On August 23, 1973, one of the most notorious bank robberies occurred. No money was stolen, and although several hostages were taken, no one was seriously injured. Yet this bank holdup forever changed the psychology of victim trauma.
As far as bank heists go, this one was fairly typical. An ex-con entered the bank, fired a few warning shots, barricaded four hostages in the vault, and demanded police provide him safe escape. The holdup lasted a few days and eventually ended with the suspect surrendering.
But what made this crime so unusual was that the hostages – ostensibly the people most likely to be victims of serious injury or death – sided with their captor and against the police.
In fact, the hostages actually defended the bank robber and expressed anger at the police for escalating the situation.
The robbery and hostage crisis took place at Norrmalmstorg square in Stockholm, Sweden, and the resulting psychological phenomenon became known as the Stockholm Syndrome.
The condition is characterized by hostages feeling empathy and other generally positive feelings toward their captors – including defending their acts. This seems completely irrational given the danger and cruelty clearly present in the criminals. Yet, nearly ten percent of all hostage crises show some evidence of Stockholm Syndrome.
How could anyone react in such a way?
In a psychological concept known as reaction formation, strongly negative emotions are subconsciously “managed” by demonstrating the directly opposing tendency. Instead of feeling fear and anger, hostages identify with their aggressors. And when victims adopt the same values as the perpetrator, then the aggressor ceases to be a threat.
This emotional bonding with aggressors is not limited to hostage crises – it can exist in any abusive situation. It’s a totally unconscious ego defense mechanism to “help” us deal with our situation – we don’t know that we’re doing it.
That’s what makes transcending the ego so difficult. It’s a maladaptive thought system that keeps us rooted in separation and the belief that the world offers us the potential for happiness.
The ego is capricious and does not mean [you] well. It uses the body to conspire against you. (T-6.IV.1;5)
But in classic reaction formation, we’ve become so identified with the ego, the world, and the body. Instead of seeing its obvious intent at deception, we take on the ego’s values as our own. And from such a perspective, the world seems to have much to offer: contentment, fulfillment, partnership, and comfort to name just a few. But it isn’t true.
All the world’s roads but lead to disappointment, nothingness and death. Seek not escape from problems here. The world was made that problems could not be escaped. (T-31.IV.2)
As we begin to see how much meaning and attachment we give to the ego and all its worldly projections, we open ourselves to another way of seeing, another way of believing, and another way of experiencing the world. One in which we are not hostage to the ego but host to the eternity of wholeness. Join us in Monday’s class where we’ll learn how to practice such a reversal in thinking. I look forward to seeing you then.
Agosti 23, 1973 - Miongoni mwa wizi maarufu zaidi wa benki nchini Marekani. Hakuna pesa zilizokuwa zimeibiwa, na ingawa watu kadhaa walichukuliwa mateka, hakuna mtu aliyejeruhiwa vibaya. Hata hivyo, wizi huo wa benki ulibadili kabisa mtazamo wa watu wanaokabiliwa na majeraha. Kwa habari ya wizi wa benki, huu ulikuwa wa kawaida sana. Mfungwa wa zamani aliingia benki, akapiga risasi chache za onyo, akaweka mateka wanne ndani ya chumba cha dhamana, na kuomba polisi wamwokoe. Utekwa huo ulidumu kwa siku chache na hatimaye ukamalizika kwa mtuhumiwa kujisalimisha. Lakini kilichofanya uhalifu huu kuwa wa ajabu sana ni kwamba mateka - kwa kuonekana watu walio na uwezekano mkubwa zaidi wa kuwa waathirika wa majeraha mabaya au kifo - waliunga mkono mtekaji wao na kupinga polisi. Wafungwa hao walimshika mkwe wa benki na kumshutumu polisi kwa kuharibu shughuli hiyo. "Mashambulizi ya kuiba na kuchukua mateka yalifanyika katika uwanja wa Norrmalmstorg huko Stockholm, Sweden, na tukio hilo la kisaikolojia lilikuja kujulikana kama ""Syndrom ya Stockholm.""" Hali hiyo inaonyeshwa na mateka kuhisi hisia na hisia nyingine kwa ujumla chanya kuelekea watekaji wao <unk> ikiwa ni pamoja na kutetea vitendo vyao. Hii inaonekana kuwa isiyo ya busara kabisa kwa kuzingatia hatari na ukatili ulio wazi katika wahalifu. Hata hivyo, karibu asilimia kumi ya matatizo yote ya utekaji-nyara huonyesha uthibitisho fulani wa ugonjwa wa Stockholm. Mtu anawezaje kuitikia kwa njia hiyo? Katika dhana ya kisaikolojia inayojulikana kama malezi ya athari, hisia hasi sana ni subconsciously <unk> kusimamiwa <unk> kwa kuonyesha mwelekeo moja kwa moja kinyume. Badala ya kuhisi hofu na hasira, mateka hujitambulisha kwa washambuliaji wao. Na wakati waathirika wanapokubali maadili yaleyale ya mtenda-dhambi, basi mtenda-dhambi huacha kuwa tisho. Uhusiano huu wa kihisia na washambuliaji haupunguzwi kwa matatizo ya mateka - unaweza kuwepo katika hali yoyote ya unyanyasaji. Ni utaratibu wa ulinzi wa ubinafsi usio na fahamu kabisa kutusaidia kukabiliana na hali yetu hatujui kwamba tunafanya hivyo. Hiyo ndiyo inafanya kupita juu ya ubinafsi kuwa vigumu sana. Ni mfumo wa mawazo usiofaa ambao unatufanya tuwe na mizizi katika kutenganishwa na imani kwamba ulimwengu unatuonyesha uwezekano wa furaha. Ubinafsi ni wenye kukata tamaa na haukusudi [wewe] mema. Mwili wako ni kitu cha kuunganisha na kuunda njama dhidi yako. (T-6.IV.1;5) Lakini katika muundo wa kawaida wa athari, tumekuwa tumetambulishwa sana na ubinafsi, ulimwengu, na mwili. Badala ya kuona nia yake ya wazi ya kudanganya, sisi huchukua maadili ya ubinafsi kuwa yetu wenyewe. Na kutokana na mtazamo huo, inaonekana kwamba ulimwengu una mengi ya kutoa: kuridhika, kuridhika, kushirikiana, na faraja, kwa kutaja tu mambo machache. Lakini si kweli. Barabara zote za ulimwengu zinaongoza tu kwenye kukata tamaa, kutokuwa na kitu na kifo. Usitafute kukimbia matatizo hapa. Ulimwengu ulifanywa ili matatizo yasipate kuepukika. """Tunapoanza kuona maana na mshikamano mwingi tunaoupa ubinafsi na makadirio yake yote ya ulimwengu, tunajifungua kwa njia nyingine ya kuona, njia nyingine ya kuamini, na njia nyingine ya kuiona ulimwengu." Katika maisha haya hatuko mateka wa ubinafsi, bali tunakaribishwa na utimilifu wa milele. Kujiunga na sisi katika darasa Jumatatu ambapo tutajifunza jinsi ya mazoezi kama kugeuka katika kufikiri. Natarajia kukuona wakati huo.