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Thursday, April 21, 2016

R IS SOMETIMES HOT, SOMETIMES COLD

"I was impressed with how kindly Freud could be, though I knew he was also a great hater; they are not really incompatible traits." 
- Henry A. Murray about Freud

"Most of humanity is, according to my experiences, rabble." 
- Sigmund Freud

Freud, once more with white hair and beard, seemed at a loss at what to make of both Twain and myself.

I didn't blame him.  I lived each second with me, and I felt much the same.

"You don't have to finish this Free Association of the alphabet, sir."

"I finish what I begin, young man."

I sighed.  

I remembered reading that Freud's heroic effort at self-mastery in the service of concentrated work made him chain himself to a rigid timetable.

He sighed, "R is the letter now.  What occurs to you?"

I saw Freud's glare towards Mark and said, "Revenge."

Mark had seen the glare and snorted, 

“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”

Freud said, "So even you do not approve of revenge?"

"Approve?  Why, Saw-Brains, revenge is wicked, and unchristian and in every way unbecoming.   

 I am not the man to countenance it or show it any favor."

He laughed belly-deep.  "But it is powerful sweet, anyway."

Freud sneered, "Really?"

Mark nodded.

"There is more real pleasure to be gotten out of a malicious act, where your heart is in it, than out of thirty acts of a nobler sort."

Freud said thoughtfully, 

"You lost your father quite young, did you not?  The loss of a parental figure often sows the seeds for fear of abandonment 

with the cruel fear of becoming close to another -- ideal breeding grounds for all sorts of negative comments."

I saw Mark flinch, and I caught Freud's eye.  

"Yep, I can see you believe in revenge, too."

I turned to Mark, nodded to Freud, and said, 

"Clay feet will trip you up every time."

Mark smiled gently and turned to Freud.  

"You can quote the boy on that, too, Saw-Brains."

25 comments:

  1. Super conversation, Roland. I love the quote: “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.” How true! Thanks for another super post! I'm learning so much! It's fab :)

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    1. I am having fun with Twain and Freud, using their own quotes to strike sparks from each other. I am so happy that you are enjoying, too. :-)

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  2. Very interesting thoughts on Revenge - much to ponder. Great post... again, Roland.

    Susan A Eames from
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

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    1. Look at Isis alone and see the futility of revenge. Sigh. The whole world bleeds because hate begets hate. :-(

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  3. Hello, I'm visiting from the A to Z Challenge. You stopped by mine yesterday. Sadly, by mistake, I deleted your comment.
    Anyway, I love your theme. I read today's post and now I want to go back to A and read them all.

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    1. You got to see my comment which is all I wished. :-) I hope you enjoy some of my past posts. We're nearing the finish line!

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  4. Revenge is always on my mind. Then God always whispers, "Revenge is mind." I hand it over to him. :)

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    1. From Cain until now, revenge has bloodied each page of history. It is always healing to remember our times are in His Hands, right? :-)

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  5. Revenge is something I explore in writing, but not in life. That kind of negative emotion is too damaging the the individual holding it. Your quote says that perfectly!

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    1. Revenge springs to mind at the moment of a sudden, cruel act but if we follow its path, it leads to nowhere we are happy to arrive!

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  6. Great twist on revenge! Love the line about acid stored in a vessel.

    Cheers - Ellen | http://thecynicalsailor.blogspot.com/2016/04/r-is-for-raft-up-nancy-drew.html

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    1. That was an actual quote from Mark Twain who fought a battle with temper his whole life. I am glad you enjoyed my post. Mark tips his bowler hat to you. :-)

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  7. I absolutely love the quote about "rabble," That is not far off.

    @Kathleen01930
    Meet My Imaginary Friends
    #AtoZchallenge

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    1. Each soul we pass is struggling in a battle none but a few know about. There are so many predators out there it does seem like the world is only made up of those.

      The headlines are filled with empty lives like Kim and Kanye and Miley.

      Yet, I like to think that there are countless souls fighting to stay sane who are, at heart, good.

      I am glad you liked this post. :-)

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  8. Revenge is not sweet, although these two seem to not really realize that. Will there be some accord by the end?

    Liz A. from Laws of Gravity

    & Unicorn Bell ("Rewind")

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    1. As Yoda might say: "Hard to read is the future; always in motion it is."

      At least tomorrow, both are somewhat in agreement ... in their fear.

      A special post tomorrow.

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  9. I admit, I've thought about revenge, but it seems to go against my natural state of being, and so it languishes somewhere among the dust bunnies, forgotten.

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    1. Revenge is a strange way of existing, living forward by always looking backwards. Our enemies take up enough of our day without giving them more of it by plans of revenge, right?

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    2. Exactly, it's like letting them live in your head rent free. What a waste of space!

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  10. Don't they say Revenge is best served Cold? As in when the recipient isn't expecting it. . .I've known a few people whom I thought deserved it, but it wasn't a good use of my time. Sometimes those who are deserving of revenge bring their come-uppance upon themselves. Karma.

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    1. Best served cold, yes. But sometimes hot blood demands instant gratification. :-)

      And, yes, eventually cruel souls end up facing the consequences of their actions ... but sometimes it seems so slow in coming, right?

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  11. This R word is horrid. Really bad. Awful. However, sometimes. . . Well, you know that saying that involves the word, sweet? I need a session with Freud, but without Twain in the room.

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    1. It is both self-destructive and seductive to fall into the pattern of revenge. History proves that over and over again :-(

      I think you would get more out of a session with Mark Twain! At least in laughter. :-)

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  12. Hi R for Roland ... Revenge is worth ignoring and forgetting about - you've reminded me ...

    If only we could the peoples of the world to forget revenge too ... an eye for an eye - doesn't help anyone ...

    Freud's quote about the Rabble is pretty S for Snotty I'd say ...

    You've had some good comments here .. cheers Hilary

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    1. Yes, Freud was pretty snooty and snotty, wasn't he? Life is too precious to spend it on things like revenge that produce nothing but tears, right?

      R for Roland. I like that. :-)

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