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Sour, but just right
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Excess of Pollyana Mechanism may be detrimental, but can also be a useful tool
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PROTECTIVE COVER The disorder is useful in defending oneself against failure photo: k.k. mustafah
Many of us are familiar with the story of the fox in Aesop's fables. The fox said that he did not want the grapes he had vainly tried to attain because they were sour. Similarly, we also try to minimise our ego, threats by derogating the value of something we are deprived of or which we feel exists beyond our reach. This is done either consciously or unconsciously to avert our feelings of inadequacy that inevitably follow failure to achieve a desired goal. To illustrate, a student, who fails to get admission to the college of his choice may rationalise his failure, by pointing out all the defects and weakness of the college that refused to accept him.
Pollyanna Mechanism is similar in some respects, but radically different in other aspects from the sour grapes syndrome, for in the former the person is irrepressibly optimistic, always being able to see a silver lining even in the darkest cloud. It takes its name from the heroine of the 1913 novel Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter. The `glad girl' in the novel was portrayed as happy, without in the least bit pessimistic.
Many of us defend our ego against threats by derogating what we can't acquire, but he who follows the Pollyanna rule, defends his ego by concentrating on the superior qualities of what he possesses to the point where what he lacks to own seems unimportant. He diverts the attention of others from what he can't achieve, to concentrate on his worthy possession and by doing so, either consciously or unconsciously prevents them from guiding him as never a failure.
Sometimes, a Pollyanna approach denies altogether that there has been a real trauma. For example, some of the victims of the tsunami disaster valued denial, a normal protective mechanism, rather than accepting that something drastic or catastrophic had happened or not experiencing fully the intensity of the problem that had occurred to them. Here, the consciously intolerable thoughts, wishes, facts, deeds or happenings are disowned by an unconscious denial of their existence. Generally, what is consciously intolerable is unconsciously rejected by a protective mechanism of non-awareness. This means, that reality is transferred, so that it is no longer important or painful.
Likewise, a person suffering from a serious physical illness is very prone to develop a psychological response to it, namely denial. He may create stories, which may tug at the heartstrings and catch the fancy of all who read them. Despite knowing that these stories consistently underplay the sadness and feelings of worthlessness that are part of the legacy of any physical or emotional drama, people read them to get false hopes by overplaying the likelihood of complete recovery.
Sometimes, it is useful and worthwhile to present oneself as a Pollyanna. When meeting new people and situations, it may be advantageous to let others think that one has mastered the disease or environment. To be psychologically well, while being physically sick, disabled or incapacitated, involves the belief that the personal worth transcends physical limitations. Pollyanna Mechanism is a useful tool to defend oneself against failure, but excess is bad.
C. P. SOMASUNDARAM
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