A．guilt is a psychic impedimentB．low scores on the Mosh……
TEXT D
Clinicians at a recent
psychoanalytic conference brought forth interesting evidence that guilt, far
from being the psychic impediment generally conceived, has the potential to
inspire creativity, and enhance sensitivity.
Tests of prison
inmates have shown significantly low scores on guilt scales, measured by
psychologist - researcher Donald L. Mosber. The Mosher scales measure the
tendency to feel guilt in three forms: sex guilt, hostility guilt, and general
guilt, called morality conscience. Prisoners who had committed sex crimes scored
low on sex guilt; those who were imprisoned the violent crimes scored low on
hostility guilt; those incarcerated for crimes against property scored low on
morality conscience.
Other studies conducted in the armed forces
corroborate the findings that men accused of brutality to- ward those they
command feel little or no sense of remorse or guilt, but tend to defend
vigorously the "correctness" of their actions.
That guilt can be
a lonely and lacerating burden, as has long been known. The ancient Greeks
under- stood the redemptive feelings and cathartic benefits of watching the
tragic hero struggle with guilt. Hamlet: plots to "catch the conscience of the
King. "O’Neill re -creates the ancient themes and adds to them con- temporary
guilt. The Judeo - Christian ethic transmits this heavy burden, commencing with"
original sin" and continuing with the need for confession and
atonement.
Although in the past many psychoanalysts, joined by a
recent spate of authors, seem to have been dedicated to eliminating the sense of
guilt, some clinicians hold that guilt is the necessary price for
socialization.
Still others agree with Dr. Karl Menninger in the
value of appropriate, or rational, guilt, and feel that a prime objective of
therapeutic intervention should be to help the patient differentiate between
guilt feelings that are unwarranted and unfounded, based perhaps on distorted
perceptions of past occurrences, and those which are well -founded responses to
real situations. The child, it is felt, should not be made to feel guilty a-
bout exploring his body, just as the adult should not be ashamed of his or her
sexuality. But this freedom must not be viewed as license. When tile
individual’s desires or needs can be fulfilled without coming into conflict with
societal needs, the albatross of guilt can be shed.
It is this
new approach, this compromise, which we find surfacing in twentieth - century
literature. Herzog and Willy Loman battle their needless guilt, and their
experiences help us all to cope.
The statement for which there is support in the passage is that ______.
A．guilt is a psychic impediment
B．low scores on the Mosher scales are evidence of good mental health
C．the best military commanders feel little sense of guilt about carrying out their assignments even if it goes against their brain to do so
D．individuals should not feel guilty about fulfilling their own needs and desires as long as they do not act counter to the needs of society
