Definition of Sublimation.
Sublimation is a defense mechanism where unacceptable impulses are channeled to socially desirable activities or outlets.
First studied by Freud as part of his psychoanalytic theory, they help prevent one from feelings of anxiety that may arise if one acted on the undesirable impulses.
Human psyche, according to Freud, was at the mercy of conflicting impulses from the Superego and the Id.
For Instance; An individual channeling his/her anger into his work.Â
Freud’s used an example of a kid who used to torture animals in childhood before becoming a surgeon later in life. The act of turning his aggressive impulses to a socially constructive career was an act of sublimation.
To Sigmund, Sublimation was a mature defense mechanism.
The concept would later be expanded by Anna Freud, her daughter, in her seminal work of The ego and mechanisms of defence (1936).
Examples of Sublimation;
•An individual frustrated by the Boss goes out to take a walk instead of venting out his frustrations to the Boss.
•A lady who has been romantically heartbroken decides to start writing poems to express his grief.
• An individual who has been fired from a job channels his disappointment into starting a business.
• One’s Sexual impulses can be channeled to other social activities such as art .
•A child who has been punished by her parents decides to channel his anger to other acceptable activities such as cleaning.
•A girl who was abandoned and betrayed by the father later becomes a woman right defender or educator.
•A young man who faced much betrayal in earlier life becomes a writer who exposes hypocrisy in the society.
Sublimation vs Displacement.
Unlike sublimation which involves transforming a socially undesirable impulse to a socially desirable activity, Displacement involves redirecting an impulse from it’s original source to another.
Robert Greene and Sublimation.
Robert Greene is among the latest authors and psychologists to expound on the concept of sublimation in his work, The laws of Human nature.
In the law of human nature, Greene talks about healthy narcissism where one can channel unacceptable traits and emotions to his work.
Unlike deep and overt narcissists who use it to sabotage relationships, Healthy narcissists channel them to their work may it be art or sports or business etc.
Literature and Sublimation
Author Thomas Mann in his novella, Death in Venice, write about the protagonist Gustav von Aschenbach, a famous writer who sublimates his desire for an adolescent boy into writing poetry.
References
1. Anna Freud; Ego and Mechanisms of defence (1936)
2. Sigmund Freud, ‘Civilization and Its Discontents’ (1930) in The Standard Edition Of The Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud
3. Krull, Douglas S. (2014). Introduction to Psychology. Kona Publishing and Media Group. p. 327. ISBN 978-1-935987-42-0.
4. Kalat, James W. (2017). Introduction to Psychology. Cengage Publishing. p. 455. ISBN 978-1-305-27155-5.
5. Wade, Carol and Carol Travis, Psychology, Sixth Edition (Prentice Hall, 2000) 478. ISBN 0-321-04931-4
6. Walter Arnold Kaufmann, Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist, Chapter 7, section II, p. 219