In this chapter I shall provide the first of two analyses concerning the effects of Globalization, starting here with the effect of Globalization on Western societies. The main source for this analysis will be the findings of OPUS Listening Posts that were referred to in Chapter One. Such is the dynamic nature of the process of Globalization that the changes are largely imperceptible and the more traditional research methods are not at all helpful. A result is that other than in the most general sense, there really is little other material available. Perhaps if we take the nature of Globalization as being “revolutionary” we might ask the following sort of questions: “when you’re in the middle of a revolution how do you know where you are going? When you are subject to revolutionary change how do you analyse it? When everything is in a state of flux how do you analyse it?”
It may be of interest that some of the Listening Post Reports referred to the fact that “the intellectuals have disappeared from the public scene”, the view is that they are not contributing and it would appear that they are as helpless as others. We might hypothesise that intellectual activity and understanding relates to “known” information; whereas here we are concerned with a totally new way of life that is in the process of development and is information of an “unknown” quality. In addition, there are few signs that individuals or those responsible for the management, leadership, and administration of political, economic and social institutions currently have the ability to adopt the required reflective approach that will help to make sense of this (still developing) “new way of life”. Given such a background, OPUS, and their associates throughout the world, through its attempts to encourage the reflective citizen, is one of the few research organizations capable of helping to provide a serious understanding of these seemingly inexplicable societal dynamics.
In early January of 2004, 2005 and 2006, under the guidance and coordination of OPUS, International Listening Post Projects were held in multiple countries with the aim of providing a snapshot of the societal dynamics of each country at the dawn of those years. These were all reported in a similar format, researched, and analysed by OPUS personnel, to produce a Global Report. The aim was to identify major or dominant themes arising within the Reports of the countries involved; to analyse and collate supporting information from the Reports; and to formulate hypotheses arising therefrom. For current purposes a much abbreviated version of the Reports will be used to show the way that Globalization has affected the mainly Western participating countries. An added advantage is that by moving through the three-year period from 2004 to 2006 it will be possible to see how things have been changing over that period.
In January 2004, Listening Posts were held in thirteen different countries around the world (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Britain, Holland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and the USA). Four major themes were identified as being common to all or most countries. These are: (1) Globalization; (2) Loss of institutional authority; (3) Death of a way of life; and, (4) The creation of an individualistic response.
It seems appropriate that the first Theme is “Globalization”. Here the analysis based on the National Reports showed that:
There is considerable information in the National Reports to support the notion that Globalization is having a major impact on all participating countries.
This led to the hypothesis that:
There would appear to be no escape from the effects of Globalization in any of the participating countries. Globalization is experienced as persuasive, intrusive and all encompassing. Such is the extent and depth of change arising from Globalization that many experience their society as having been “invaded”. An outcome is that members of societies are left without the ability to comprehend what is happening in their environment. Left feeling helpless, angry and utterly confused the anxiety is such that they respond by using defence mechanisms such as denial, displacement and rationalization. Frequently, they are left in a paranoid schizoid state where primitive splitting and projections onto governments or other institutions (labeled the Welfare State) are mixed with strong desires for dependency from these same governments and institutions.
Under the second Theme, “Loss of institutional authority”, the analysis showed that:
National Reports identified a theme of disillusionment or loss of trust in traditional institutions—the church, politicians, police, health authorities, education system, and others. These institutions had previously provided a sense of identity and containment. The reported experience now was that they not only did not provide containment but they added to the feelings of fragmentation, uncertainty and fear.
This led to the hypothesis that:
Social institutions, often identified with the welfare state, faced with a rapidly changing environment have found it difficult to transform themselves in an appropriate way. The response is either to employ old and (previously) trusted methods that are now inappropriate or to impose strategies which amount to centralized control. A result is that institutions that were once treated as containers of good and bad aspects of the self, are now felt to be failing. They are experienced as being unreliable, and dependency is exposed. Individuals feel lost, overwhelmed, fragmented and disillusioned becaue they have fewer external sources of dependency. This loss is experienced as the loss of a source of identity and social cohesion. Members of society react to their anxiety whereby reality is denied and transformed into something less severe or projected onto others. Rather than face up to the difficult task presented they prefer so split off, and project the bad things onto other institutions—the church, politicians, police, health authorities, and others.
