An Incomplete Education - 3,684 Things You Should Have Learned but Probably Didn't

POLIT

be Chechnya, which has been struggling to break f
since the days of the tsars. The Chechens haven't
with the citizens of four other republics, were mar
during World War II, on the pretext that they we
they were finally allowed to return in the 1950s, th
came back mean, mad, and loaded, as it were, for
independent in 1991 and a few years later the Rus
to crush the Chechen regime like a pesky mosquit
thousands of corpses later, Chechen guerrillas succ
out. The republic was de facto independent until 1
no more peaceful or law-abiding then than it had
the Russians invaded again. Now, with a puppet g
sands of locals "disappearing" every year, those Ch
potshots at Russian soldiers from their own village
looking to stir up a little jihad in neighboring rep
countries to the south.

NEXT UP
Possibly, the Russian Federation itself. The insta
could, it's predicted, strain the central government
war in Afghanistan did to the Soviet Union. Oh, an
Sea oil reserves. Still largely untapped, they raise th
Soviet-era apparatchiks hoping to make a comebac
ers such as the United States, which has, for the
bases in the Caucasus—as, you know, outposts in t

Dead-Letter De

ACRONYMS—AND AC
FROM MAASTRICHT TO

While military alliances—expedient and t
strong for centuries, it wasn't until the Le
shortly after World War I, that a lot of people be
pation in some larger order might be a good idea in
years or so, the League really did seem to make f
with an agreed-upon place to talk things over, ho
Today, the United Nations, successor to the Leagu

TICAL SCIENCE 407

free from Russia's hammerlock
forgotten the way they, along

rched off in the snow by Stalin
ere Nazi sympathizers. When
hose who'd managed to survive
bear. Chechnya declared itself
ssian tanks rolled in, intending
o. Almost two years and many
ceeded in driving the Russians
1999—although the place was
d been during the war—when
government in place and thou­
hechens who aren't busy taking
e rooftops are crossing borders,
publics and the newly minted

ability of the North Caucasus
to the point of collapse, as the

nd then there are those Caspian
he stakes in the region, both for
ck and for foreign power play­

first time, established military
he "war on terror."

epartment

CRIMONY—
MOGADISHU

temporary—had been going
eague of Nations took shape,
egan to think ongoing partici­
n and of itself. And for fifteen
for a less scary world, a world
owever stupidly or insincerely.
ue, is by far the most compre-

4o8 AN I N C O M P L E T E

hensive of the world organiza
396), the Vatican (fondling it
land nations (presumably sav
something more appealing th
rental) don't belong. Beyond
ethnic orders, and social and
learn there aren't a lot of mi
them that tend to do busines

NATO (NOR
OR

Formed in 1949, with Berlin
looking downright monolithic
and ten European nations (
Luxembourg, Norway, Denm
line in the old days, when war
still front-and-center in mos
treaty providing for mutual
member of the alliance was a
them in Europe or North Am
is how the treaty reads—as w
the geopolitical fence you wer
ing the "free world" 's souther
in 1982. France, in a move t
withdrew its armed forces from
by the alliance in spirit, and
Brussels.

N A T O was, to its credit, a
at bay and made them think
they had their own alliance,
pledged allegiance to N A T O
of those ironic, Days of Our Li
War era, four former Warsaw
public, and Slovakia), cravin
N A T O membership. In 1999
was: With the Soviets gone, w
supreme N A T O commanders
conflicts (the Gulf War, for e
ters had never been NATO's
long and tortured midlife cris

E EDUCATION

ations that matter: Only Taiwan (ruefully, see page
ts gold brocades), and a handful of South Pacific is­
ving those tourist dollars and coconut revenues for
han a membership fee and a Manhattan brownstone
d that teem economic unions, trade organizations,

charitable societies; you pacifists will be happy to
ilitary alliances left. Here's a look at some among
ss under their initials alone.

RTH ATLANTIC TREATY
GANIZATION)

n under Soviet blockade and the Communist world
c, by the usual suspects: the United States, Canada,
(Britain, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands,
mark, Iceland, and Portugal). The West's bottom
r and rubble-strewn residential neighborhoods were
st people's minds, N A T O was a military-defense
assistance and collective action in the event any
attacked—"an armed attack against one or more of
erica shall be considered an attack against them all"
well as a way of letting the world know what side of
re on. Greece and Turkey joined in 1952, vouchsaf­
rn flank; West Germany signed on in 1955, Spain
that had all the earmarks of a bad attack of P M S ,
m joint military command in 1966, though sticking

headquarters were moved from Fontainebleau to

n alliance that actually worked: It kept the Russkies
k twice about trying any funny business; naturally,

the Warsaw Pact. In 1991, a reunified Germany
and the Warsaw Pact closed up shop. Then, in one
ives reversals that were a hallmark of the post-Cold
w Pact members (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Re­
ng security just like anybody else, applied for full
9 they were invited to join. By that time the question
who, exactly, was the enemy and what were all those
s supposed to be doing to earn their keep? Regional
example), terrorist organizations, and natural disas­
idea of a good time. Yet, after dithering through a
sis, N A T O undertook the biggest military action in

POLIT

its history—and its first-ever use of force against
approval—in 1999, when it bombed Yugoslavia fo
stop "ethnic cleansing" in Kosovo. The operation le
despite the fact that the rusty N A T O air command
gets than it hit. Since then, it has been up to N A
such as it is, in the region. But it was the bombing
September 11, 2001, that finally took N A T O of
Suddenly, even Russia agreed that something ou
world peace. So the NATO-Russia Council was b
with N A T O members on policies to deal with
threats. N A T O has made the most of its new role;
pean boundaries for the first time to assume comm
keeping forces in Afghanistan, and not long after
rapid-reaction force that would allow it to respon
world. The U.S. invasion of Iraq, which was bitterly
many, provoked a N A T O crisis in 2003, since sever
even though the alliance itself did not. In 2004,
Slovenia, and the former Soviet republics of Esto
became full N A T O members. Nowadays N A T O
shortage of enemies to defend against—its secreta
vulsions in adjacent regions, jihad terrorism, failed
weapons of mass destruction, just for starters. But
work out. For one thing, Europe doesn't have al
NATO, militarily speaking, since it's gotten used
States for protection, and N A T O ' s forces are alread
the tendency of the current U.S. administration to
sus later doesn't strike some N A T O members as wh
liance." Stay tuned for further developments. Or n

EU (EUROPEAN U

A simple trade pact that grew and grew over the s
integrated and replaced at least two previous Europ
cluding the so called Common Market.

