reaction to Anath & Anna Schaum -subtle opression / List Digest, Vol 25, Issue 18

Anne Ancelin Schutzenberger anne.schutzenberger at wanadoo.fr
Wed Jul 16 18:24:12 CDT 2008


Re:reaction to Anath  Garber &  Anna Schaum <anna at annaschaum.com>,- 
subtle opression /  List Digest, Vol 25, Issue 18
I have tried to suppress everything but "subtle opression " below -


Dear Anath ..... Anath Garber(usa)Thana ag<anathga at hotmail.com>

You want to know if others have felt "subtle opression" -
I have-
and have suffered many times also of not having a real answer
or not beeing understood, or  misregarded,
  or  treated (maltreated)  just as if I do not exist ...

- even on this list sometimes also -
- and many times in my long life -
- especially about what was most important for me-
like facts of my life - that were too surprizing
or too subtle to be understood when I answered
direct questions asked to me
  and
usually oppressive and hurting persons do not realize
or understand what they do to others- and to me -
and their verbal talk is always grand humanistic understnding
and they also often lecture to others about what they should do
or think or how good and useful they themselves are to others
  ... hm =
  ( "the left hand do not know what the right does" - as we say in  
French )
or "do as I say", notr as I do - not  as these teachers of others do -

-  but it hurts- and is a subtle opression

best of best
more later, if asked
anne (89 years old) PhD,TEP
and University professor of Psychology (emeritus)
anne ancelin schutzenberger(France)
______
-- Original Message -from Annath Garber (usa) thana ag - 
To: REGINA SEWELL ; list at grouptalkweb.org
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 8:00 PM
Subject: RE: Subtle oppression

Adam,Ann,Regina,

Hmmm. Very interesting.
I just wonder how many on this list serve feel oppressed by their  
perception that what they have to say will be totally off according  
to the perceived expectations of what is acceptable. for these  
discussions. Would one of these presumably oppressed speak up,and  
help us "walk the talk"? How will we respond?!
anath
===   ===   ======
Le 16 juil. 08 à 19:00, list-request at grouptalkweb.org a écrit :
When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of List digest..."

Today's Topics:
  1. feedback on grouptalk (Adam Blatner)

  2. Re: subtle oppresion (Adam Blatner)
  3. Re: foray (PATRICIA DESERT)
   4. Re: foray (Linda Condon)
  5. RE: Subtle oppression anecdote (thana ag)
  6. Add to Subtle Oppression (BARNETT WEISS)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1 - Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:16:46 -0500
From: "Adam Blatner" <ablatner at verizon.net>
Subject: feedback on grouptalk
- - - - -
----- Original Message -- From: Anna Schaum - MA, LPC
Portland, OR --- on "subtle oppression"
To: Adam Blatner - Cc: thana ag ; list at grouptalkweb.org
   Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 2:17 PM
  Subject: Re: Subtle oppression anecdote

Adam, Ann, Ananth, etc.,

  This is my first fore' into group talk, though I have been reading  
threads since I signed up after April's conference.

  On "subtle oppression"

