Sublimation 1: I Want To Smear My Poop?!

I’ve been studying sublimation. (Doesn’t my life sound fun?) The term sublimation comes from psychology and is considered a defense mechanism whereby a person turns unacceptable impulses into acceptable behaviors. It’s kind of a replacement technique. So, for instance, a guy who feels rage coming on towards his family might go out and chop wood, to channel his energy in a better way.

Freud was a big proponent of sublimation. He considered it to be a sign of maturity, and something that allows people to function in society.  Of course he also believed that the reason people painted was because they were sublimating their desires to smear their poop. So maybe we shouldn’t listen to him.

But actually I’m also a big proponent of sublimation. In fact, I think it may be what’s necessary for you to change your life. Why? I’ll tell you next time…