SETTING THE STAGE

You live in what men call “America”. Or, perhaps you live in some other geo-political system; a country or “nation” or “kingdom” like China, France, Australia, or the United Kingdom.

You are taught from the time you were born by parents, school teachers, and other authoritarian types (such as ministers and priests)…that you are free. You are taught that you are “lucky” to have been born into this world at such a time where you “have so much more than others throughout history”. You are trained and indoctrinated that you have “all the opportunity” in the world to be “rich, and powerful, and famous”…that you can achieve your every dream…even become PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. You are promised that the state or government “is here for you”, and will “protect you” and “care” for you.

Year after year, newspapers and all other media sources drum out message upon message upon message of “your freedom”; and even more than this….“your God-given rights”.

“God-given rights”!!! What is this?

I want you to really think about this, since ALL “GODS” ARE NOT THE SAME…(or are they?)

Have you been taught “true universal principle” or have you been indoctrinated that THE STATE;…the Country…the Nation is, in fact, “God”?

THE SYNDROME

On August 23rd, 1973 two machine-gun carrying criminals entered Kreditbanken at Norrmalmstorg in Stockholm, Sweden. Blasting their guns, a prison escapee named Jan-Erik Olsson announced to the terrified bank employees “The party has just begun!” The two bank robbers held four hostages, three women, and one man, for the next 131 hours. The hostages were strapped with dynamite and held in a bank vault until finally rescued on August 28th.

After their rescue, the hostages exhibited shocking attitudes toward their victimizers considering the fact that they were abused and threatened with loss of life for over five days. In their media interviews, it was clear that the hostages supported their captors and actually feared those in law enforcement who came to their rescue. The hostages had begun to feel the captors were actually protecting them from the police. One woman later became engaged to one of the criminals and another developed a legal defense fund to aid in their criminal defense fees.

Clearly, the hostages emotionally “bonded” with their captors.

WHAT CAUSES STOCKHOLM SYNDROME?

In a nutshell; out of fear of violence or abuse, the captives begin to identify with their captors/abusers as a defense mechanism. Because of the fear of death and violence and/or rage being exhibited by the captor/abuser, finding logical perspective is by definition, impossible. Even small acts of kindness made by the captors/abusers are magnified and the captives/victims view rescue attempts as a threat since it is likely that the captives would be injured during any attempt that would be made to gain their freedom.

It is important to note that these symptoms occur under either tremendous emotional and physical duress. According to the psychoanalytical view of Stockholm Syndrome, this tendency to “bond” with an abuser might well be the result of “the victim” (whatever age) employing the strategy evolved by newborn babies to form an emotional attachment to the nearest powerful adult in order to maximize the probability that this adult will at the least enable the survival of the child, if not also prove to be a “good parental” figure.

Therefore, although this syndrome has other names that are not readily identifiable due to societal acceptance of fear and dysfunction and misrepresentation (as “normal”); Stockholm Syndrome is also a common survival strategy for victims of interpersonal abuse. The emotional “bonding” with captors was a familiar story in psychology. Before being publicly named “Stockholm Syndrome”, the condition had been recognized many years before and was found in studies of other hostage, prisoner, or abusive situations such as:

• Abused Children
• Battered/Abused Women
• Prisoners of War
• Cult Members
• Incest Victims
• Criminal Hostage Situations
• Concentration Camp Prisoners
• Controlling/Intimidating Relationships

In the final analysis, emotionally bonding with an abuser is actually a strategy for survival by the victims of abuse and intimidation. The “Stockholm Syndrome” reaction in hostage and/or abuse situations is so well recognized, that police hostage negotiators no longer view it as unusual. In fact, it is often encouraged in crime situations as it improves the chances for survival of the hostages. On the downside, it also assures that the hostages experiencing “Stockholm Syndrome” will not be very cooperative during rescue or criminal prosecution. Local law enforcement personnel have long recognized this syndrome with battered women who fail to press charges, bail their battering husband/boyfriend out of jail, and even physically attack police officers when they arrive to rescue them from a violent assault.

Stockholm Syndrome (SS) can also be found in family, romantic, and interpersonal relationships. The abuser may be a husband or wife, boyfriend or girlfriend, father or mother, or any other role in which the abuser is in a position of control or authority.

This also applies to governments and geopolitical systems. This syndrome is considered a prime example for the defense mechanism of “identification”. People fear the police or the “system”, but are “proud to be an American”. Practically all people will even call the geopolitical system “their government”; taking on a “personal” possession of that which they claim is abusing them.

Part II