It all began modestly enough in 1952, when s
battered nations of Western Europe—France, W
Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, and
coal and steel resources and abandoned protective
pean Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), thus
those two commodities across their borders, unde
thority" to which each nation surrendered a little o

TICAL SCIENCE 409

a sovereign state without U N
or eleven weeks in an effort to
ed to a truce in the Balkan war,
d apparently missed more tar­
A T O troops to keep the peace,
of the World Trade Center on
ff the endangered-species list.
ught to be done to maintain
orn, giving Russia an equal say

terrorists and other security
; in 2003, its troops left Euro­
mand of UN-mandated peace­
rward the alliance launched a
nd to threats anywhere in the
y opposed by France and Ger­
ral alliance members took part,
Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania,
onia, Latvia, and Lithuania all
doesn't have to worry about a
ary general lists political con­
states, and the proliferation of
it still has a couple of kinks to
ll that much to contribute to
d to depending on the United
dy stretched thin. For another,
o bomb first and build consen­
hat they mean by the term "al­
not.

UNION)

space of four decades, the E U
pean bonding experiences, in­

six industrialized if somewhat
West Germany, Italy, and the
d Luxembourg)—pooled their
e tariffs on them in the Euro­

permitting the ready flow of
er the direction of a "high au­

f its sovereignty. Soon enough

4io AN I N C O M P L E T E

the group had eliminated all s
ment of workers and money
trade policy with regard to the
the interim had done busines
nicknamed the Common Ma
European Community (EC)—
ted to nothing less than the e
amazing, political union (alth
ably still be permitted to hum
twelve countries aboard, with
Spain, and Portugal, stretchi
close to 350 million people, a
bigger than that of the Unit
countries—Austria, Sweden,
(three others—Norway, Swed
E U underwent its biggest ex
Eastern European nations of
Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, and
and Cyprus—bringing the to
and Romania are up for mem
waiting in the wings forever,
could take another decade.

If that seems like a lot to w
setup: a parliament (elected b
ministers, an executive comm
ber countries every six months
liamentary committees than a
Brussels, Luxembourg, and S
or just keep an eye on everythi
freedoms of college students t
cations practices to wine price

Sounds a bit dull, and is al
at the time, to be a brilliant id
untary suturings by several no
power was born to the west of
At the same time, in a succes
rivalries, suspicions, and scrat
standing were smoothed over.
France (who hadn't exactly dis
to lose an empire) got to feel
smiling to herself as she vetoe

Have there been tensions a

E EDUCATION

shared tariff barriers and facilitated the free move­
among themselves, as well as hit upon a unified
e rest of the world. By 1992, the ECSC—which in
ss as the European Economic Community ( E E C ,
arket and nick-nicknamed the Inner Six) and the
—was finally the European Union (EU), commit­
exploration of complete economic and, even more
hough citizens of member nations would presum­
m their own favorite folk songs). Now there were
the addition of Britain, Ireland, Denmark, Greece,
ing from the Atlantic to the Aegean, containing
and accounting for an annual output considerably
ed States and double that of Japan. Three more
and Finland—signed on the dotted line in 1995
den, and Iceland—said no thanks), and in 2004, the
xpansion yet when it took in ten new states—the
f Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia,
d Lithuania, all formerly Communist, plus Malta
otal number of members to twenty-five. Bulgaria
mbership in 2007, while Turkey, which has been
tries to content itself with membership talks that

wrap your mind around, wait till we get to the E U s
y the voters back home), a high court, a council of
ission, and a presidency that rotates among mem­
s, plus more agencies, advisory bodies, and prepar-
almost anybody can keep track of, divided among
Strasbourg, and attempting to adjudicate, legislate,
ing from women's rights to immigration policy, the
to the standards for air conditioners, telecommuni­
es. And a single currency, the euro.
lmost parodistically bureaucratic—but it did seem,
dea, even better than N A T O . With a series of vol­
o-longer-great European nations, a new economic
the Soviet Union and the east of the United States.
ssion of bold strokes, any number of old European
tch-one-another's-eyes-out traditions of centuries'
. Moreover, Germany got to feel respectable again.
stinguished herself in World War II and was about
l like the very heart and soul of something again,
ed Britain's first application for membership.
mong the members? Don't get them started. Agri-

POLIT

cultural policy, in particular, can be counted on to
matches, with, for instance, the poorer southern c
for their olive oil and tomatoes and the northern
treated like easy touches. More significantly, Ger
been bent on "deepening" the relationship, pushin
mon military, a unified foreign policy. Britain—an
it's even really European—wants instead to "broad
members as quickly as possible; at Maastricht, the
December 1991 the E C became the E U , Britain o
made help-me-I'm-being-strangled noises at the
months later, Danish voters balked at approving
which left everybody wondering where it—and
stood. The E U pressed on, but ran into an even b
citizens of France and the Netherlands voted a b
posed E U constitution and the governments of sev
came to blows over the budget. At this point, nobo
fall apart, exactly, but nobody knows what's to bec

OECD (ORGANIZATION FO
COOPERATION AND DE

Created in 1948, under a slightly different name, to
Plan, that postwar American effort to get Europe
out of the arms of the Communists. Originally ma
countries, it expanded in 1960 to include the Uni
Japan, Finland, Australia, and finally, in 1973, Ne
tense U.S. lobbying, Mexico became the twenty-fif
in twenty years. During the period from 1995 to 20
Eastern Europe, inviting in the Czech Republic, Po
it also took in South Korea along the way.

Fancily set up in Paris, the O E C D was, until
"rich man's club," made up of twenty-four countries
the world's population and two-thirds of its output
tank image, it monitored and predicted and recom
lunch. Now, since the advent of high-kicking Asia
former Communist ones, a single European marke
gional trading blocs, there's been pressure on the
hands-on, actually emerging from its tony headqua
policy on, say—and this is just a suggestion, guys—
the environment, that sort of thing. In the meanti

TICAL SCIENCE 411

o provoke tag-team wrestling
countries demanding subsidies
n ones getting tired of being
rmany and France have long
ng the single currency, a com­
n island after all, and not sure
den" it, to take in as many new
e small Dutch town where in
opted out of the currency and
e idea of the other two. Six
g the Maastricht treaty at all,

European federation—really
bigger snag in 2005, when the
big thumbs-down on the pro­
veral member countries nearly
ody thinks the E U is going to
ome of it, either.

OR ECONOMIC
VELOPMENT)

o help administer the Marshall
back on her feet and keep her
de up exclusively of European
ited States and Canada, then
w Zealand. In 1994, after in­
fth member, the first addition
000, the O E C D opened up to
oland, Hungary, and Slovakia;

the mid-1990s, considered a
s accounting for 16 percent of
t. With its low-profile, think-
mmended and then went out to
an economies and bent-double
et and the proliferation of re­
e O E C D to get a little more
arters long enough to set some
—unemployment, investment,
me, try not to confuse it with

412 AN I N C O M P L E T E

the OED, the Oxford English D
wonk.

