Ukraine: From Invasion to PTSD (Newsweek, Part 2 – Part 1 in DESCRIPTION)
In an interview, Sam Vaknin discusses the attraction of psychology, the impact it can have on people’s lives, and the importance of creativity and humility in the field. He also touches on the meaning of life, trauma, and the decline of philosophy as a guiding principle in society. Vaknin emphasizes the interconnectedness of these issues and the need to resurrect philosophy as a means of setting ethical and rational guidelines for science, politics, and society.
Why Childhood Abuse Victims Hate And Are Hated
Victims of childhood abuse tend to hate themselves and provoke others to hate them as well, as they feel more comfortable when despised and rejected. This self-destructive behavior is influenced by the reactions of adults in their environment, shaping their self-states and molding their brains. Abused children develop trauma and post-traumatic conditions due to the reactions of the adults around them. Narcissists, in particular, love to be hated and hate to be loved, fearing intimacy and seeking punishment through provoking negative reactions from others.
Hurt in Intimacy: Path to Self-love (with Mike Kim, Standup Comedian)
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses various topics in these transcripts. He talks about the differences between sex addiction and love addiction, the importance of intimacy for self-love and self-awareness, and the dangers of the self-help industry. He also shares his observations on the current state of society, including the prevalence of occult and esoteric thinking, conspiracy theories, and magical thinking, and the decline in literacy and attention span. Additionally, he discusses the correlation between narcissism and conspiracism and clarifies the differences between narcissists, psychopaths, and borderlines.
Addicted to Trauma Bonding? WATCH TO THE END! (with Stephanie Carinia, Trauma Expert)
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses trauma bonding with Stephanie Carina, a clinical psychologist specializing in trauma and personality. Trauma bonding involves an extreme, one-sided attachment where the abused is attached to the abuser, but not vice versa. It is fostered by unpredictable, intermittent reinforcement and involves a power asymmetry. The abused often confuses intensity with truth and attention with love, leading to a fear of loneliness and self-deception. Trauma bonding is a collaborative form of self-mutilation and self-harm, serving to numb emotions, make the victim feel alive through pain, and punish themselves. Vaknin emphasizes that the abuser uses the victim to fulfill their own needs, and the victim is often addicted to the drama and intensity of the relationship. He suggests that society should teach people to cope with being alone, as many will not have relationships, and that therapy for trauma bonding must be carefully managed to avoid creating new dependencies.
Separate 3 Times, Become YOU!
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses the three phases of separation individuation throughout life, which create a new self-state. The first phase occurs in early childhood, the second in adolescence, and the third when one develops full-fledged object relations with other people. Each phase can be disrupted, leading to a healthy or pathological self-state. Disrupted processes of separation individuation create pathological self-states closely aligned with mental illness.
External Regulation: Inverted Narcissist not Codependent or Borderline (with Daria Żukowska)
Inverted narcissism is a form of covert narcissism where the individual derives their narcissistic supply from an overt narcissist. They have a symbiotic relationship with the overt narcissist, as they receive attention and supply from them, even if it’s in the form of abuse. Inverted narcissists are different from echoists, as they focus on self-annihilation and becoming their source of supply, while echoists are more focused on their own internal dynamics. Inverted narcissists are unlikely to become classic narcissists, as they are a subtype of covert narcissism and are more focused on obtaining supply in any form.
Is Artificial Intelligence Fully Human? (with Benny Hendel)
In this conversation, Sam Vaknin discusses the distinction between artificial and natural intelligence, arguing that intelligence is intelligence regardless of whether it is embedded in silicon or carbon. However, he notes that the problem is not creating intelligence, but rather consciousness and the experience of consciousness. Vaknin argues that the focus on intelligence is a decoy and that the distinction between humans and machines is meaningless because he cannot access the mind of either. He concludes that the argument about whether machines will ever be like humans is ridiculous.
Your “Self”? No Such Thing! (with Benny Hendel)
Professor Sam Vaknin argues that the concept of a unitary, unchanging self is flawed and that people are more like rivers, constantly changing. He proposes a theory of pseudo-identity, where individuals have multiple self-states that are brought forth by an internal operating system based on self-efficacy. Mental health disorders can arise from competing self-states, creating a binary system. Vaknin believes that early childhood traumas prevent the synthesis of these self-states, leaving individuals fragmented for life.
Are YOU a simulation? (with Benny Hendel)
Professor Sam Vaknin discusses philosopher David Chalmers’ view that simulations are as real as reality and that reality may be a simulation. Vaknin disagrees with Chalmers on two main points: 1) Vaknin believes that there will always be a conscious act of will required to switch between reality and simulations, and 2) even if our reality is a simulation, it is still our privileged frame of reference and cannot be escaped. Vaknin argues that Chalmers’ view requires an impossible vantage point outside of both reality and simulations to compare them.
Beware the Stupid Takeover! (Sam Vaknin Rant, Read PINNED COMMENT)
Professor Sam Vaknin argues that stupidity is taking over the world, with technology empowering mediocre individuals and fostering a self-delusion of malignant egalitarianism. He believes that the rise of stupidity is due to a reverse Flynn effect, where average IQ scores have declined, and the tolerance and legitimization of stupidity in society. Vaknin also criticizes the democratic ideal and the influence of technology, which has allowed stupidity to spread like a viral pandemic, overwhelming systems of governance and decision-making.