We see this passionate movement from Quad Four to Quad One dramatically displayed in a movie from several decades ago called The Seduction of Joe Tynan. This movie explores both the seduction of power and of sexuality in the life of a potential presidential candidate. We repeatedly witness the movement of Quad Four desires into the Quad One of Joe Tynan (played by Alan Alda). In one scene that takes place in a Washington D.C. hotel suite, Tynan and his campaign associate (played by Meryl Streep) suddenly realize that they are physically attracted to one another. Alda is first to verbalize his attraction and wonders if they are about to make love. Streep responds by indicating that they are of course sexually attracted to one another, but she had been hoping that they would both have the good manners not to indicate that these feelings exist or that they are going to make love. She didn’t want their Quad Four passion to move to Quad One (other than through physical action—making love!!).
Unfortunately, we also see this direct movement from Quad Four to Quad One in the sudden explosion of anger and attendant violence. A “mild-mannered” husband unexpectedly lashes out against his wife or children, having previously repressed (Quad Four) his frustration and alienation regarding all aspects of his life. While the people we love should never be the target of this Quad Four to Quad One eruption, this misdirection of emotional display is not uncommon. It is very hard to predict what is about to occur when Quad Four material moves to Quad One. That is why this movement is often so frightening—and why it is often represented with great dramatic impact in many science fiction novels, movies and comic books (for example, in Robert Lewis Stevenson’s classic, Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hyde, and in the widely portrayed comic book figure, the Hulk).
Another, more constructive, avenue opens up for the sudden emerges of quad four material directly into quad one. This avenue is what is often called Incubation. The creative part of us can often be found in Quad Four—and often appears suddenly when we are awake, but relaxed or distracted. We are taking a shower and suddenly the solution to a problem we have been struggling with for several weeks comes to the fore. With soap in our eyes, we struggle to scramble out of the shower stall and find a pen and paper where we can write down our solution. Perhaps, we are driving to work, and a wonderful new idea pops up (moving for quad four to quad one). Do we write it down while driving (not a good idea!) or pull off to the side of the road and write it down? The setting might be a playground where we are watching our child on a swing. Or it might be a moment when we are just about to fall asleep.
