Jordan Peterson - Why it's so Hard to Sit Down and Study/Work

Summary

The script explores the concept of the unconscious mind and its influence over conscious actions. It discusses how unconscious desires and habits can interfere with tasks like studying, despite conscious intentions. Drawing on Freud's theories, it highlights how habits and instincts, often shaped by biological subsystems, operate beyond conscious control. The script also delves into creative aspects of the unconscious, such as dreams, and describes how various conditions, like obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette's syndrome, exemplify the powerful, sometimes uncontrollable, impulses of the unconscious that influence behavior.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Attention is influenced by unconscious forces that can lead to distractions despite conscious intent.
• 🎭 The mind is compared to a theatre where various thoughts and fantasies compete for attention.
• 📺 Distractions can range from entertainment desires to mundane tasks or existential questions.
• 🤔 The script suggests that people often question the value of their current activities, like studying or being in university.
• 🔄 The unconscious mind stores habits that were once conscious but have become automatic.
• 🗣️ Habits like using filler words in speech are examples of procedural memory that's ingrained in our behavior.
• 🎨 The unconscious also plays a role in creativity, influencing art, music, and dreams.
• 🌌 Dreams are a manifestation of the unconscious, with the ego being an observer rather than the creator.
• 🐍 The id, part of the unconscious, is associated with primal instincts like hunger, sex, and aggression.
• 🦀 These instincts are deeply rooted in our biology and are shared with many other species.
• 🔄 Lack of integration can lead to a loss of control over these instincts, as seen in disorders like obsessive-compulsive disorder.
• 🤯 Conditions like Tourette's syndrome are cited as examples where the unconscious seems to take control of behavior.

Q & A

What is the relationship between conscious intent and unconscious forces in the context of studying?

While your conscious intent may be to focus on studying, unconscious forces constantly try to divert your attention with distractions such as fantasies, desires, or unrelated thoughts. These subconscious impulses are difficult to control, and they emerge automatically, often disrupting focus.

What does the speaker mean by 'subsystems' in relation to distractions?

The 'subsystems' refer to various unconscious drives or needs, such as hunger, boredom, or desire for entertainment, which attempt to take control of your attention and actions. These subsystems pop up during activities like studying, vying for attention and often leading to procrastination.

Why does the speaker mention that you can become overwhelmed by distractions while studying?

The speaker highlights how your mind can wander due to dissatisfaction or boredom, leading to questioning the value of the task at hand (such as a university course). This questioning, paired with distractions, amplifies feelings of avoidance and can even trigger existential thoughts about life and purpose.

How does the unconscious influence habits according to the speaker?

The unconscious contains learned habits, which were once voluntary but have become automatic and dissociated from conscious control. For example, filler words like 'like' or 'um' can become ingrained in speech patterns. These habits are neurologically wired and become difficult to stop consciously.

What role does the unconscious play in creativity?

The unconscious mind contributes to creativity by generating ideas, especially in dreams or during artistic creation. The speaker explains how dreams often feel like they happen 'to you,' and how the unconscious produces strange, unpredictable content without the direct involvement of the conscious ego.

Why is it strange that we observe our own dreams, according to the speaker?

It's peculiar because while we are theoretically the ones 'producing' the dream, we often experience dreams as though we are passive observers. This paradox suggests that the dream is being generated by unconscious processes, not directly by the conscious mind or ego.

What is the distinction between the ego and the unconscious in Freudian terms?

In Freudian theory, the ego is the conscious self that we identify with, while the unconscious (including the id) consists of deeper impulses and instincts. The unconscious operates outside of conscious awareness and governs primal drives like hunger, sex, and aggression.

How does the unconscious relate to our biological subsystems?

The unconscious is closely tied to biological subsystems shared with animals, including basic instincts like hunger, dominance, and aggression. These subsystems are ancient, evolutionarily speaking, and they can often influence or control behavior without conscious awareness.

What does the speaker mean by 'dissolutive elements' of the unconscious?

'Dissolutive elements' refer to parts of the unconscious that can disrupt normal functioning, such as obsessive-compulsive behaviors or involuntary actions in Tourette's syndrome. These elements lead to behaviors that individuals struggle to control, as the unconscious takes over.

What examples are given of unconscious forces taking control over behavior?

The speaker provides examples like obsessive-compulsive disorder, where individuals perform repetitive actions they can't control, and Tourette's syndrome, where people experience involuntary movements and speech. Even everyday attractions or impulsive behaviors, such as texting someone late at night, are driven by unconscious forces.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Unconscious Forces and Distractions

The paragraph discusses the influence of the unconscious mind on our conscious actions, particularly in the context of studying. It highlights how distractions and fantasies intrude on our focus, often leading to procrastination. The text also touches on Freudian observations about the ego, id, and the collective unconscious, suggesting that much of our behavior is driven by subconscious processes rather than conscious intent. The paragraph explores the idea that habits become ingrained through practice and can be difficult to control, and it delves into the creative aspect of the unconscious, as seen in dreams and artistic inspiration.