G7/G8 (
GRO

Formed in 1975 by the six b
Japan, Germany, France, Brit
Starting in 1991, the U S S R ,
conferences. In 1994 Russia b
participant in what now becam
tion alongside the formal sum
paper reader. These days, the
another big-deal city (Montre
golf resort (Versailles, William
one's finance minister (our Tr
president) in attendance, at w
line, matters of economic poli
to work out an intractable pro
pared by the host country t
Kennedy-and-Khrushchev-typ
G 8 get-togethers have becom
world, real pileups of power a
the environment are hashed o
some new international organ

OAS (ORGANIZA

A Pan American "arrangemen
hemispheric solidarity" and co
American Union, founded i
Washington, D.C., the O A S
belongs (although Cuba was e
Long considered a major do-
Central America) whose dele
for that ten-in-the-morning s
sertive, monitoring elections a
tervention is prohibited by th
give out, and even trade sancti

E EDUCATION

Dictionary, that other monument to the ways of the

(GROUP OF SEVEN/
OUP OF EIGHT)

biggest industrial democracies—the United States,
tain, and Italy—and joined by Canada a year later.
, then Russia, began dropping by for postsummit
became a regular visitor, and in 1998 it became a full
me the G 8 , although the G 7 has continued to func­
mmits, presumably just to confuse the average news­
e G 8 meets annually, and by turns, in the capital,
eal, Florence), or a jewel-like historic landmark or
msburg, Gleneagles) of the host nation, with every­
reasury secretary) and all the prime ministers (our
which point it considers, and attempts to bring into
icy and planning, then schmoozes, often managing
oblem or two over one of the six-course dinners pre­
to show off the national cuisine. With old-style
pe summit meetings largely a thing of the past, the
me some of the most important meetings in the
nd money at which issues as broad as terrorism and
out, often leading to the creation or resuscitation of
nization to "handle" the problem.

ATION OF AMERICAN STATES)

nt," formed in 1948 to promote "peace, security, and
ontinuing at least some of the traditions of the Pan
in 1910, in whose former marble monument in
is headquartered. Every country in the hemisphere
expelled in 1962 and Canada didn't join until 1990).
-nothing (and a rubber stamp for U . S . interests in
gates pull up in their limos at two in the afternoon
session, the O A S has lately become a little more as­
and vowing to stay on top of military coups; but in­
he terms of the O A S charter, there's no money to
ions have to be imposed back home, in the national

POLIT

legislatures, member by member. Meanwhile, ge
taken to the United Nations. In a way, it's just anot
ican initiatives—the Good Neighbor Policy and t
come to mind—that gets a lot of press at the outset
though the Monroe Doctrine manages to keep a h
is today a given in most Latin and Caribbean nation
(Caricom in the Caribbean; the Andean Pact; M
gentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, and Bolivia) are
is even 5 percent responsible for any of it, who ar
noses? By the by, if you haven't read a newspaper
other OAS—l'Organisation de l'Armée Secrète, th
to gun down de Gaulle during the Algerian War fo

OPEC (ORGANIZATION OF
EXPORTING COUN

Founded in 1960 by Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuw
joined by Qatar, Ecuador (which dropped out
(dropped out in 1994), Algeria, Libya, the United A
eleven current members account for about half the
tempt to maintain stable oil prices by controlling pr
cult task that's made even more problematic by the
agree on anything and the tendency of at least a cou
tas. The international cartel began striking fear in
when, in retaliation for U . S . support of Israel in th
goed oil supplies to the United States and yanked w
$3 up to $12 a barrel (about $10 to $40 a barrel in
been fluctuating wildly ever since—in response to
throughout the Seventies and Eighties and to the
the Nineties, among other things. These days, price
a barrel, but economists say the reason is simply
insatiable, demand caused by all those America
Dick-sized SUVs and all those Chinese trading in t

OAU (ORGANIZA
OF AFRICAN UN

Established in 1963 by thirty-two African nations,
members, including every independent country on

TICAL SCIENCE 413

enuine crises wind up being
ther one of those Latin Amer-
the Alliance for Progress also
t, then seems to fade away (al-
high profde). Still, democracy
ns, and small-scale trade pacts
Mercosur, among Brazil, Ar-
e all thriving, and if the O A S
re we to be looking down our

in forty years, this is not the
he terrorist military group out
or Independence.

F PETROLEUM
NTRIES)

wait, and Venezuela and later
in 1992), Indonesia, Gabon
Arab Emirates, and Nigeria. Its
e world's oil supply. They at-
roduction, a notoriously diffi-
e members' habitual failure to
uple of them to cheat on quo-
Western hearts back in 1973,
he Yom Kippur war, it embar-
worldwide prices from around
n today's dollars). Prices have
o turmoil in the Middle East
Asian economic downturn of
es are peaking at well over $60
the increased, and apparently
ans driving around in Moby
their bicycles for subcompacts.

ATION
NITY)

it's since grown to fifty-three
n the continent and island just

4i4 AN I N C O M P L E T

Clockwisefrom top left: The « « M.
European Community (EC), h.Lr "* *
a.k.a. the Common Market, and
today the European Union (EU);
the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN); the
Organization of African Unity
(OAU); and the Organization
of Petroleum Exporting
Countries (OPEC)

E EDUCATION

POLIT

off it, black and Arab both. South Africa joined in
another of those mind-blowing events, like former
membership in N A T O (see page 408). The O A
moting unity and development, defending sovere
eradicating colonialism, and coordinating econom
defense, etc., etc. policies. There are no colonies l
noisseurs will immediately bring up the Western S
which has spent thirty years trying to absorb it—so
cess, although not particularly thanks to the OAU.
been divided up so cavalierly, arbitrarily, and inepd
the end of the nineteenth century, border disputes
a lot of attention at OAU meetings, although mem
some tribe or neighbor of his own is planning a civi
only a little encouragement to actually try it, are i
quo, even when appalled by it. A further complica
Africans have little in common and, worse, don't s
consider Sudan, with a lot of each and a particularl

ASEAN (ASSOCIATIONOF
ASIAN NATION

Formed in 1967, when the Vietnam War was
Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesi
little regional security. But the organization didn
1976, by which time the United States had pulled o
uum in the area. T h e five then decided to create "a
neutrality," although for years they seemed interes
munism. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union,
union. It describes itself as mellow and consensus
traditional local village," but gosh, its members
Granted, it's been forced to deal with everything
lately. Actually, A S E A N began to come alive in th
shifting its focus to security matters and taking a b
In 1993 it came up with the idea for the Asian Regi
member states plus their "dialogue partners," the
tralia, New Zealand, the E U , Japan, North and Sou
India, and also Papua New Guinea, whose observe
it has to sit on a folding chair at the back of the con
rich sultanate of Brunei became a full member of
nam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia all came abo
Claiming to be sick of the old bilateral arrangem

TICAL SCIENCE 415

1994, which was, at the time,
r Soviet republics applying for
U sets itself the task of pro­
eignty and territorial integrity,
mic, diplomatic, educational,
left to speak of—though con­
Sahara, just south of Morocco,
o this goal can be judged a suc­
. As a result of Africa's having
dy by the colonial landlords at
and secessionist provinces get
mbers, each of whom is afraid
il war or an invasion and needs
inclined to support the status
tion: Arab Africans and black
seem to like each other much;
ly nasty civil war.

