I thought long about this subject because I was born and grew up in the former Soviet Union; and this topic is very relevant from my experiences in the former Soviet society.
When I was in school, in the Soviet Union, I had read about ‘dignity’ many times in many books. I was familiar with the theory of the concept. However, as I would walk out of the school and onto the streets, I came face to face with the reality – that my rights were being persistently violated.
In Soviet Union, almost no one was considered as having dignity. I know this from my long-term personal experience. This was especially so in institutions where dignity is practically guaranteed, e.g. in marriage, and public institutions, as enshrined in Article 17 of the Constitution, "Human dignity is inviolable".
I could think of many examples where people vehemently defended their human rights and dignity. For instance, the striking case of the dissident Anatoly Marchenko, whose life was lost after a 200-day hunger strike in prison, while he was defending his right to speak freely. But, then, I changed my mind because I don't know exactly what he stood for or how he felt.
I do, however, know what I stood for and what I felt. So, I decided to describe my own example.
During my incessant and painful 7-year divorce process, I negotiated, re-negotiated, and signed the preliminary agreement with mutually acceptable conditions X, 18 times. The fulfillment of that agreement would have been the basis for signing the final Divorce Agreement.
After having negotiated and signed the contract 18 times, and after having fulfilled all the conditions of the contract at my end, lo and behold!, at that crucial moment – suddenly, out of the blue, my ex-husband appeared with new terms and conditions. it was nothing but blackmailing, in consonance with his general character
I felt as if I was being manipulated and robbed of my dignity. I tried to explore dignity, more deeply, during this phase of my life. What was going on with my dignity in that situation? What was I supposed to do?
This is what went through my mind:
1 – I was humiliated
2 – I was losing my dignity
3 - It was an invasion of my boundaries, my Self
4 – The existence of my autonomous Self was being questioned
5 - My rights were being violated
During each of the stages mentioned above, what I felt, was:
1 – I was upset, living in humiliation
2 – Any prospects of a happy and respectful future had vanished
3 - There was uncertainty - where were my boundaries? Who was I?
4 – I was afraid - it was an invasion of my space, my very being – somebody was trying to intrude into my Self
5 – I was not being respected, somebody was trying to break down my boundaries – my emotions were reacting to it, instead of being autonomous. I was not free!
Where was my dignity?
It hadn't shown up yet. (I noticed that dignity is dynamic, that manifests itself in different ways in)
Here I am - my Dignity “said”. It was not gone, but was under attack.
I wanted to ask:
Where is justice?
Where is respect?
Where are my rights?
With all this confusion, an internal typhoon was storming through me. "I want to be free ‘FROM’... ex-husband, terms, contract, humiliation, etc.”
I came to realize that freedom and dignity are two inextricably linked concepts. One can't truly live one’s dignity without feeling free, and vice versa. Therefore, when someone encroaches on your dignity, a feeling of unfreedom is born, which chips away at your dignity.
I realized that the key to relieving my pain, lied in replacing the “FROM” with “FOR”.
I'll show you how.
Suppose that the circumstances are inevitable and you cannot change them (this was the condition in my case). But, even in such cases, you have control. You can change your attitude just by replacing the preposition “FROM” to “FOR”.
So this was my new mantra:
"Now I'm free FOR ... [INSERT new meaning and goals here]. It's been a long time coming .... I have survived a lot of suffering, which has made me stronger. The suffering has opened up the chest which was initially small. It has enhanced my capacity, metaphorically speaking”.
My dignity triumphed.
Respond to questions in Unit III in writing as a self-test.
1) What are some methods that may be used to educate children “for love?”
I think that every child born already feels the vector of this power to love and our task is simply to give it to be, providing such opportunities, not to prevent it, and to give support and an example of how to Express it. To hear the child, his needs and desires, to reckon with him, to be
with him in dialogue, even the minimum. Tactile sensations are very important for the little ones, so they feel that they are loved and then can use this method of expressing love, for example in games or in relationships with animals. I believe that giving the child space and support to communicate with the animal, we thereby stimulate the consolidation of the skill to love. Generally this is for everyone, the only access we all have different and shapes. I'd also like to note here that the child is the same person as an adult and located in the three are inseparable from other directions, love it is only the direction of the spirit, which cannot exist without a body and psychy. Accordingly, the care of the latter two is as necessary that the love for children developed. Education should be evenly distributed in these three ontological directions.
Have a very good Montessori described the development of semitransparently (of course, in another terminology) in children. Let them be in their current process of implementing their OWN meanings – some see in this the basis of learning to open and follow its meaning. Developing this capacity also contributes to the development of love as love is the highest form of semitransparently.
2) How may the repression theory promote violence?
If one person suppresses the other, not allowing the latter to be himself, the other necessarily there is some kind of protective reaction, and one of the types as we know can be aggression, which due to psychological unconsciousness people can direct not only to the object that caused this depression, but also to any other.
3) On what issues do you agree, or disagree, with Dansart?
I fully agree with his statements. Especially in the absence of attention to ethics and character in the learning process. Not many people know what ethics is. And the result can not compare myself and my self with that study. How would not be able to build their own in the process that has been studied. I know how important this is. If I had my will, I would necessarily introduce a course of self-knowledge on the basis of Logotherapy at the University level, so that students who graduated from the University know everything not only about the tool that they mastered but also how they themselves with this tool.
4) Concerning the Eisenberg article, were any of the values awareness methods she
mentioned used in your college education? If yes, describe them.
Yes. I have experience. In the 5th grade of school I was not given math lessons. And the teacher invited me to additional group classes, where with her help and support felt (as now I can classify it) the state of self-transcendence, proving the theorem. For the first time I experienced this feeling of being obsessed with the idea, I felt that I could do it. It is this experience of self-transcendence that I remember as the first conscious and significantly influenced all my further education in College. I applied this to all the Sciences I was interested in and graduated with honors. I still use it and remember it with gratitude.
5) Which of Eisenberg's methods seem to you to have the greatest potential for
values awareness. Why?
Group work. It seem to my be difficult to get aware of self without getting in the dialog with the other. In this way kids, who have problems with communications and are not able to participate in group events, in this group work get this possibility. And when answering for the request they have the opportunity to get in touch with the values and fill where does consciousness is situated. This seems to be the most important.
History talking and Individual conferences are also useful to my mind as a way to become aware of values.
How did Dr. Lukas's playful approach to the compulsion arouse the client's sense of humor?
Offering to play "day of the reared" hair, she initiated the patient's sense of humor, which allowed her to self-destruct and thus cease to be in fusion with his problem. In the process of trying to attract people's attention to his reared hair client all the time is in a position of self-control and can conclude about the real need to often comb your hair and most importantly – unkempt to be not afraid.
What was the attitudinal change of the client?
From approval I'm afraid, which is very unkempt, uncombed to not be scared, no one pays attention to it.
What “whispers of ultimate meanings” or “spiritual voice” have you perceived in your life?
I am acquainted with the whisper of my ultimate meanings from my childhood. In case I didn’t follow them I felt totally demotivated. Otherwise I was really inspired with the current meaning. So do I now.
If you perceived any, how have you responded to the nudging of your “intuitive conscience?”
First I discuss it with myself: ”Is it really a intuitive conscience or I am captured by affect?” After I look to the perspective. Sometimes I don’t follow. But as usual I do.