Under the third Theme, “Death of a way of life”, the analysis showed that:
Several National reports identified this theme with only minor variations, summed up by a statement in the United States report, “It ain’t what it used to be”. Others alluded to it in more general ways. There was a widespread view that, what can only be referred to as a “revolutionary” social change, has left people (perhaps older people in particular) struggling—and frequently failing—to make sense of a much changed world.
This analysis led to the hypothesis that:
The reported experience regarding the nature of social change is such that one can only conclude that it is in the nature of a “revolution”. The depth and quality of change that causes members of society to refer to feelings of de-Christianization, dehumanization and a loss of known values, “an unravelling of the social threads that have held us together”, can only be regarded as “the death of a way of life”. Under pressure from this rapid social change, undoubtedly influenced by global technological advances and a resulting information explosion, individuals have felt increasingly exposed, confused and dislocated. The resulting unbearable complexity of change is much too difficult to bear and members of society adopt a defence against the anxiety by way of denial and a form of flight into phantasies of a lost idealized past that almost certainly never existed.
Under the fourth Theme, “Citizenship—the creation of an individualistic response”, the analysis showed that:
The sort of words or phrases which were repeatedly used in the National Reports to describe the experience of citizenship in the various locations were as follows: “insecurity”, “impotence”, “helplessness”, “hopelessness”, fragmentation”, “an inability to think”, “information overload”, “disintegration”, “withdrawal”, “rage”, “paralysis”, “individualism” and “a need to validate self”. This resulted in a sort of withdrawal into the self.
This led to the hypothesis that:
Faced with the loss of so many familiar “good” and “bad” societal objects, members of the various societies are left having to take back their “good” and “bad” projections. An outcome is that they experience their environment as fragmented and they in turn are left feeling insecure and helpless as individuals. On previous occasions, they would have known from whom and where they might find validation of their thinking. Faced with previously unknown experiences they have no previous experience to compare this perceptual data with. They therefore need to engage in “new” thinking. The difficulty arises when they turn to those same other members of society to validate their “new” thoughts and are rejected. Others are also in the same boat, as it were, and all are trying to make sense of this new environment, consequently, they are also having different “new” thoughts. It is therefore akin to the Tower of Babel—many voices, none making sense to the other. The ensuing feelings of helplessness lead us to adopt a defence against action and engagement. A result is that members of society withdraw, turn inwards and seek solace in their own private world. Thus is created the individualistic attitude and approach that dominates societies around the world.
Other themes were also identified as follows:
Generational Issues: Several of the National Reports referred to generational issues. We did not see this as a stand-alone issue. Rather, it was seen as a reflection or consequence of the other themes identified above. Thus, references to generational matters were seen as a defence against anxiety whereby, the helplessness of the older generation is dealt with by vesting all hope in the younger generation; or, the younger generation is used by the older generation as a scapegoat and the blame for all that is wrong in society is displaced onto the young generation.
Third World: Again, several of the National reports refer to the Third World. We are aware that all Reports are from the Western world or Western influenced countries and that none are from the so-called Third World. These references would indicate that the Third World was very much in the mind of those participating. However, we would suggest that this also be seen as a defence against anxiety by way of an identification with Third World citizens by those who are also helpless and unable to influence.
Under Concluding Remarks, the Report stated:
There can be little doubt that globally we live in interesting and stressful times. We therefore wanted to conclude on a constructive and more positive note. We do so by quoting the following Hypothesis from the German Report:
To approach all this we shall have to learn to endure irreconcilable tension between our current ideals and reality. Both idealization and demonization of politicians and other responsible figures are mere projections that have to be withdrawn in order to develop personal responsible activity. This functions only where we develop awareness of the consequences of what we ourselves perform. This is insolubly connected to opening up emotional involvement. To develop and conserve this quality of being alive we require emotional space where experience is possible without pressure. This appeared to be the pre-requisite to facing change and thus assume a counterpart position to despair and helplessness: a counterpart that must be perpetually fought for and renewed. [Stapley & Collie 2004]
In January 2005, Listening Posts were held in fifteen different countries around the world (Australia, Bulgaria, Chile, Finland, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, USA and Britain). On this occasion two major themes were identified as being common to all or most countries. Theme One, “Monumental Social Change”, which has four sub-themes as follows: (a) Helplessness and powerlessness: withdrawal from global to local; (b) The search for scapegoats and saviours; (c) Incapacitated, political economic and social institutions; and (d) Disintegration of society and individualistic retreat. Theme Two is The Asian Tsunami disaster.