F SOUTHEAST
NS)

in full swing, by Thailand,
ia, five countries in search of a
n't meet, not even once, until
out of Vietnam, leaving a vac­
a zone of peace, freedom, and
sted only in containing C o m ­
A S E A N ' s been an economic
-seeking, "in the manner of a

sure buy a lot of weapons.
g from terrorists to tsunamis
he early 1990s, when it began
roader view of its own region.
ional Forum (ARF; ASEAN's
United States, Canada, Aus­
uth Korea, Russia, China, and
er status does not really mean
nference room). T h e tiny, oil-
f A S E A N in 1994, and Viet­
oard between 1955 and 1999.
ments of the Cold War—the

416 AN I N C O M P L E T

United States and Japan, the
and the Philippines, and so
which seems like a reasonabl
member nations agreed to cre
five hundred million, annual t
They are also working towar
the world s most populous ma
eBayers.

CIS (CO
INDEP

Founded in December 1991
land of the former U S S R ; eig
Union—what Russia calls its
committed itself to joining (
The Baltics weren't intereste
membership. Well, the Russi
cies on all those leftover nucle
cific here, but the goals ou
inter-republic warfare (otherw
all the trouble Russia's having
gether), the mediation of disp
trade, among themselves a
Commonwealth—is not itsel
tries, so that all of us other co
all for a good cause. Isn't it?

APEC (ASI
CO

Founded—though to no pract
Pacific Rim: the United Sta
Hong Kong, the six original A
the Philippines, Thailand, Br
States, the idea was to satisfy
alliance "without drawing a
then-secretary of state Jame
Chile joined in 1993-1994, th

E EDUCATION

United States and South Korea, the United States
o n — A S E A N says it wants to think multilaterally,
le enough idea. At a meeting in Bali in 2003, the
eate an " A S E A N community" with a population of
trade of $720 billion, and a free-trade area, by 2020.
d a trade agreement with China that would create
arket, with 1.7 billion consumers. Lick your chops,

OMMONWEALTH OF
PENDENT STATES)

by Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, the Slavic heart­
ght other of the republics that made up the ex-Soviet

"near abroad"—joined soon after. In 1993, Georgia
(it had been slow to join the United Nations, too).
ed; from the beginning they had their eye on E U
ans had to do something, if only to coordinate poli­
ear missiles, and this was it. It's hard to be too spe­
utlined in the charter include the prevention of
wise known as descent into chaos, and bear in mind
g keeping even itself and its remaining minorities to­
putes, the military in general, and the promotion of
and in the world. The CIS—like the British
lf a country, simply a loose confederation of coun­
ountries have a lot of extra embassies to staff, but it's

A-PACIFICECONOMIC
OOPERATION)

tical effect—in 1989 by "member economies" of the
tes, Canada, Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan,
A S E A N countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore,
runei), Australia, and New Zealand. For the United
(and cash in on) East Asia's dreams of an economic
line down the middle of the Pacific Ocean," as
es Baker put it. Papua New Guinea, Mexico, and
he inclusion of the latter two causing some analysts

POLIT

to worry aloud about diverting the group's attention
Latin America stuff Peru and Russia joined in 1998
been knocking at the door since the group was bo
wanted to be a member, since its share in the regio
cent. Potentially the biggest regional economic gro
ing for 40 percent of world trade and most of the w
making the E U and G 8 look like pikers, A P E C se
Rim into something more than a geographical ter
one day turn America's influence, economic and mi
Europe. Its official mission, stated in 1994, was "fr
ment in the Asia-Pacific by 2010 for industrialized
veloping economies." Although this hardly qualifi
been much progress so far. T h e Asian economic
A P E C was powerless to stop, considerably dim
America's "war on terror" put its members at odd
are nonbinding, anyway, so nobody seems too upse
economies haven't been able to agree on trade po
A P E C works best as a sort of regional trial run for

WTO (WORLD TRADE ORG

The only global organization dealing with the rules
place, the W T O is, simply put, out to promote free
the successor to G A T T (General Agreement on T
established by the United Nations after World Wa
trade in much the same way its sister organizations
ternational Monetary Fund, were to oversee inves
specifically, was charged with preventing the worl
benighted protectionist practices of the Depressi
sky-high tariffs, and the like—and to promote Dav
make-best-and-shop-for-the-rest theory of comp
131), which had long provided the basis for mos
about international free trade. T h e W T O , which w
from the beginning, is much grander and more auth
Whereas G A T T had 23 members, the W T O has,
another fistful of countries, including Russia, wa
Headquartered in Geneva, the W T O operates bot
gotiate international trade rules and as a high co
them. Unlike GATT, it actually has the power to en
cover everything from tariffs on manufactured g
rights and food safety standards around the world

TICAL SCIENCE 4Î7

n from East Asia with a lot of
8, although Russia, which had
orn, wasn't sure exactly why it
on's trade was less than 1 per­
ouping in the world, account­
world's economic growth, and
et out to transform the Pacific
m and could, it was thought,
ilitary, 180 degrees away from
ree and open trade and invest­
d economies and 2020 for de­
ied as a rush job, there hasn't
c bust of 1997-1998, which
mmed the groups luster, and
ds. APEC's recommendations
et by the fact that the member
licy for years. Supporters say
the W T O (see below).

