In response to a recent post on a Stoicism-related Facebook group – which I will not reproduce here for the sake of the author`s anonymity – I put forward an analogy intended to help the user cope with an intense habit of self-criticism that was causing him much distress. As someone who is in the 97th percentile for trait neuroticism (according to Jordan Peterson`s Understand Yourself personality test, in any case) this is a problem I often struggle with myself. If you are also prone to a degree of neuroticism it is likely that you will be all-too-familiar with this tendency.
That voice which whispers nasty things about you into your inner ear can be truly insidious. Many people only experience this when they are feeling particularly low, though for some poor souls it is the Rule, rather than the exception, of their entire lives. A common response to such continuous self-recrimination is to drown it out with noise and distraction. Drugs and alcohol are a favourite method here, as is excessive mental stimulation through the overuse of porn and video games. These methods all produce a dulling effect for the inner voice, thus offering much-needed relief. However, these methods are temporary at best, and only ever serve to stave off the inevitable. This is because, no matter how long the binge goes on, we always end up alone with only ‘Me-and-Myself’ for company.
Continue reading “The Inner Court: From Self-Esteem to Self-Justice”