By way of introduction to Theme One, “Monumental Social Change”, the Report stated:
For some while now the world has experienced an unprecedented and revolutionary social change that has shown no signs of relenting. Rather, the pace and intensity of change appears to be deepening and intensifying. The nature of the change is so all-encompassing that it has been referred to as “death of a way of life”. Largely inspired and driven by Globalization it has left individuals, and those responsible for the management, leadership and administration of political, economic and social institutions in a state of bewilderment. They are seemingly unable to make sense of this “new way of life”. So far-reaching is the change that in many instances individuals and groups simply have no previous knowledge as points of reference, and therefore no language, to express their experiences. It is as if they are on a journey without a map or language to guide them. Or as the Italian Listening Post suggested: “The metaphor of being on a journey at sea was put forward to describe the experience of having left the security of a well known port and being in the middle of the ocean, not yet at the new destination that, incidentally, we do not know.”
Not surprisingly, current global dynamics are mainly concerned with the anxiety, frustration, anger, rage and feelings of hopelessness arising from loss and failure to cope with a “new way of life”. All National Reports strongly identified with the notion that social change was of such intensity that it was experienced as bewilderment. This is a complicated and complex situation. However, we have identified three distinct ways that societies respond and react to the anxieties arising from the changes experienced and these are documented below as sub-themes. Although formulated as three distinct sub-themes it should be borne in mind that they share the same basic foundation—they all emanate out of the monumental social change that is occurring across the world.
Under the first sub-theme, “Helplessness and powerlessness: withdrawal from global to local”, the analysis showed that:
Faced with the extreme anxiety arising out of the circumstances described above, members of society throughout the world are left with an inability to make sense of what is going on. It seems clear that Globalization is experienced as playing a highly significant part in all national matters, leading to feelings of bewilderment in the face of complexity. In many of the reports, these experiences were associated with a desire to withdraw to family and neighbourhood. Issues such as the war in Iraq and multi-nationals, all have an immense impact on national elections and other activities, as does the fear of global warming, aids and other natural phenomena.
This led to the hypothesis that:
Because of the intense anxiety arising out of the “loss of a way of life” and attempts to make sense of and adapt to a “new way of life”, the impact leaves individuals throughout the world feeling confused, guilty, vulnerable and despairing. As society becomes more difficult to understand throughout the world, so we find our ability to think about the meaning of social processes is diminished. There is a sense of not knowing where we fit in to this new and ever-shifting reality. As a result we seek to defend ourselves from the anxieties associated with this uncertainty by retreating into the local—neighbourhood, friends and family—where we hope we can make sense of reality and act effectively. Insofar as this is a flight mechanism it will not be successful, and will inhibit the need to develop new ways of reflecting, new ways of being creative and active in the world.
Under the second sub-theme, “The search for scapegoats and saviours”, the analysis showed that:
Faced with the extreme anxiety arising out of the circumstances described above, members of societies around the world make use of familiar and known objects such as the old and young; male and female; and unknown objects such as immigrants, fundamentalists, and other “different” people to help them cope with the discomfort experienced. Because this anxiety is evoked at a deep level, members of society feel overwhelmed, and this arouses paranoid schizoid defensive behaviour. They do so either by creating scapegoats who are used as vehicles for bad projections; or by creating saviours who are used as vehicles for good projections. In some case such as the young they may be used for both purposes.
There is a natural envy of youth which coupled with doubts by the older generation about the sort of legacy they will leave, makes young people a ready vehicle for projections. In one respect, the young are at an advantage as they are able to have some understanding of current dynamics. They have less previous internalized knowledge and feelings and are therefore more able to assimilate new information. This is not the case with the older generation who are much less likely to make sense of current dynamics. They have a great deal of internalized information and feelings and therefore if they are to make sense of this new information there is an inevitable and considerable loss.