GANIZATION)

s of the international market­
e trade. Created in 1995, it is
Tariffs and Trade), which was
ar II to keep an eye on world
s, the World Bank and the In­
stment and currency. G A T T ,
ld from falling back into the
ion years—quota restrictions,
vid Ricardo's make-what-you-
parative advantage (see page
st thinking people's thinking
was part of the plan for G A T T
horitative than its predecessor.
, as of this writing, 148, with
aiting in line for admission.
th as a forum in which to ne­
ourt for settling disputes over
nforce its "agreements," which
oods to intellectual property
. Critics of the W T O are le-

4i8 AN I N C O M P L E T E

gion; in 1999 tens of thousand
summit in Seattle, Washingto
ever since. They have many
decision-making processes, a
poor ones, and a version of glo
ronmental concerns to comm
side of the police barricades,
best insurance against human
globalization is not only inevit
to shape its growth through i
and let it run wild. It's tricky
rights and environmental adv
ried that compliance with ru
labor will put them out of busi
politicians who are discoverin
porate power trumps national
sovereignty is American. We'
please don't get in touch until
pendium of international agre

NAFTA (NO
TRADE

The media coverage of this, t
and Mexico, seemed almost
perhaps not so willfully incom
after N A F T A actually went in
lem was that N A F T A wasn't r
their own bilateral trade agree
each other even before that th
lot. Mexico is a little differen
they did seem a little, it hurts
but even here the United Stat
backward, fifty-first state just
it started endowing all those
didn't, at the time, alter the in
anybody—e.g., the Clinton ad
Ross Perot, Ralph Nader, and
(con), with the Republicans h
of big-business proposition the
still shouldn't vote against Clin

E EDUCATION

ds of protestors famously derailed the organizations
on, and anti-WTO N G O s have been proliferating

complaints: lack of transparency in the W T O ' s
structure that allows rich countries to strong-arm
obalization that subjugates humanitarian and envi­
mercial interests, to name just a few. On the other
supporters argue that worldwide prosperity is the
n rights and environmental abuses and that, since
table but well under way, it makes more sense to try
international regulations than simply to step back
y stuff, pitting, for instance, left-leaning workers'-
vocates against hungry third-world countries wor­
ules against, say, factory emissions and sweatshop
iness, and at the same time outraging right-leaning
ng that, in the W T O ' s version of globalization, cor­
l and state sovereignty every time, even when that
'd love to hear what you think about all this, but
you've read and understood the 23,000-page com­
eements that serves as the W T O ' s user manual.

ORTH AMERICAN FREE
E ASSOCIATION)

the trade deal linking the United States, Canada,
willfully incomprehensible at the time (although
mprehensible as the public debate), both before and
nto effect on the first day of 1994. Part of the prob­
eally news. The United States and Canada had had
ement since 1989, and were so heavily invested in
hat N A F T A didn't really stand to change a whole
nt—we never used to party with them much, and
us to say this, inclined to the making of brooms—
tes had been treating Mexico like an enormous, if
south of Texas since at least the mid-1980s, when
maquiladoras (see pages 376-378). O f course, this
tellectual perceptions (if you can call them that) of
dministration, along with most Democrats (pro), or
d the A F L - C I O , leadership and manpower alike
having to decide (1) whether N A F T A was the sort
ey ought to like and (2) even if it was, whether they
nton. Then there was the problem of all the differ-

POLIT

ent systems all of the above players had devised t
jobs—e.g., N A F T A would have created some
170,000 new jobs in the United States by 1998, a ra
tually published with a straight face. Jobs were the
sues, especially blue-collar—or, in the case of
ongoing trauma for all three countries. In 2004,
tenth birthday, neither side had moved much from
days, N A F T A supporters, mosdy wearing Armani,
crease in intra-American trade, which more than do
decade. Investment is way up, too, they beam, brin
paying jobs as well as lower costs for consumers.
conditions have benefited from N A F T A side agree
ico, which finally has an almost-first-world credit
porate boards and venture capitalists as more of a N
a Latin American one. "Bull droppings!" shout N
T-shirts and serapes. "Trade and investment may
who've benefited are the rich shareholders, owner
tional corporations." They insist that workers in al
or rights or at the very least have seen their wages f
ity. Mexico, they point out, is poorer than ever, wit
to China for cheap labor and poor peasant farm
buried under thousands of tons of subsidized U.S.
number of Mexicans crossing the border to find wo
went into effect. And forget about laws protecting
ronment, say NAFTA-haters; they're subordinated
make a buck. Observers trying to maintain neutral
sides have a point, and that in the end N A F T A m
how to, and how not to, stitch together future t
pending C A F T A (Central American Free Trad
bigger-deal F T A A (Free Trade Agreement of the A
gotiated by 34 countries.

TICAL SCIENCE 419

to count things up, especially
ewhere between 30,000 and
ange of estimates that were ac­
e most roiling of N A F T A is­

Mexico, no-collar—jobs, an
when N A F T A celebrated its
m its original position. These
, will point to the dramatic in­
oubled in the association's first
nging with it more and higher-
. Environmental and working
ements. And just look at Mex­
rating and is now seen by cor­
North American country than
N A F T A opponents, sporting
y be up, but the only people
rs, and executives of multina­
l three countries have lost jobs
fall relative to their productiv­
th manufacturers now moving
mers having their livelihoods
corn. Statistics show that the
ork has doubled since N A F T A
workers' health and the envi­
d at every turn by the chance to
lity usually conclude that both
may matter most as a lesson in
rade agreements, such as the
de Agreement) and the even
Americas) currently being ne­

42Q AN I N C O M P L E T E

A Trio

Clarificationsf

Frankly, Wo

One way to divide up the
tle below its narrowest p
did they decide to dig the can
gives you two big pieces: No
States, Mexico, Central Amer
owned by Denmark; and Sou
independent nations (ranging
world, to Suriname, the forme
torious Falkland Islands.

On the other hand, there a
of his southern neighbors (mo
the metaphor of neighborhoo
down the block). Now the term
thing from Mexico and Cuba
that is, that speaks a Romance
mer British colonies, likewise
Puerto Rico, though, is Latin

South-of-the-border breaks
seven nations stretching from G
British Honduras, to Panama
sounds in light of all those old
to Central America, both Mex
or less, the West Indies; see bo
America, which archaeologists
nates the area from Mexico
architecture and artifacts. Sout

Now, what if you want to
speak Spanish—i.e., the Mexic
Puerto Rico, and the Dominic
free-form version of French), p
various Guianans and the Bra
you'll say Spanish America, or
out of Cuba and Puerto Rico
America.

