Our defences

Norwegian thinker Peter Wessel Zapffe named four universal defence mechanisms humankind developed

ISOLATION

Including repression of disturbing and destructive thoughts and feelings.

ANCHORING

The establishment of higher meanings and ideals. Examples are: God, the Church, the state, morality, fate, the law of life, the people, the future. Anchoring provides us with illusions that secure psychological comfort. The shortcoming of anchoring is the despair we feel on discovering our anchoring mechanism is an illusion.

DISTRACTION

The focusing of our thoughts and energy on a certain idea or task to prevent the mind from self-reflection.

SUBLIMATION

A defence mechanism in which negative urges are transformed into positive actions. For instance, we distance ourselves from the tragedy of our existence and transform our awareness into philosophy, literature and art.