It would appear that faced with a highly challenging and seemingly inexplicable environment, we seek explanations in knowledge that we can have a degree of certainty will be shared by others. We revert to notions of the family and more especially to notions of male and female roles in society and question whether political correctness has in some way been responsible for the circumstances leading to “not knowing”. We also indulge in blaming the unknown other: those such as immigrants, fundamentalists, “them”, “different” people, are all blamed and used as convenient scapegoats for our discomfort and “not knowing”.
This led to the hypothesis that:
Because of the intense anxiety arising out of the “loss of a way of life” and attempts to make sense of and adapt to a “new way of life”, members of societies throughout the world experience massive anxiety which is evoked at a deep and primitive level, they feel overwhelmed and this arouses paranoid schizoid defensive behaviour. As a result members of societies engage in splitting by creating good and bad objects as vehicles for their projections. Known and familiar objects in the shape of young and old; male and female are more likely to be used for positive projections; and the unknown other in the shape of immigrants, fundamentalist and “different” others are more likely to be used as repositories for negative projections. The nature of projections is to idealise and create good objects that will prove saviours; or to denigrate and create bad objects that can be used as scapegoats for all ills.
Under the third sub-theme, “Incapacitated political, economic and social institutions”, the analysis showed that:
Faced with the extreme anxiety arising out of the circumstances described above, those responsible for the management, leadership and administration of political, economic and social institutions throughout the world are in a state of bewilderment. They are seemingly unable to make sense of this “new way of life”. So far reaching are the changes that in many instances individuals and groups simply have no previous knowledge, and therefore no language, to express their experiences. A result is that institutions are not just failing they are incapable of dealing with today’s changed needs.
One of the ways that institutional leaders deal with “not knowing” is to develop simplistic initiatives and to trumpet them as a sort of “cover up” for what is really happening. The other side of this is the way that members of society engage in serious “splitting” and the use of mainly negative projections into institutions as a defence against not being able to understand. Faced with the difficulty of “not knowing” what the real problem is but also being the recipient of massive projections to “do something”, a frequent and totally inappropriate response is for politicians and other social leaders to impose “tick-a-box” controls.
This led to the following hypothesis:
Because of the intense anxiety arising out of the “loss of a way of life” and attempts to make sense of and adapt to a “new way of life”, those responsible for the management, leadership and administration of political, economic and social institutions throughout the world find it impossible to know with any certainty what is going on; there is no “right” response when faced with such complexity. At the same time, politicians and policy makers are forced to act, as people put projections of competence into them, thereby rendering themselves infantilized and impotent. Leaders, who take on the projected expectations of omnipotence and omniscience in the paranoid schizoid position, fail to go through the proper process of honest consultation, instead taking the path of power by stealth. They also devise a proliferation of catchall measures of accountability as a defence against the risk associated with uncertainty. A result is that the controls not only diminish risk but also lock out creative potential: the capacity for thought and deliberation, the toleration of difference and exploration in the face of change. This is seen as an abuse of authority by the Government-appointed Regulators and Inspectors, who ignore the formal authority of the managers they are regulating or inspecting. This results in a distrust of current leaders.
Under the fourth sub-theme, “Disintegration of society and individualistic retreat”, the analysis showed that:
Faced with the extreme anxiety arising out of the circumstances described above and especially dynamics arising out of Globalization members of societies throughout the world have experienced serious effects on social relationships. Economic migration has had the effect of massive movement of large sections of the population throughout the world. This has had an effect on both the host nation and the families of those who are left in the country of departure. Changes in work practices and other social changes have had the effect of weakening family stability. At a different level, many are in a position of not being able to communicate with others because we can no longer be sure that other individual members or groups in society share “taken for granted” views. A result is that rather than get into difficulty when we attempt to test our reality with these others we retreat into individualistic action.
This led to the following hypothesis:
Because of the intense anxiety arising out of the “loss of a way of life” and attempts to make sense to and adapt to a “new way of life”, this has aroused fears of personal safety and even annihilation in individual members of society. A result is that they have been increasingly driven towards taking an independent approach. However, our sense of self depends on validation of others and we cannot exist solely as independent beings, we can only be dependent if we are interdependent. A result is a breakdown of internal defences and increased internal anxiety which is acted out with a result that society is experienced as an unintegrated environment.