E EDUCATION

of Geographical

for a Nation That,

ould Rather Skateboard

Western Hemisphere is to snap it in two just a lit­
point, the Isthmus of Panama. (Not for no reason
nal there, rather than across, say, Honduras.) This
rth America, which includes Canada, the United
rica, the West Indies, and, up top, Greenland, still
uth America, which includes the continent's twelve
in size from Brazil, the fifth-largest country in the
er Dutch Guiana), plus French Guiana and the no­

are times when a person wants to speak collectively
ore and more of whom are, we grant you, trading in
od for a substandard three-room apartment right
m of choice is Latin America, and it takes in every­
a all the way to Chile and Argentina. Everything,
e language, which leaves out most current and for­
e Dutch ones, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands;

American.
s down in other ways, too. Central America is the
Guatemala and Belize, which you may remember as
a. Middle America—however ridiculous the term
d double-knit-polyester jokes—includes, in addition
xico and the countries of the Caribbean (a.k.a., more
ox), regardless of language and colonial past. Meso-
s and anthropologists like to throw around, desig­
o to roughly Nicaragua, rich in pre-Columbian
th America we've already talked about.
point only to those people in Latin America who
cans, the Central Americans, the residents of Cuba,
can Republic {not Haiti, next door, which speaks a
plus almost everybody in South America except the
azilians (the last of whom speak Portuguese)? Then
r better, given that the United States kicked Spain
o, its last New World holdings, in 1898, Hispanic

ISLANDS IN T

A few nice distinctions for revolu­
tionaries and winter vacation-goers.
First, don't think that Caribbean and
West Indian are exact synonyms. The
West Indies (which disappointed
Columbus by not turning out to be
the East Indies, that is, present-
day Indonesia) includes all the
Caribbean Islands (from the Carib
Indians whom Columbus found liv­
ing there, the source, also, of our word
cannibal) plus the Bahamas, which
aren't any more in the Caribbean
than Fort Lauderdale is. The Carib­
bean Islands themselves break down
into two big groups: the Greater An­
tilles (Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola,
which is shared by Haiti and the
Dominican Republic, and Puerto

U.S.A.

THE STREAM

Rico; called "Greater" simply be­
cause they're big), and the Lesser
Antilles (everything else, none of it
with much heft). The Lesser An­
tilles break down, in turn, into the
Leeward Islands (e.g., the Virgins,
Antigua, Guadeloupe) and the
Windward Islands (e.g., Grenada,
Martinique), plus Barbados, Trin­
idad and Tobago, and Curaçao and
the rest of the Dutch Antilles.
Bermuda, by the way, is not a West
Indian island at all, but a flyspeck of
a British colony a few hundred miles
off the coast of North Carolina, all
pink stucco houses and Shetland
sweaters. If you're heading there for
a February vacation (or a revolution),
you've made a terrible mistake.

"Bermuda

N

A TLANTIC OCEAN

422 AN I N C O M P L E T E

WHY ENGLAND,
ROYAL THRONE

WORLD, IS NO
ISLE OR A P
TH

It isn't a sceptered isle or a p
part of that isle and that sto
and Scodand (to the north), a
try since the 1707 Act of Unio
up Wales) and Scodand. It was
to distinguish it from "Little B
nel in France, which had been
Britain by the Germanic Angl
to be outdone, evidendy, the A

No, we're not finished. The
and Ireland taken together, al
lands and the Orkneys and th
Channel Islands. The United
now won't be referring to as
Great Britain and Northern I
Great Britain and Ireland from
State, a.k.a. Eire—pulled out
accepted shorthand forms for

No, we're not finished. Th
World War I, took in 450 mil
quarter of the earth's populatio
land to Iraq, Australia to Anti
on, hasn't existed since 1947, w
when "British Commonwealt
which to be bearing what rem
you're a reactionary yourself, y
formally "the Commonwealth

N o , we're not quite finished.
of Britain and the people who
cific and say English, Welsh, o
by most Scots to "Scotch," unl
Northern Irish are Irish, not B
that one up. A person who liv
which is a person who lives in
"Britishers" is what Americans
funny B e all that as it may, y

E EDUCATION

, WHILE ADMITTEDLY A
OF KINGS AND A LITTLE

OT EXACTLY A SCEPTERED
PRECIOUS STONE SET IN
HE SILVER SEA

recious stone set in the silver sea because it's only a
one. The other parts are called Wales (to the West)
and together the three have made up a single coun­
on between England (which had already swallowed
s called "Great" less out of copywriter's overkill than
Britain," better known as Brittany, across the chan­

named and settled by Celts driven out of "historic"
les and Saxons in the fifth and sixth centuries. Not
Angles came up with "England."
e British Isles is the name for the islands of Britain
long with such oudying island groups as the Shet­
he British possessions of the Isle of Man and the
d Kingdom is the formal name for the nation you
England; its full name is the United Kingdom of
Ireland. (It was known as the United Kingdom of
m 1801 until southern Ireland—a.k.a. the Irish Free

in 1922.) Today, both "Britain" and "the U K " are
"United Kingdom."
h e British Empire, which at its height, just after
llion people spread over 14 million square miles (a
on and land surface), from Canada to Ceylon, Ire­
igua, and which the sun was supposed never to set
when India and Pakistan became independent, and
h" seemed like a more diplomatic heading under
mained of "the white man's burden." Now, unless
you'd do well to call it "the Commonwealth," more
of Nations," no "British" about it.
. British—the adjective—can be used of the island
live on it, assuming you don't want to be more spe­
or Scottish (which, for what it's worth, is preferred
less it's broth or whiskey you're talking about); the
British, but begorrah, and we'd best not be opening
ves in Britain is a Briton, as opposed to a Breton,
n Brittany (or Bretagne, as the French like to say).
s sometimes call Britons, who find the word mildly
you'll still probably choose, with most Britons, to

POLIT

refer to Prince Philip's wife not as "Her Britannic M
England."

WHY THE ORIENT
NEVER GOT TO T

bbody uses "Near East" much anymore as
JL l | Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and Eg
countries of the Arabian Peninsula. (Earlier, in the n
used exclusively of the Balkans, Greece, and Turkey
lized" Europe.) "Middle East"—or, more folksil
strong, however, and takes in all of the above, from
Libya and the Maghreb (see below); the Sudan; E
called Horn of Africa: think rhinoceros), plus Iran a
nostalgic for Days of Empire, India, Pakistan,
Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan), Burma (now
today usually lumped together as the Indian Subco
lately been sliding into the lap of Southeast Asia, ov

"Arab world," an expression that varies in popula
Arabs are speaking to one another at the time, leave
leaves out Iran (which is Muslim but not Arab), Eth
tian blacks), Turkey (which is full of Turks, who, in
Ottoman Empire, played landlord to the entire n
beyond. On the other hand, "Arab world" very defin
ria, and Morocco, which together with Libya form
called the Maghreb, from the Arabic word for "w
with regard to Egypt and Arabia, secular and spir
spectively. "Arab League" is the loose twenty-two-n
Arab states throughout the region, Morocco to Ira
Arab nationalism its raison d'être; "United Arab R
was the short-lived union of Egypt and Syria.