it seems to me is the perceived lack of receptivity I feel when I  
post to any list serve
and get no responses, when I assume at least X number are reading my  
post.
On line particularly it is easy to read non-receptivity into that  
feedback loop. Then again, I can rationalize by telling myself that  
like me, people are busy and overwhelmed with the masses of loops  
they may/may not be receptive to, and a lack of response is not  
necessarily a reasonable cause for me to shut down. But in a case  
where there is not even one response I have to do a lot of self  
motivating to keep my internal thread alive.
   I recently tested this in my community.
We have a list serve here in Oregon for the American Mental Health  
Alliance-OR,
  "a non-profit member owned corporation of mental health  
professionals committed to the necessity for privacy, confidentiality  
and integrity in mental health services".
  The list serve gets used for a myriad of purposes, most often  
referral queries and  "getting the word out" about professional  
offerings, and is open to and used "ecumenically" by folks of all  
therapeutic perspectives and credentialing levels (the minimum is a  
MA working towards a state licensure).
  Last spring there was an issue being addressed in the Oregon  
legislature by Licensed Professional Counselors who, due to a  
language loophole and insurance company pressures, do not share  
parity with LCSWs, PhDs, Nurse Practitoners  for payment of services,  
even though our training and credentialing process is more stringent  
than some of the NP's and LCSWs'. Curiously, even though this was big  
news in the papers and other publications for weeks, there was not a  
peep on the AMHA listserve about it. Presumably because in that  
conserve we're meant to be working towards integrity in mental health  
services, but when it comes to who gets paid and who doesn't people  
tend to go into their look-out -for #-one stance (entitlement/ 
privilege), and get quiet. On the OPA (Oregon Psychological  
Association) list serve at the same time there was out right lynch  
mobbing going on by some psychologists who eventually hired lobbyists  
to kill the bill. Their stance was that LPC's are not qualified to  
serve the public, etc. etc., even though the facts are clearly in the  
LPC's favor. It is hard to believe it is not about $.
   Anyhow, one night I sat down at the computer and just put it out  
there to my AMHA colleagues, some of whom I knew in person, most of  
whom only knew me on the internet: "Hey , it's been awfully quiet  
around here about this legislation issue. How do people feel? How do  
you psychologists who are on both listserves feel about me, an LPC?"  
At the time I was considering spending a big chunk of money to fully  
join AMHA, and wanted to know exactly whom I would be joining? Were  
these folks going to be receptive and demonstrate inclusiveness and  
"integrity," or would they want to shut me down?
The response I got was receptive by the people who replied, and  
approximately five did ( I believe there are over 75 on the list).  
One reply was that my question was "brave and refreshing," another  
explained in detail the long history of this fight in Oregon, another  
was an explanation of why she does not refer to LPCs (insurance  
issues), another by a board member/co-founder that there are  
competent therapists who are licensed and who are not, whether PhD,  
MA, etc, and that she supports the passing of the parity bill. In  
this instance there was enough receptivity in the feedback that I  
decided to join the guild, becoming part of what the AMHA conserve  
stands for.
It felt like a professional risk for sure to ask the qusetion, and I  
am glad that there was enough support. I still wonder however about  
the other 70 unvoiced responses. How many who did not respond did so  
out of subtle oppression, and how many were just not interested or  
too busy or have ADD like me to reply. This seems to be a topic for  
much further inquiry, the "Sociometry of the Internet." Is anyone  
already onto that?

-  So, back to the present......
how do you all feel about a CP candidate chiming in on this list serve?
-  I don't really know whether I'm entitled or at the edge to be  
participating or not, according to the group talk conserve? I don't  
even know how many of you will get this far in the copy. It would be  
interesting if, even if you don't provide a written response, that  
you press "REPLY/SEND" so I have a count of how many actually read  
through this whole anecdote.

  Very best,

  Anna Schaum, MA, LPC
  Portland, OR --- Just turned in my CP application!

Anna Schaum, MA, LPC
Creative Collaborative Counseling
909 North Beech Street-Suite 201
Portland, OR? 97227
503-282-3800 ? ??www.annaschaum.com
---------- ---------- -------- ------- ----- ---
Message: 2 - Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:22:53 -0500
From: "Adam Blatner" <ablatner at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: subtle oppresion
To: Cinthia Pantale?o <cinthiapanta at hotmail.com>
Cc: list at grouptalkweb.org

Dear Cinthia,

  You bring up an interesting question that I hadn't considered.  
Would the term "oppression" apply? Maybe.
               What is it when we want to take a path that many in  
our social reference group feel is foolish?
   Am I oppressing someone if I say,
   I think you shouldn't stay with that person who abuses you.
   I think that might be a bad investment?
   I think your political move is foolish, even if I agree with your  
general sentiment. It's not the right time.
    Perhaps it involves some degree of group pressure, a sense that  
if you continue in your individualistic choices we will   prosecute  
you in court,  testify against you,  enslave you, bankrupt you, kill you
  or, more mildly, not like you any more,  exclude you from our  
friendships, etc.
   And I imagine there being in-between dynamics, more shades of grey.
-   Or should oppression be measured by the feelings of one who  
claims to feel oppressed?
-    The problem there is that "oppression" is a meme and once one  
learns this term i
t's possible to apply it to a variety of phenomena that might  
otherwise be met with statements of anxiety, fear, sadness,  
annoyance, etc.
  - Well, thank you for the provocative example!   Warmly, Adam
- - - -
-- Original Message -
  From: Cinthia Pantale -   To: list at grouptalkweb.org
  Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 9:38 AM
-  Subject: subtle oppresion