Under Theme Two, “The Asian Tsunami Disaster”, the analysis showed that:
Nearly all National Reports directly or indirectly reflected this major natural disaster. At one level, it was such a tragic and massive social event that hardly anyone could not be affected by it. At another level, this tragedy provided an outlet for many psychological experiences around the world, and for images that expressed responses to wider social processes. Faced with the extreme anxiety arising out of the circumstances described in Theme One above, feelings of being overwhelmed by bewildering societal changes, of social structures being swept away, of guilt and reparation were all connected to both the tsunami and global processes.
This led to the following hypothesis:
The tsunami is both a disaster in the external world, and a metaphor for internal, unconscious experiences of wider global forces, and how they impact on societies and individual citizens. In particular, feelings of being overwhelmed or flooded by rapid and bewildering social change, and resulting feelings of guilt and helplessness, have close associations with the overwhelming response to the tsunami. The opportunity to respond actively and positively to a known external disaster is in contrast to, and provides relief from, a growing sense of alienation and inner turmoil in the face of Globalization and loss of familiar social reference points. The Tsunami provides an opportunity to displace feelings of personal victimization onto victims of the disaster. In addition it would seem to provide an outlet for giving which can be benevolent but can also be seen as influenced by a darker more evil motivation designed to cover our feelings of guilt by paying off those who we have treated badly. Or at another more primitive level it may be seen as an attempt to pay off the Gods for their anger at our actions.
Under Concluding Remarks, the Report stated:
Everything points to the possibility that current global dynamics will continue to intensify and deepen in the foreseeable future—or perhaps, to be more accurate, that should read unforeseeable future! Given that there are few signs that individuals or those responsible for the management, leadership, and administration of political, economic and social institutions currently have the ability to adopt the required reflective approach that will help to make sense of this, still developing “new way of life”, there is not much hope of serious understanding. As referred to in some of the National Reports, “the intellectuals” have disappeared from the public scene, they are not contributing and it would appear that they are as helpless as others. It would seem, then, that global dynamics will continue to be dominated by defences against anxiety. (Stapley & Collie, 2005)
In January 2006, Listening Posts were held in twenty-two different countries around the world (Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, USA and Britain). On this occasion two major themes were identified as being common to all or most countries. Theme One, “Coping with Continuing Social Change”, has three sub-themes as follows: (a) Loss of identity; (b) Failing paternalistic leadership; (c) Splitting, displacement and scapegoating of the “Other”. Theme Two is “Attempting to understand change—a virtual or phantasy environment”.
By way of introduction the Report stated:
As was the experience in the last two years, the world is going through a period of unprecedented and revolutionary social change that still shows no signs of relenting. The nature of the change, which was referred to as “death of a way of life” in 2004, is still powerful and influential at both a social and a psychological level in all societies. The effect of Globalization has been such that it has impacted upon all aspects of society be that individuals or those responsible for the management, leadership and administration of political, economic and social institutions. Members of society in all countries are struggling to come to terms with these changes and the current social dynamics are in large part evidence of the ways that members of societies are developing means of coping. There is little if any evidence to show that any particular society has started to come to terms with a “new way of life”. Indeed, the evidence is to the contrary. The National Reports provide a picture of a world that is experienced as one of total confusion and inexplicable dynamics, which results in frustration and increasing rage at the extreme impotence experienced by members of societies. Given these circumstances, and indicative of the extreme anxiety being experienced, the means of coping are, in the main, primitive responses based on splitting and projection.
By way of introduction to Theme One, “Coping with continuing social change”, the Report states:
All National Reports related to the ways that members of societies throughout the world were developing a means of coping with the anxiety, frustration, anger, rage and feelings of helplessness and powerlessness that were arising from loss and a failure to cope with a way of life that is experienced as threatening their very identity. This is a complicated and complex situation, however, we have identified three distinct ways that societies respond and react to the anxieties arising from the changes experienced and these are documented below as sub-themes. Although formulated as three distinct subthemes it should be borne in mind that they share the same basic foundation—they all emanate out of the continuing revolutionary changes that are occurring across the world.
