Fear of Life: The Wisdom of Failure

The neurotic character is the person's defense against being broken. In effect, he says, “I will do what you want and be what you want. Do not break me.” The person doesn't realize that his submission amounts to a break. Once formed, his neurotic character constitutes a denial of the break, while his muscular armoring functions as a splint that doe

One of the characteristics of fate is its predictability. Those of us who do not believe in fate or oracles might think that the future is unpredictable. To some extent this is true, but there is a greater measure of predictability in life than most people realize. Prediction is possible wherever there are structures, for structure determines funct

When guilt or shame are attached to feelings, the conflict is internalized and creates a neurotic character.

Finally, the complex also includes a murderous rage on the part of the child toward the parent of the same sex. The child wants to kill the parent, but is more afraid that he will be killed by the parent. Because of the great fear, the rage is suppressed and comes out only in death wishes against the parent or as fear that the parent will die or be

Many people want to change. Change is possible, but it must start with self-acceptance. Change is a part of the natural order. Life is not static; it is constantly growing or declining. One doesn't have to do anything to grow. Growth happens naturally and spontaneously when energy is available. But when we use our energies in a struggle against our

the “death instinct,” which he saw as a “compulsion inherent in organic life to restore an earlier state of things.”

Strangely, through the acceptance of failure, we become free from our neurosis.

No person is free who is tied to a defensive position. This is true of the neurotic character who erects psychological walls and armors himself muscularly as a protection against possible hurt, only to find that the hurt he feared is locked into his being by this very process.

The term neurotic character refers to a pattern of behavior based upon internal conflict and represents a fear of life, of sex, and of being.