Myths, Legends, Stories: A Cross-Cultural Reflection on Psychopathology (1991)

SUMMARY Myths and stories from the West are compared with thane from the Chinese. it is suggested that these stones reflect cultural expectation of behaviours of the individual. Whereas in the West achievement is encouraged, permitting the disposing of the older generation as illustrated in the Oedipus story, the Chinese achievement is limited by the demand for the loyalty to the family and the social network. Propriety of behaviour within this network and between different roles demanded of the individual set up situations of conflict. This role-conflict can lead to psychopathology which if not unique in the Chinese is at least more likely to occur in this culture. This is an important area to Consider if psychotherapy from the West is to be offered to the Chinese, ********** PREAMBLE In the psychotherapy of the Chinese we have to ask whether assumptions about psychopathology in Western psychotherapy are truly universal problems that would allow us to import the technique without modification. Specifically, do we really know Oedipus complex is the basis of all problems, as Freud would have us believe, or whether the Chinese have different problem or problems as the bass of their psychopathology. One basic assumption of this paper is that myths, legends, and stories reflect the psychology and personality of the culture (e.g. Bettelheim. 1977). These will reflect what life tasks are expected of as individual. and what behaviours are allowed. This paper will compare selected stories from China and the West, and will draw some conclusions. It has frequently been said that in general, the West are individualistic, achievement oriented, and aim for self-actualization. The Chinese, on the other hand, are more collectivistic, socially oriented, and primarily concern with harmony within a group (e.g. Parsons. 1966). These are points of departure for this paper. THE WEST THE BIBLE AND FAIRY TALES God Jehovah commanded Adam, immediately after the latter was created: Be fruitful and multiply ... (Genesis, 1:28). This is the fundamental task of the Western man. To achieve is the thing. In the Parable of the Talents Jesus described how a servant who failed to invest the talent (an amount of money) given to him by his master was punished by being thrown outside in the darkness; there he will cry and gnash his teeth. In the fairy tales we have this commendation to achieve symbolized by Jack the Giant Killer. This boy, with his father's blessings, ended up killing severs man-eating, cattle-devouring giants. GREEK MYTHOLOGY A celebrated example from the Creek is the twelve labours of Heracles. In fact, Heracles did more than the twelve labours: in one story he wrestled with Thanatos (Death himself) to rescue Alcestis (Admelus-wife) who had offered to die in her husband's stead. As expected, Heracles won, Hence, for the Western man. even Death himself can be challenged and beaten. If the task of life is to achieve, then one is allowed. perhaps expected, to surpass one's elders, thus Oedipus killing of father is allowed. In Greek mythology, there are many killings of the father. The first is the killing of Uranus by his son Cronus. With the sickle his mother Gaia gave him, Cronus castrated his father. But his turn was to come, later he was killed by his son Zeus. Other examples include Odysseus being killed by Telegonus. Althamaenes accidentally Milled his father Catreus, and the most famous- at least in psychiatric circles, Oedipus. In many of these stories, the killing of the father is usually accidental, seldom with malicious intent. This was so with Oedipus. Althamaenes, and Thesus. In the story of Thesus we see a symbolic handing over from father to son when the father. Aegeus, left his sword and his sandals for the son. The death of Aegeus, although over Thesus, was not caused by the latter as such. …