Under the first sub-theme, “Loss of Identity”, the analysis shows that:
There is considerable evidence in the National Reports to conclude that the changes in societies around the world are so dramatic and so destructive that individuals and groups are experiencing a loss of identity. This dire experience is described by Winnicott as, “Integration feels sane, and it feels mad to be losing integration that has been acquired”; and by Melanie Klein as, “One of the main factors underlying the need for integration is the individual’s feeling that integration implies being alive, loving and being loved by the internal and external good object; that is to say, there exists a close link between integration and object-relations. Conversely the feeling of chaos, of disintegration, of lacking emotions, as a result of splitting, I take to be closely related to the fear of death”. It seems little wonder therefore that members of society should describe their experience as “death of a way of life”.
This led to the following hypothesis:
Members of societies throughout the world continue to experience their societies as totally dynamic processes that exist in a state of flux and are characterized by spontaneity, experience, conflict and movement. Such an environment is deeply disturbing not the least because it does not provide the continuity, consistency and confirmation of our world that we require. A result is that members of societies are left with a serious threat to and loss of their identities. This results in a struggle for independence and at times a regression to a primary identity. The overriding effect is a retreat into individualism and isolation, which in turn means that society becomes even more fragmented. The chaos and madness that ensues out of disintegration is a highly dangerous situation that may literally result in members of societies acting as if the other is totally bad and deserving of whatever fate he or she might be considered to merit.
Under the second sub-theme, “Failing paternalistic leadership”, the analysis showed that:
The mainly patriarchal leadership is identified by members of societies throughout the world, with a failure to provide containment. A result is that members of societies seek alternative forms of leadership. There is a great deal of evidence in the National Reports to show that the old paternalistic, controlling, model of leadership that has prevailed in most political, economic and social institutions, especially religious institutions, has been seen to be ineffective, inauthentic, and failing to provide containment. In effect, it has been seen to be unsuitable for today’s needs and has been largely rejected. However, this has resulted in members of societies throughout the world having to take back their dependency needs. Being left with no obvious location for their projections, this results in an experience of helplessness, powerlessness, frustration and anger. In some societies they have located their dependency needs in women who have been mobilized to take up leadership roles, resulting in matriarchal leadership both at a societal and family level. In other societies dependency needs have been located in young people who have been mobilized as fight leaders to express the frustration, rage and anger on behalf of societies.
This led to the hypothesis that:
The effect of Globalization has been such that it has impacted on all members of society including those responsible for the management, leadership and administration of political, economic and social institutions. In common with others, societal leaders have also been exposed to complex dynamics and would appear to have suffered the same anxieties and helplessness. Perhaps we should not be surprised that they have also found great difficulty in providing adequate responses to the many complicated problems they have been required to deal with. However, for members of society this “inadequate response” has been experienced as a failure to provide adequate containment. Feeling helpless and without any means of making sense of their experiences, members of societies search for alternative forms of leadership. The extreme dependency, which was located with the societal leaders, is now located back with the members of societies and this is dealt with in various ways. The most obvious available leaders are women who are regarded as offering a more reflective leadership. This may prove so in some instances but in other instances it may be simply idealization and Basic Assumption leadership that is being mobilized. A more worrying way that dependency needs are being displaced is in regard to young people. It would appear that there is a view that young people are able to cope with the modern world better than older people. This can lead to an unconscious displacement of dependency needs onto young people and a subsequent mobilization of young people as fight leaders.