05:05

💞 Unconscious Attraction and Compulsion

This paragraph continues the theme of the unconscious mind's impact on behavior, focusing on involuntary attractions and compulsions. It describes how people can find themselves acting against their better judgment due to unconscious desires, such as texting someone they know they should avoid. The paragraph also mentions conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette's syndrome as examples of the unconscious mind taking control, suggesting that these behaviors are driven by deep-seated, biologically rooted impulses that are difficult to suppress.

Keywords

💡Unconscious forces

Unconscious forces refer to mental processes that occur outside of conscious awareness and control. In the script, these forces are described as governing distractions, like fantasizing about irrelevant tasks while studying, which pull attention away from the task at hand. This concept ties into Freud’s theory that much of our behavior is influenced by unconscious processes beyond our immediate control.

💡Attention

Attention, in the video, is described as a conscious effort that is easily disrupted by unconscious desires. The speaker highlights how distractions—such as cravings or random thoughts—interrupt one's intent to focus on studying, demonstrating how conscious efforts to control attention are often undermined by subconscious impulses.

💡Subconscious subsystems

Subconscious subsystems refer to biological and psychological drives that influence behavior without conscious control. In the script, these include hunger, cravings, or the urge to procrastinate. The speaker explains that these subsystems vie for control, competing with one’s conscious goals, such as studying, leading to internal conflict.

💡Freud's theory of the ego

Freud’s theory of the ego refers to the part of the psyche that mediates between conscious intentions and unconscious impulses. The speaker mentions the ego as the part of the self with which people identify, and contrasts it with the unconscious, which includes impulses like hunger or aggression. This highlights the divide between the 'self' we control and deeper, uncontrollable forces.

💡Procedural memory

Procedural memory is a type of unconscious memory related to skills and habits formed through repetition. The speaker gives examples of 'bad habits' such as using filler words ('like', 'you know') when speaking, which become ingrained through practice and difficult to change, even when consciously trying to improve. This highlights the unconscious nature of learned behaviors.

💡Creative unconscious

The creative unconscious refers to the part of the mind responsible for spontaneous thoughts, creativity, and dreams. The script illustrates how unexpected and bizarre ideas emerge in dreams or artistic processes, seemingly without conscious effort. This phenomenon points to a deep part of the unconscious that shapes creativity and imaginative thinking.

💡Dreams

Dreams, as discussed in the script, represent a manifestation of the unconscious mind, where the dreamer becomes an observer of their own unconscious thoughts and imagery. The speaker questions how one can observe dreams they are supposedly creating, suggesting that dreams are produced by a part of the mind beyond the ego's control, linking to Freud and Jung’s ideas about the unconscious.

💡Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is described as a condition where individuals feel compelled to perform certain behaviors or rituals, often against their conscious will. The speaker uses OCD to illustrate how the unconscious can take control of behavior, causing intense discomfort when the compulsions are resisted, showing how powerful these unconscious forces can be.

💡Tourette's syndrome

Tourette's syndrome is mentioned as a disorder characterized by involuntary movements or vocal outbursts. In the video, it serves as an example of how unconscious processes can override conscious control, as individuals with Tourette’s may exhibit behaviors that are not under their voluntary command, further illustrating the strength of these 'autonomous semi-spirits' in the unconscious.

💡Collective unconscious

The collective unconscious, a concept from Jungian psychology, refers to the idea that certain structures of the unconscious mind are shared across individuals and cultures. In the video, this concept is mentioned as a deeper layer of unconscious processes, suggesting that some thoughts, dreams, and behaviors are shaped by universal, rather than individual, unconscious forces.

Highlights

Unconscious forces mediate attention, even when you consciously intend to focus, leading to constant distractions.

Freudian observation: unconscious distractions emerge while trying to focus, like thinking about unrelated tasks or entertainment.

Various subsystems in you seek control over your attention, distracting you from tasks that you find boring.

Habits once voluntary can become automatized and unconscious, becoming difficult to control, such as overuse of 'um' and 'like' in speech.

The unconscious also contains procedural memory, where repetitive actions are stored and become automatic behaviors.

Creative aspects of the unconscious are seen in spontaneous thoughts, like in dreams, where strange ideas emerge without conscious control.

In dreams, the conscious mind acts as an observer, yet the unconscious is responsible for producing the dream content.

The unconscious produces dreams, not the ego. Freud argued that the ego is just a part of the self; the unconscious drives much of behavior.

Jung’s view extends beyond Freud's, suggesting that dreams may stem from the collective unconscious, a deeper shared psychological space.

Freud's division of the psyche into ego, id, and unconscious reflects how impulses like hunger and sex arise from biological subsystems.

Humans share many biological subsystems with animals, such as dominance hierarchy circuits, suggesting deep evolutionary roots in behavior.