  Dear Anath,
   I found very interesting your question about how many in this list  
serve ever experienced this phenomenon
  that you are calling "subtle oppresion".
-  I, particularly, have a very recent example of what I thinking you  
are referring to.
   I have been living a dilemma in my life which is related to a very  
important decision i have to take. I tend to make a certain choice -
- but this would imply to quit my job, which is considered in Brazil  
everyone?s dream, that is, a well-paid and stable work for brazil?s  
government, which i can keep for the rest of my life. This job would  
be the guarantee of a very good upper middle-class life for the rest  
of my days, ?till i grow up very old. And this is especially relevant  
in the city where i live, which is the capitol of the country and  
where everybody wants to find a job position at the goverment.
- But for everybody?s schock, i?m seriously considering to quit the  
job and risk a season studying overseas, to maybe come back unemployed.
- So, coming back to your point, right now I feel completly oppressed  
everytime i try to speak up my will, that is following this dream  
overseas, which is considered completly unaccepted by most of the  
public opinion here.
  I leave here my testimony hoping it will serve as an example for  
your future researches on this topic
-  (and I also hope that i understood right and that this was the  
kind of statement you were looking for. If it was not and i got it  
all wrong, my sincere apologies).
  Greetings from brazil,
   Cinthia
- - - - -
  Original Message - From: thana ag (Anath Garber)
To: REGINA SEWELL ; list at grouptalkweb.org
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 8:00 PM
Subject: RE: Subtle oppression
---
Adam,Ann,Regina,

Hmmm. Very interesting.
I just wonder how many on this list serve feel oppressed by their  
perception that what they have to say will be totally off according  
to the perceived expectations of what is acceptable. for these  
discussions. Would one of these presumably oppressed speak up,and  
help us "walk the talk"? How will we respond?!
anath
=====
---From: Regina Sewell sewell.2 at osu.edu
To: list at grouptalkweb.org- Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:33:54 -0400
Subject: Subtle oppression - CC: ablatner at verizon.net

Adam, Ann

Hmmmm.... Interesting.

I tend to look at oppression and privilege as together...as connected  
dynamics.... you can't have oppression without some other body  
getting privilege... even if they don't want that privilege... Like,  
I get privilege by dent of being white and middle class even though I  
spend a lot of energy fighting to redistribute resources in a more  
egalitarian manner.... So this brings up an interesting group  
effect.... seeing the collective oppressing the individual....  
oppressing individuality.... especially 1 and 3... sort of like the  
Borg on Star Trek New Generation.... (they were a culture where  
conformity was mandatory.. all cogs in the social machine... happy  
cogs once they lost their individuality.... the words I remember  
most... "Resistance [to becoming one of the cogs] is futile... very  
much like Moreno's ideas of Robotrons.... But who benefits? The  
stability of the group... the "borg ness"
-1. I can't understand what the other person is saying because s/he  
is speaking too fast, too softly, with too much of an accent or  
dialect, using too big or unfamiliar terms or vocabulary, and so  
forth. In trying to bring up the problem of understand-ability, I've  
at times been met with blame.
2. Someone takes offense to what I say, which then makes it difficult  
in that escalated emotional context to seek clarification and make  
amends. Explanations are often perceived as trying to avoid  
responsibility when in fact they are seeking to find a way to work  
out the miscommunication.
3. Feeling one has a minority opinion when the group is perceived to  
have a certain bias. (Example: In one group many years ago a  
protagonist was complaining about a vague memory of possible sexual  
abuse---this was when this complaint was seen as always to be  
believed. I asked, "Well, there seems to be some question whether  
this event actually happened." Caught a lot of flack.)
I like Ann's application of the cannon of creativity and impact of  
sociometry on challenging that "borgness" ... it seems to me that  
this is the heart of social movements.... those lone deviants who  
first step forward and say, consciously or not, I won't take these  
social rules and defying them... perhaps paying the price of being  
shut down or rejected..., perhaps getting social applause...,
So the trick becomes creating groups or moving towards situations in  
groups on one hand and on another, finding ways to communicate in a  
way that others can "hear."
peace,
regina sewell, Ph.D.
_______
   On Jul 11, 2008, at 6:55 PM, Adam Blatner wrote:

  fun thought. Its reciprocal: What could someone say that would turn  
me off?
    I have been turned off by people overtly attacking me, calling me  
names,
  presuming to attribute their fantasies as my motivations, uncivil  
language...
But there are degrees of turn-off
   It's more intriguing if I do answer something that's provocative  
and see how the other person responds
- Sometimes they irrationally escalate
- Sometimes they may pause and inquire as to what my objections are  
about
-  So there's a bit of how many times over the net (ping-pong  
metaphor) the ball goes...
- As to a position or saying something that's not well received...  
what might that be?
- - - - -
-- Original Message -
   From: Anath Garber= thana ag<mailto:anathga at hotmail.com>- To:  
REGINA SEWELL<mailto:sewell.2 at osu.edu> ;  
list at grouptalkweb.org<mailto:list at grouptalkweb.org>
  Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 8:00 PM-  Subject: RE: Subtle oppression

  Adam,Ann,Regina,
   Hmmm. Very interesting.
    I just wonder how many on this  list serve feel oppressed by  
their  perception that  what they have  to say will be totally off  
according to the perceived expectations of what is acceptable. for  
these  discussions.  Would one of these presumably oppressed speak  
up,and help us "walk the talk"? How will we respond?!
   anath '(Garber)

""""""""" """""""""""
-- Message: 5 -Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:33:04 +0000
From: Anath Garber thana ag <anathga at hotmail.com> -
-Subject: RE: Subtle oppression anecdote
To: Anna Schaum <anna at annaschaum.com>, <list at grouptalkweb.org>

Hi Anna,
It was wonderful to hear your voice and please join in and let your  
interesting self be heard!
Hmmm..does the  list serve anywhere states that only CP and above  
have the right to join and participate?
speaking of our self oppression....
Warmest welcome,
anath
anath garber
- - -
CC: anathga at hotmail.com; list at grouptalkweb.org

===
On Jul 11, 2008, at 6:55 PM, Adam Blatner wrot

:fun thought. Its reciprocal: What could someone say that would turn  
me off?

  I have been turned off by people overtly attacking me, calling me  
names, presuming to attribute their fantasies as my motivations,  
uncivil language...               But there are degrees of turn- 
off        It's more intriguing if I do answer something that's  
provocative and see how the other person responds
  - Sometimes they irrationally escalate
  - Sometimes they may pause and inquire as to what my objections are  
about
- So there's a bit of how many times over the net (ping-pong  
metaphor) the ball goes...
  As to a position or saying something that's not well received...
what might that be?
Stuff that's outside of our arena for discussion, such as
  Advertising tooth paste    ,  or content on the border of the  
boundaries..
   More problematic is the lack of any awareness that one is at the  
edge, no apologies, no questioning of the entitlement..
  But even then, in general my own tendency is simply to inquire  
further and see how they answer...
  I'll be interested to see how others answer Anath's question of  
what content would draw our rejection...
Warmly,
adam--- ('Blatner)
- - - -
-- Original Message ---From: Anath Garber  thana agTo: REGINA  
SEWELL ; list at grouptalkweb.orgSent: Friday, July 11, 2008 8:00 PM
Subject: =  RE: Subtle oppression

Adam,Ann,Regina,

Hmmm. Very interesting.
I just wonder how many on this  list serve feel oppressed by their   
perception that  what they have  to say will be totally off according  
to the perceived expectations of what is acceptable. for these   
discussions.  Would one of these presumably oppressed speak up,and  
help us "walk the talk"? How will we respond?
anath
===
From:REGINA SEWELL  sewell.2 at osu.edu - To: list at grouptalkweb.org
Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:33:54 -040
Subject: Subtle oppression  ----- CC: ablatner at verizon.net

Adam, Ann

Hmmmm.... Interesting.

