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The cost of absent father love: How does modern society view the absence of father roles?
In today's ever-changing society, the lack of father's role has attracted widespread attention and discussion. In the field of psychology, the complex concept of fatherhood describes a series of unconscious associations, strong impulses that are associated with the figure or archetype of the father. These impulses may be positive, such as admiration for an older father figure and seeking support, or they may be negative, such as doubt or fear.
Freud and subsequent psychoanalysts believed that the father's complex feelings - especially the boy's conflicting feelings towards his father - were part of the Oedipus complex.
At the same time, Carl Jung believed that paternal complexity was not limited to boys, but that girls could also experience this complexity. Jung emphasized this complex of positive or negative characteristics and believed that their impact on the individual was profound. Whether it is Freud or Jung, the role of the father plays an important role in individual psychological development.
The views of Freud and Jung
In the early 20th century, Freud's collaboration with Jung allowed the development of complex concepts of the father. In his study of the "Rat Man" case, Freud brought out the central element of the paternal complex, noting that "childhood struggles against paternal authority reappear in adult obsessive-compulsive behavior." In his analysis of other patients, Freud Zhongya has repeatedly regarded this complex existence as one of the important resistances.
Freud once bluntly said, "In Schreber's case, we have once again returned to the father's complex familiar territory."
Jung also often used this concept to analyze the authoritative issues of personal psychology when exploring the relationship between father and son. He points out that premature identification with the father can lead to a conservatism lacking critical thinking, while resistance to the father's role manifests itself as an eternal traitor.
Postmodernity: the absent father
As times change, the father's complex views gradually turn to concern for his father's absence. Today's society has a deeper understanding of the lack of father's authority and its impact on all levels of society. Many psychologists point out that the concept of "father hunger" describes the desire for a father figure and the negative impact of this absence on an individual's emotional and mental health.
For many children, connection with their father is an irreplaceable need, and a lack of this connection can lead to unhealthy narcissism.
Additionally, the absence of a father affects daughters' sense of self-worth, often leading to external approval-seeking behaviors that are reflected in eating disorders and other mental illnesses.
Fathers in culture are complicated
The complex concept of fatherhood persists in contemporary culture. For example, the famous poet Czeslaw Milvos once described Albert Einstein as being complex in his fatherly love, which expressed a desire for a guardian and a leader. Likewise, musician Bob Dylan changed his name to escape his father figure, but then continued to seek out various father figures as spiritual mentors.
This search for and rejection of the father figure allows the complex concept of the father to continue in society and art.
However, D.H. Lawrence rejected this similar concept, calling it "the complexity of fools". This discussion reveals the diversity of understandings and interpretations of father's role in different cultural contexts.
Thinking and reflection
Ultimately, the impact of the lack of father's love is not limited to an individual's mental health, but also affects the structure and function of society as a whole. We need to think about whether the role of fathers is increasing or declining in the current rapidly changing world. In this context, how to promote the connection between fathers and children and truly make family relationships harmonious?