Lack of integration between conscious and unconscious systems leads to less control over behaviors, where impulses can dominate actions.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) exemplifies how unconscious forces can drive behaviors, even against conscious will.

Tourette’s syndrome illustrates how neurological conditions allow unconscious impulses to take control of actions, despite conscious resistance.

Attraction to someone can feel like being gripped by unconscious forces, leading to behaviors like late-night texting, even against better judgment.

Transcripts

Your attention, for example, is mediated by unconscious forces -- and you know that, you know that perfectly well.

And this is another Freudian observation. You know, if you're sitting down to

study

for example, your conscious intent is to study.

But you know perfectly well that all sorts of distraction fantasies are going to enter the theatre of your imagination

Non-stop, and annoyingly, and there isn't really a lot you can do about that except, maybe, wait it out

You know, so you'll be sitting there reading and your attention will flicker away. You'll think about

I don't know

Maybe you want to watch Jane the Virgin on Netflix or something like that, or maybe it's time to have a peanut butter sandwich

Or you should get the dust bunnies out from underneath the bed

Or it's time to go outside and have a cigarette or maybe it's time for a cup of coffee

Or it's like all these subsystems in you that would like something aren't

Very happy just to sit there while you read this thing that you're actually bored by and so they pop up and try to take

Control of your perceptions and your actions non-stop, maybe you think well this is a stupid course

Anyways, why do I have to read this damn paper, and what am I doing in university and what's the point of life?

It's like you can really well

You can really get going if you're trying to avoid doing your homework

and and and then you might think well what is it in you that's trying to avoid because

After all you took the damn course, and you told yourself to sit down. Why don't you listen?

Well because you're you're a mess that's basically why you haven't got control over yourself at all

And no more than I have control over this laptop

Okay, so there's the memory function of the unconscious

And there's the dissolutive function that's an interesting one the unconscious contains habits once voluntary now

Automatized and dissociated elements of the personality, which may lead a parasitic existence. That's an interesting one

I would relate that more to procedural memory

You know so what you've done is practice certain habits

Whatever they might be let's call them bad habits, and you like those things to get under control

But you can't so maybe when you're speaking for example

You use 'like' and 'you know' and you say 'um' a lot and you practice that so you're really good at it

And you'd like to stop, but you don't get to because you've built that little machine right into your being right?

It's neurologically wired and it's not under conscious control and anything you practice

Becomes that; it becomes part of you, and that's another element of the unconscious; a different part, and then there's a creative part

Which is that... Well? You know you're sitting around and maybe you're trying to write something or maybe you want to

Produce a piece of art, or a piece of music, or maybe you're just laying in bed dreaming

And you have all these weird ideas and especially in dreams. It's like...what? Where do those things come from and even more strange

One of the things that's really weird about dreams and almost impossibly weird is that you're an observer in the dream

It's like a dream is something that happens to you. Well, you're dreaming it, theoretically, so how is it that you can be an observer?

It's almost like you're watching a video game or a movie

But you're producing it, at least in principle, although the psychoanalysts would say "Well, no, not exactly. Your ego

Isn't producing it; your unconscious is producing it. It's a different thing." It's a different thing and, of course, Jung would say well

It's deeper than that; the collective unconscious might be producing it

It's in some sense

It isn't you

exactly

Or it isn't the you that you think of when you think of you?

and that's the ego from the Freudian perspective - the you that you identify with - that's the ego and

outside of that is the unconscious, the id

That's more the place of impulses, and you could think about those as the biological

Subsystems that can derail your thinking, right, and that govern things like hunger and sex and aggression and your basic

Instincts is another way of putting it

And it's a reasonable way of thinking about it because these are subsystems that you share with

With animals, you share them certainly with mammals, you share most of them with

reptiles, you share a lot of them with amphibians, and even going all the way down to crustaceans, there's

commonality, for example, in the dominance hierarchy circuits

And so these are very very old things and the idea that you're in control of them is

Well, you're not exactly in control of them, and I would say the less integrated you are

The less you're in control of them, and the more they're in control of you, and that can get really out of hand you know

you

Can be like with people who have obsessive compulsive disorder for example?

Which seems to be, I would say, that dissolutive elements in some sense of the unconscious, the way that it's portrayed here

Poor people with obsessive-compulsive disorder, they can spend half their time doing things that they can't really control

And they have very strong impulses to do them, and it's very hard on them to block them

You know, they they'll almost panic if those things are blocked and then you have people with Tourette's syndrome

you know that they'll be doing all sorts of weird dances and

spouting off obscenities and imitating people without being able to control it and

Sometimes a little bit of anti-psychotic medication can dampen that down, but it's as if there are these autonomous

Semi spirits inside of them that grip control over the behavior, and make them do things, and you

know you find that to some degree in your own life because maybe

You've become very attracted to someone even maybe you don't want to be attracted to the person, and then you find yourself

You know texting them when you know perfectly well that you should be going to bed

And you know, you're in a grip of something

And you can't control it and that's all part of the unconscious and all part of what Freud was studying