So much for now. There's also a sizable backlist o
which can pop up without much warning. "Palestine
the P L O ; historically, it describes the territory def
Israel, from biblical times to its British mandate f
bits of Jordan (formerly Transjordan, "across the
thrown in. "Asia Minor" ("Little Asia") is essentiall
cent of it that's not in Europe and that's also today k
tile Crescent" arches from the Mediterranean coas
and the Persian Gulf in the east; like the Nile Valley
ilization, especially the Mesopotamian portion o

ICAL SCIENCE 42J

Majesty" but as "the Queen of

EXPRESS
TOKYO

a way of indicating Turkey,
gypt, and usually Iraq and the
nineteenth century, it had been
y, "near" with regard to "civi-
ly, "Mideast"—is still going
m Turkey on down, as well as
Ethiopia and Somalia (the so
nd Afghanistan. And if you're

Sri Lanka (then Ceylon),
Myanmar), and even Nepal,
ontinent, although Burma has
ver to its right.
rity according to whether the
es out Israel, obviously; it also
hiopia (which is full of Chris-
ncidentally, in the days of the
eighborhood), and all points
nitely includes Tunisia, Alge-
m a strictly regional grouping
west," which is where they lie
ritual Arab headquarters, re-
nation political association of
aq, Lebanon to Somalia, with
epublic," you may remember,

of geographical names, any of
e" got a new lease on life with
fined roughly by present-day
following World War I, with
Jordan [River]") and Egypt
ly Turkey, at least the 95 per-
known as Anatolia. "The Fer-
st of Syria in the west to Iraq
y, it's a famous Cradle of Civ-
of it, centered on the plain





POLIT

bounded by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. "Th
word for "rise," which the French enjoyed thinking
ern tier of the Mediterranean, Greece to Egyp
Lebanon portion of it, which the French got as th
War I.

Which brings us to the term "Orient" itself, fro
term that, until this century, was used invariably
Egypt, Persia (our Iran), Palestine, etc., not China,
pines, which were known then, as they still are
shouldn't come as a surprise: The fellows in whos
Orient Are" was written weren't, after all, shoguns

TICAL SCIENCE 4*5

he Levant" (from the French
the sun did there) is the east­

pt, but especially the Syria-
heir mandate following World

m the Latin word for "rise," a
to designate Turkey, Arabia,
Japan, Korea, and the Philip­
today, as the Far East. This
se honor "We Three Kings of
.

CHAP

SYCH

TER

HOLOGY

NINE

Contents

^ Herr Doktor, What's Wrong with Me? A Guid
andPMS 428

• Eleven Ways to Leave a Mother 430
^ Return with Us Now to a Quiet Side Street in

in Turn-of-the-Century Vienna, Where, in a D
a Man with a White Beard (and a Nosebleed) B
on a Horsehair Sofa. And Please, Feel Free to Sa
Your Mind. . . 434
• Hello, Jung Lovers 452
• Getting Straight: A Cornucopia of Cures, Craze

Undergoing an analysis, Hollywood-style, in th

de to Neurosis, Psychosis,
a Working-Class Neighborhood
Darkened Second-Floor Room,
Beckons You to Lie Down
ay Whatever Comes into
es, and Quick Fixes 453

he early talkie Secrets o f a Soul

4^8 AN I N C O M P L E T E

Herr Dokt

A GUID
PSYCH

Somebody—was it Freud or
rotic" as a person who cou
days out of ten, able to get ar
may be having with unresolved
pable of coherent speech, go
gists—or was it one's freshman

The neurotic (unlike the ps
of his mind. If anything, he's
rotic symptom (the obsessive-
an oudet for the least objection
as a barrier against the enactm
these objectionable impulses c
as early as in-crib masturbati
against one's parents, nearly al
pressed, that is, chased out of c
enough, the fledgling neurotic
lying inside him, as Freud poi
ing safer, more manageable sa
sexual development.

Don't take it personally. Th
and it generally connects with
ing to catch the bus for kinde
over again later. That chore fa
or the lack of them—have bec
long-dormant repression-and-
in the past, with things going
and over again, the trauma he
neurosis takes the place of th
whom life had disappointed o

Like cancer and A I D S , the
grab bag of ailments, syndro
closely linked to individual su
one of the following, quaindy
the "transference" and the "na

E EDUCATION

tor, What's Wrong
with Me?

DE TO NEUROSIS,
HOSIS, AND PMS

r one's freshman-year roommate?—defined a "neu­
uld neither love nor work, but who was still, nine
round. In other words, whatever trouble he or she
d anxiety, guilt, or revulsion, a neurotic remains ca­
ood manners, tasteful outfits, and what psycholo­
n-year roommate?—call reality-testing.
sychotic, about whom more in a minute) is not out
too much in it, condemned to try to use his neu­
-compulsive's ritual hand-washing, for instance) as
nable part of an objectionable impulse and, usually,
ment of the rest of that impulse as well. Where do
come from? Childhood sexual wishes, mostly, some
ion and feces smearing, some later and directed
ll of which proved painful or unwieldy and were re­
consciousness and "forgotten." As if all that weren't
c's libido—his sex drive and primary energy source,
inted out, like so much crude oil—regresses, find­
atisfactions in an earlier, less intimidating stage of

his one-two punch is the fate of almost everybody,
h us in mid-Oedipus complex, just when we're try­
ergarten. But not everybody has to deal with it all
alls to the adult for whom adult-style goings-on—
come so painful, so unwieldy that he reinstitutes the
-regression process. Tied to a period and a pattern
g badly now, he repeats, or acts out, over and over
e can't "remember." As Freud once sighed, "Today,
he monasteries, which used to be the refuge of all
or who felt too weak to face it."

other mythic diseases of the century, neurosis is a
omes, and prognoses, with a complex causation
usceptibility. Reach in and you're likely to pull out
divided here, as they were in Freud's day, between
arcissistic" varieties.

The transference neuroses, also known as the clas
Freud thought psychoanalysis could actually cure.

HYSTERIA: from the Greek word for "womb," used
certain female disorders; subsequently applied to an
converted into bodily paralysis or a sensory disturb

PHOBIA: in which anxiety is projected onto a sing
spaces, say, or little white mice) that are then scrup

OBSESSION: where talismanic doing, fussing, strai
plain thinking are used to express frustrated sexua
is the well-worn example here

The reason these are called "transference" neu
roughly re-creating the original childhood conflic
hard-pressed, erratic Mommy and/or Daddy, allow
merged emotions onto him and work through the
time within the safety and consistency of the analy

The good news: The phobic, the hysteric, or th
(after several years of analysis and tens of thousands
was formerly at the service of his neurosis.