Under the third sub-theme, “Splitting, displacement and scapegoating of the ‘Other’”, the analysis showed that:
Globalization is experienced by society as an all powerful and controlling influence that creates a sort of alternative world that is experienced as a tyrannical monster, which is driven by economic policy with its own value systems. A result is that those responsible for the management, leadership and administration of political, economic and social institutions adapt these values which turn our institutions and organizations into the same tyrannical monsters. Members of society are left with feelings of powerlessness and an inability to control and influence their lives. A typical response is as contained in the Australian Report, “Much of the discussion around this theme had a ‘paranoid tinge’ with feelings of anxiety and fear. This was particularly so in relation to the accessibility of private information and to the powers held by the ‘authorities’ in regard to detaining people. It was linked to the question of who can we trust?” At these times of increased uncertainty members of societies throughout the world identify a convenient “other” to act as a repository or scapegoat into which they can displace all their hateful and malicious feelings. The “other” in many countries is immigrants, especially Muslim immigrants, who are part of their societies; or are identified terrorists in other countries. But in some countries the “other” may be polarized political parties. Having a common enemy enables members of societies to suppress their own guilt and to assert their rights to preserve a common identity. However, a result is polarization and the development of fixed and inflexible notions about this “other”, which results in demonization. A further result may be that the “other” acts on the projections of demonization and becomes what the members of society are seeking them to be.
This led to the hypothesis that:
Members of societies experience a high degree of anxiety, not least that arising from the loss of identity. In societies throughout the world, there is a strong sense of uncertainty about socially acceptable behaviour, norms and values. They are unable to classify their experience on any basis of similarity and are unable to make sense of their experiences. It is a kaleidoscopic world with few if any reference points. The uniqueness of the here and now is intolerable. The personal and social boundaries are blurred and there is no consensus as to what is acceptable or not acceptable. A result is that members of societies experience anxiety at a level that is unbearable and splitting and projection are used to find comfort. For many, the means of coping is to project the rage associated with helplessness into an “other”. In many instances, the “other” is located in those who are clearly identifiable as different from ourselves: in most situations this will be immigrants and in many situations Muslim immigrants, who are experienced as the most different and in some instances associated with terrorism. The “other” may also be terrorists in other countries or even Globalization itself. In some instances it is internal splitting and polarization that produces the “other” for each party, which seems to be exemplified by the dynamics in the USA. A danger is that polarization in all circumstances produces a rigid “other” for each party. This then leads to confrontation based on relatedness rather than reality.
Under Theme Two, “Attempting to understand change—a virtual or phantasy environment”, the analysis showed that:
All National Reports related to the way that members of societies were beginning to question and to try to develop explanations for the way that specific societal changes have affected members of society. Although not clearly understood, members of societies throughout the world are realizing that Globalization and technology have had distinct effects, which seen in the kindest light can be seen as bewildering and surrounded in puzzlement and mystery, and seen in the harshest light can be seen as potentially harmful and destructive to the future of societies. In many countries there was a strong theme of concerns about communication and of the means of communication. There is a growing realization that there is a real issue about how you communicate with others in a world that is full of new means of communication. As in Theme 1 above, this is a complicated issue that is inextricably linked to the changes within societies and responses by members of societies.
This led to the hypothesis that:
The impact of Globalization results in members of societies experiencing a lack of control over their environment and a feeling of deprivation at a psychological level. A result is that members of societies utilize multiple means of communication as a defense against isolation and lack of attachment. Such however, is the nature of this communication that it only leads to a sort of virtual world where members of society share the illusion that anything is possible, denying the reality that true relationships are not achieved. Members of society are still left feeling isolated, impotent, dehumanized and remain psychologically deprived.
Under Concluding Remarks, the Report stated:
As will have been seen from the extracts of National Reports above, for members of societies to stay in the depressive position is a mammoth and at times near impossible task. Yet the Listening Posts show that reflection does lead to the possibilities of thoughtful dialogue when members of societies are able to suggest possible ways forward. An example is the following extract from the Danish Report: “Ambivalence, feelings of guilt, muddled sensations and frustrated energy could be interpreted as a potential for political action directed at defending civic rights for all, for an involvement in real exchange between ethnic groups, for working with what it means both to be a world citizen and a citizen in a nation and a local community. (Events since the Listening Post was held, have demonstrated just how difficult these issues are.)
Given that there are still few signs that individuals or those responsible for the management, leadership and administration of political, economic and social institutions currently have the ability to adopt the required reflective approach that will help to make sense of this, still developing ‘new way of life’, there is not much hope of serious understanding. Everything, therefore, points to the possibility that current global dynamics will continue to intensify and deepen in the foreseeable future. This is a potentially worrying time, the feelings and emotions associated with a loss of identity and a reliance on the ‘other’ as a means of coping with the extreme anxiety experienced, could make it likely that many societies will be faced with dangerous and violent conflicts in the coming year.