I tend to look at oppression and privilege as together...as connected  
dynamics....  you can't have oppression without some other body  
getting privilege...  even if they don't want that privilege...   
Like, I get privilege by dent of being white and middle class even  
though I spend a lot of energy fighting to redistribute resources in  
a more egalitarian manner.... So this brings up an interesting group  
effect....  seeing the collective oppressing the individual....  
oppressing individuality.... especially 1 and 3...    sort of like  
the Borg on Star Trek New Generation....  (they were a culture where  
conformity was mandatory.. all cogs in the social machine... happy  
cogs once they lost their individuality....  the words I remember   
most... "Resistance [to becoming one of the cogs] is futile... very  
much like Moreno's ideas of Robotrons....  But who benefits?  The  
stability of the group... the "borg ness"?

  1. I can't understand what the other person is saying because s/he  
is speaking too fast, too softly, with too much of an accent or  
dialect, using too big or unfamiliar terms or vocabulary, and so  
forth. In trying to bring up the problem of understand-ability, I've  
at times been met with blame.
   2. Someone takes offense to what I say, which then makes it  
difficult in that escalated emotional context to seek clarification  
and make amends. Explanations are often perceived as trying to avoid  
responsibility when in fact they are seeking to find a way to work  
out the miscommunication.
  3. Feeling one has a minority opinion when the group is perceived  
to have a certain bias. (Example: In one group many years ago a  
protagonist was complaining about a vague memory of possible sexual  
abuse---this was when this complaint was seen as always to be  
believed. I asked, "Well, there seems to be some question whether  
this event actually happened." Caught a lot of flack.)

-I like Ann's application of the cannon of creativity and impact of  
sociometry on challenging that  "borgness"  ... it seems to me that  
this is the heart of social movements....  those lone deviants who  
first step forward and say, consciously or not, I won't take these  
social rules and defying them... perhaps paying the price of being  
shut down or rejected..., perhaps getting social applause...,

So the trick becomes creating groups or moving towards situations in  
groups on one hand and on another, finding ways to communicate in a  
way that others can "hear."
peace,

regina sewell, Ph.D.
====------------
Message: 6- Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:52:11 -0700 (PDT)
-From: BARNETT WEISS <budweiss at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: Experiences and autism
To: karenc at wi.rr.com, ASGPP grouptalknew <list at grouptalkweb.org>
- From: BARNETT WEISS <budweiss at verizon.net>
Subject: Add to Subtle Oppression
To: ASGPP grouptalknew <list at grouptalkweb.org>

I think that that Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions     
goes well with this discussion as does Moreno's theory of the   
process of group norm shift as seen for example in the sociograms of  
pre    adolescents to adolescents in their choices towards the  
opposite sex as mentioned by Adam; Early    on, a boy choosing to be  
with a girl would have been more or less oppressed by    his peers in  
terms of his choice; later that choice is either not a problem or     
is a kind of group norm.
Similarly (...)
"The perfect man breathes as if he is not breathing" - Lao-Tzu (circa  
4th century BC)
   Breathing is the foundation of life, and good breathing is the  
foundation of good health
Improve your health by improving your breathing
   Barnett J. Weiss, MA, LCSW , 7410 Ridge Blvd 2D;Brooklyn, NY 11209  
Cell (917)-751-3395
=== ===
*
-------------------------------------------------------
- Some news from Anne Ancelin Schutzenberger (Paris and Argentiere-  
French Alps-France)
Good long French summer holidays in French Alps

  In 2007 Anne published in Frech her book on "Psychogenealogy" =
"Psychogénéalogie, guérir les blessures familiales et se retrouver soi",
Paris, Payot.

July 2007 , collective book in English on Psychodrama
(anne has a long a rticle in it , as well as Adam Blatner and 25 others)
editors  Clark Baim, Jorg Burgmeister, Manuela Maciel :
"Psychodrama, Advances in Theory and Practice", London, Routledge,  
July 2007.

Happy landings  and happy summer to all

Tout de bon – Best of best
Anne, Paris,& Argentiere-Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (French Alps,France)

Anne Ancelin Schutzenberger, PhD, TEP
University Professor (emeritus)
Professeur des Universites, groupe-analyste
Psychodramatiste & analyste transgenerationnel
Co-Fondateu/Founder and actual honorry Archiuvist IAGP
-------------------------------------------------------
anne.schutzenberger at wanadoo.fr
http://www.psychogenealogie.name

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