Among humans we can talk about Soft Cohesion. People come together because they want to be together or there is some aggregate attraction such as a U-2 concert that draws them together. The Parisians might have assembled so that they could be assured that it was alright at some point to look directly at the receding Sun: “It must be OK right now since the person next to me is looking up at the Sun.” Those at Woodstock came together at least partly to show the World what an “alternative” lifestyle looks like. It was not just the music that conveyed something about a “different” way in which to live; the clothes (or lack of clothes) and the collaboration “spoke volumes” about the utopian vision of the hippy generation.
In a spiritual domain, we might speak of the sense of individual love and collective aggregation that comes from a shared commitment to some greater cause or allegiance to some higher being. There is the gathering to celebrate something much greater than ourselves, this being the Sun. There was also, unfortunately, the gathering at Nurenberg and at the Los Angeles Sports Center in which something greater than the participants was being acknowledged—this being either Hitler or Philbrick, or the warped sense of nationalism that they both represented. As we have already noted, the Greeks labeled this Agape and distinguished this form of love and aggregation as differing from other forms of love such as eros and philia.
Better than neighbor effect
We can also provide the positive side of Bateson’s complementary schizogenesis. The binding that occurs when competition is controlled (sports) and healthy (morale, pride, enjoyment), produces a form of stress, called “u-stress” that motivates, energizes and promotes personal growth and wellbeing. Often associated with the aforementioned concept of Flow, that was introduced by Csikszentmihalyi’s (1990), the u-stress of competition occurs when the two groups or “teams” are evenly matched (support) and when they are both performing at a high level (challenge).
Under these conditions, we find that schizogenesis takes on a unique form. The two competing groups and teams do begin to identify themselves as different from one another. However, this “difference” often takes on a playful form. Each team is adored in different colors, featuring a unique name and mascot. There may be cheerleaders, marching bands, and extended celebrations to honor the group or team, whether successful or a failure. As Huizinga (2008) proposed many years ago, human beings might be particularly playful. As homo ludens, we may find resolution of our deep desire to exhibit competence (White, 1959) when we are competing on the playing field.
Regression in service of the ego
Regression that is truly in the service of the ego will often involve a dose of appreciation (a perspective that we will often emphasize in this book). This appreciation can appear in the regression to an earlier time. Old stories of success and heroism are repeated one more time around the fire. And they are told at an auditorium in Edmonton, Canada. The reframing of present-day narratives by blending them with regressive stories from the past can also be of value: “This event reminds us of the time when one of us was in Edmonton, Canada and attending a reading of childhood stories. A childhood of love is fondly remembered when the phrase “I’ll Love You Forever” was repeated. For some adults in attendance, there might even be regressive memories of carrying for their own elderly parents. The regressive story can even be about past failures, from which the group, organization or nation recovered. Or it is a tale about defeat that puts it all in perspective: “Afterall, this was only the loss of xxx; not the loss of life, liberty or happiness!”
Naturalistic displays (such as the eclipsed Sun) and symbolic representations can also serve a positive regressive function. We find a shared Awe when witnessing the receding Sun, or when joining with other people at Niagara Falls or the Grand Canyon. We find regressive expression in religious visions of heaven or in the fanciful stories about fairy godmothers. Lullabies are not just for children, and stories with happy endings are not just for the young. As Martin Seligman has offered on many occasions (Seligman, 1991) and in many forms, there is valuable advice to be embraced regarding Learned Optimism.
With all of this comes a regression in Form. We would suggest that there is no more regressive, primitive or life-giving form than the act of falling in love or at an earlier time in life, growing infatuated with another person (perhaps this is also found among us older folks). Even if Love is not “all we need,” it is an elusive emotion that “only fools care to define” but that we seem to need in our life.