Whether the likely shift from paternalistic to maternalistic leadership will provide the necessary reflective stance or be experienced as equally impotent, remains to be seen. However, the biggest danger lies in members of societies unconsciously mobilizing young people to provide for their dependency needs. Faced with such strong feelings of helplessness and having a captive audience in the family, expressed concerns and impotence can easily be unconsciously conveyed as the seeking of a saviour; and that young people are mobilized to fill that saviour role” (Stapley & Cave, 2006).
One way of thinking about the above is to view it from the perspective of societal culture. In doing so we might first think about the way that out of the interrelatedness of the members of societies with their notion of “society in the mind” which is developed from their perception of the societal (holding) environment, a societal culture or way of life is developed that provides for the human need for consistency, continuity and confirmation. This process occurs in every society throughout the world and because of the unique membership of the society and their unique environment they produce a unique culture. However, no matter that the cultures have differences they still have the same purpose: that of providing forms of behaviour that the members of the society feel are psychologically advantageous to them under the circumstances imposed upon them by their societal environment. In doing so this results in a societal culture that will provide containment such as we have needed from birth onwards. That does not mean that society is a static unchanging phenomenon, on the contrary, it is a dynamic process that is constantly changing albeit for most of the time imperceptibly. For many years, probably since the period of the Industrial Revolution, Western cultures have evolved in a continuous and developmental manner with the dynamic processes arising steadily and gradually over many years.
However, when we think about the above analysis of the effect of Globalization on Western societies we can see that something profound is happening and that the dynamic processes are of such an intensity and frequency that the consistency, continuity and confirmation normally part of our societal culture is fragmented and non-existent. Life as we knew it no longer exists, we are living in a period of history that is experiencing “death of a way of life”. This is a world that makes little sense to members of Western societies and one that is experienced as being out of control. Members of Western societies experience fear, rage, impotence, vulnerability and despair; they experience a lack of containment, social disintegration, uncertainty and insecurity; and this even extends to fears for personal safety and annihilation, and threats to and loss of identity.
The ways that members of Western societies have responded have been remarkably similar to the way that those who were alive during the period of the Industrial Revolution responded then: by dependency and violent rebellion. Dependency is shown in several different ways: Displacing dependency onto political and religious leaders; A flight into an independent approach; Regression to primary identities; Denial and flight into own private world—resulting in an individualistic attitude which dominates Western society; The projection of hope and fear into the younger generation; A search for the magical; and A phantasy that a Messiah will rescue them. Violent rebellion is also shown in several different ways: Displacement of fear and rage projected into identifiable groups such as immigrants, asylum seekers and Muslims, who become the bad object and are then demonized; Demonization of bombers leading to stereotyping and scapegoating of Muslims; Projection of rage and hurt into marginalized groups that we then perceive as Barbarians; Splitting and locating evil and hatred in the powerful (usually USA). I think you will agree that this is a picture of a society that is beyond comprehension and is highly disturbing at both a social and psychological level which at times leaves members of society witless.
At the social and political levels some results have been as follows. Leaders have been used by societies as a whole as vehicles for their projections. Many of these projections—at least in the earlier days, were highly seductive and difficult, being of a highly positive nature which sought to idealise leaders who would lead them to a promised land free of anxiety—as would any Messiah. Perhaps not surprisingly this had the effect of creating omnipotent leaders who thought that they could do anything. Subsequently members of societies seeing their dependency needs fail began to express their anger at their leaders. The leaders for their part realized that they had to do something but were as impotent as the rest of society, so they simply implemented policies that were “smokescreens to cover inactivity”. Many of these resulted in greater controls over members of society. But the greatest concern is that regarding the effect on the young who have been mobilized to provide hope and to take the blame. One effect of putting reliance on youth is that they make take the authority given without having the experience to do so.
Having seen something of the dramatic effect that Globalization is having on Western society I shall now turn to an analysis of the effects on non-Western societies. We don’t have the benefit of Listening Posts in those countries but we can be sure that the current societal dynamics in the West will be replicated in at least equal measure in Muslim and other societies.