damn. it just seems like this is just not my year.. yet.

variable change

In the movie 21, we encountered the Monty Hall problem.

"Suppose you're on a game show, and you're given the choice of three doors: Behind one door is a car; behind the others, goats. You pick a door, say No. 1, and the host, who knows what's behind the doors, opens another door, say No. 3, which has a goat. He then says to you, "Do you want to pick door No. 2?" Is it to your advantage to switch your choice?"

What is the right choice to make? What is your choice? Answer.

right foot out

Come Monday, my exceptionally eventful summer holiday will be over. Even though I won't say that the past few months have been life changing, they definitely have changed my priorities. I spend a lot of my time evaluating relationships, debating with people who have values opposite to mine and reading economics books (i wonder why i hadn't considered taking it as a major).

I explore the possibility of not becoming an engineer.

H minus 7

finally a quiet moment. i reflect.