The bad news: These days, there aren't all that m
and obsessives around to be cured; seems that s
thinned the ranks. However, the era of safe sex (o
resurgence.

The narcissistic neuroses, with considerable shadin
part of the psychoanalytic community, correspond
choses. These tend to manifest themselves not i
identify symptom but rather a diffuse, fugitive "feel
(i.e., according to Freud):

MELANCHOLIA: severe depression, with or without

DEMENTIA PRAECOX: our schizophrenia, called "pr
of its typical onset in postadolescence

PARANOIA: projection (a defense mechanism we'll
sion) magnified and embellished to the point of d
somebody's-out-to-get-me-and-he's-poisoned-the
Red-Queen-off-with-their-heads sort

PSYCHOLOGY

ssical neuroses, were the ones
They include:

d, pre-Freud, to designate only
ny disorder in which anxiety is
bance like blindness

gle class of things (wide-open
pulously avoided

ghtening, and sometimes just
al energy; ritual hand-washing

uroses is that the analyst, by
ct and acting as a stand-in for
ws the patient to "transfer" sub­

conflict one more time—this
ysis.
he obsessive can usually regain
s of dollars) all the energy that

many classic hysterics, phobies,
sexual liberation pretty much
or no sex) may well bring on a

ng (and a little fudging) on the
d to what we think of as psy­
in terms of a single easy-to-
ling" and include, traditionally

its manic counterpart in tow

raecox," or premature, because

be getting to in the next ses­
delusion, usually of either the
-tap-water or the I-am-the-

43Q AN I N C O M P L E T E

In all of them, the ego is not m
of recovery are not so hot. T
sexual wishes had never deve
and/or Daddy; who had in
couldn't, according to Freud, b
analysts, led by a couple of la
443) and Otto Kernberg, shi
Narcissus, from castration an
repression to M e Decade gran
narcissist. But he remains a to

Confidential to all you schi
Hang tough! Granted, you've
narcissism, an infantile state in
an extension of you. And, yes,
son with a wee small voice wh
lation of ten randomly selec
school. In fact, if our century
you've got it. But what can yo
aged men lose hair. At least no
You're living it, baby.

Footnote for fetishists, dev
stripes: No, you are not, accor
by regression to some soft, un
casionally by one's never havin
repression, conflict, or the bat
id. You may be perfectly happ
with their share of independen
working double shifts. Or do w
it while we're washing our han

Oh, and we were just kiddi

Eleven Way

If Hollywood were to make
wouldn't be wrong to cast J
and Alan Rickman as the supe
get its way. T h e ego's always g
ously most restrained and mos

E EDUCATION

merely under siege; it's long gone. And the chances
The person with the narcissistic neurosis—whose
eloped to the point of being attached to Mommy
nstead remained, literally, "stuck on himself"—
be reached by the analyst either. It's true that some
atterday Viennese named Heinz Kohut (see page
fted the emphasis of their work from Oedipus to
nxiety to self-love, and from Victorian-era sexual
ndiosity, enough so that there's some hope for the
ough cure.
izophrenics out there (and you know who you are):
e been accused of having regressed to the ultimate
n which everything you see, touch, or hear reads as
, your mind is split between a tiny little normal per­
ho recalls how nice things used to be and the popu­
cted Bosch canvases plus your entire junior high
y still admits to madness as something certifiable,
ou expect? You've lost gray matter the way middle-
o one can accuse you of having repressed anything.

votees of S 6c M , homosexuals, and perverts of all
rding to Freud, neurotics. Perversion, while marked
nchallenging, essentially self-involved state (or oc­
ng moved beyond that state at all), does not involve
tting around of the ego by the superego and/or the
py. Probably not, though: Most perverts wind up
ntly generated neuroses, too. And that's a little like
we mean both sides of the street? We'll think about
nds.
ng about the P M S .

ys to Leave a Mother

e a movie out of the structure of your mind, they
im Carrey as the id, Daniel Day-Lewis as the ego,
erego. T h e id's always going to leer, mug, and try to
going to come across with the subtlest (simultane­
st inventive) acting, only occasionally exuding false

nobility and/or martyrdom. And the superego's al
of a stiff, a sometimes well-intentioned, sometime

Whereas you're born with your id, seat of the ins
in full swing, your ego comes together only gradual
tegrate sensory perceptions, modulate voluntary mo
stincts that are penned up in the id next door, and
own, pleasure, all without ever losing sight of reali
childhood, as early as age five or six, the superego
early influences of parents and teachers; thencefor
you're saddled with conscience, morality, and a tend
self at the worst possible moments.

So the ego is up against the id (which wants
(which tries to make it feel bad), and the outside w
enough to make it feel like drowning itself in the
strong and healthy ego, it attempts to honor the d
even the well-endowed ego makes compromises
called defense mechanisms, so that, when confron
doesn't have to panic, self-destruct, or assume the
tervening, the ego thereby transforms what it or th
as bad into something neutral or better.

This "armor-plating of character," as Wilhelm R
it, is innocent enough in moderation; it is also vir
defense mechanisms become too powerful, so encu
make it down the hall to the bathroom, problem
those problems when you take a look at this rundow
fense mechanisms. The comment on the right ref
ployed by a nine-year-old boy who's angry at his
guilty about feeling angry—not that he's necessa
anger or the guilt, let alone the defense mechanism

1. Repression "Hmm? I don't k

about."

Whoever represses simply forgets—bliss

pressed material resurfaces). Repression m

mechanism of all; certainly it is the best

Other defense mechanisms, some psychia

it leaves undone.

2. Regression "Goo. Flubba da

To regress is to revert to an earlier, less th

ual development; it's a basic prerequisite f

versions. It needn't result in talking baby t

PSYCHOLOGY 43Î

lways going to register as a bit
s despotic outsider.
stincts and repository of libido,
lly. Once in place, it has to in­
ovements, keep tabs on the in­
provide for their, as well as its
ity. Sometime in the course of
takes shape, incorporating the
rth, on top of everything else,
dency to come down on your­

to disobey it), the superego
world (which, on some days, is

tub). To the extent that it is a
demands of all three. To do so,

, adopting special techniques
nted with certain demands, it

fetal position. By actively in­
he world or the superego views

Reich (see page 45) described
rtually inescapable. But when
umbering character that it can't
ms ensue. You'll get a sense of
wn of the most celebrated de­
flects how each might be em­
s father and who, natch, feels
arily in touch with either the
m.

know what you're talking

fully (unless, that is, the re­
may be the most potent defense

at combatting sexual wishes.
atrists say, simply do the work

ada?"
hreatening stage of psychosex-
for most neuroses and all per­
talk, but it gets you—and your