Lately I have been having a rather strange split experience. I move in some groups and there is a feeling of angst and fear - conversations are consumed with how we are about to face something terrifying: Leaders of the world have gone mad and we are in imminent danger.
In other spaces people are exhaling: Finally someone is doing something about the insanity we have been living in the past few years. Yes we are moving in to a period of noisy instability for the purpose of correction, but it can’t be worse than the relentless silent hazing people have been subjected to.
Both rooms agree, society seems like it is fragile. It has left me feeling somewhat like humpty dumpty and the rhyme keeps bouncing around my head and so I thought I would go a bit deeper with my thinking.
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn't put Humpty together again.
The Humpty Dumpty rhyme first appeared in print in the year 1797, in a publication titled "Juvenile Amusements." However, it is noteworthy that the rhyme may have existed in oral tradition long before it was ever committed to paper. Initially Humpty Dumpty was imagined by the collective as human - a male or female character linked with clumsiness or drinking too much brandy.
It wasn't until the 19th century the idea that Humpty might be an egg came into popular culture. This pivotal shift can be attributed to the influential illustrations created by John Tenniel in Lewis Carroll's beloved work, "Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There," published in 1871.
In this book, the heroine Alice meets Humpty Dumpty, who is sitting on a wall. They have a conversation about various topics, including the meaning of words and poetry. Alice thinks words should be used with a consistent social meaning. But Humpty Dumpty suggests that words and their meaning are not so much acts of community where we all have a social contract in shared understanding - he suggests they are vehicles of the individual that can be used as tools to achieve hierarchy over others. He believed words' meanings could be self-identified (a word means whatever I choose it to mean) and the only thing prohibiting this is how much influence I have. In this way the group experience of the meaning of words becomes a power struggle - there is no societal effort or good faith, just a constant wrestling of the individual wishing to be more important than another individual.
When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornful tone,’ it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.’
‘The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean different things.’
‘The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘which is to be Master – that’s all.’ (Carroll,1962 p 75)
This is a very particular way of being thoughtless and clumsy: Humpty’s scornfulness at the relevance of other people. It is the attitude of a young child - an infant emperor.
What seems interesting to me is that when Tenniel drew Humpty to illustrate the "Through the Looking-Glass" text he is not referenced as an egg. The text focuses on Humpty's character and his conversation with Alice. Nonetheless Tenniel's image of Humpty Dumpty as an egg sitting atop a wall not only captured the imagination of readers in depicting this moment but also fixed this character's image in the public consciousness. Humpty Dumpty has been an egg ever since, far overshadowing the original human representation, and leading many to believe that the egg was always the intended portrayal.
What is an egg?
So what is an egg? And why might it be so wanted as a way to represent Humpty?
An egg is a biological structure produced by female animals, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. It serves as the vessel in which an embryo develops and is protected until it can survive on its own. Eggs come in various shapes, sizes, and colors, depending on the species. Humpty has a shell which suggests that he is not a human egg.
In the context of birds, which is the most common association, an egg typically consists of several parts:
Shell: The hard, outer layer that protects the contents inside.
Albumen: Also known as egg white, this is the clear liquid inside the egg that surrounds the yolk.
Yolk: The yellow part of the egg, which contains nutrients for the developing embryo.
Membranes: Thin layers inside the shell that provide additional protection.
Eggs are a rich source of nutrients and are widely consumed by humans as food. Humpty therefore might say, is something that could be taken in and internalised by a human, but is not in and of itself a human thing.
Eggs are rich in symbolism, often representing creation, birth, and new beginnings due to their inherent potential for life. Across many cultures, they symbolize fertility and rebirth, particularly evident in spring festivals like Easter, where eggs celebrate renewal and resurrection. The mystery of what lies within an egg, and the transformation it undergoes, further positions it as a symbol of mystery and transformation, suggesting that even simple forms can hold profound changes. The protective shell of an egg also speaks to themes of protection and nurturing, resonating with concepts like containment in psychoanalytic theory. Moreover, the concept of the cos egg in various mythologies underscores the egg as a symbol of cosmic creation, embodying the idea that the universe itself might have originated from a singular, unified source.
These symbolic meanings highlight the egg's significance in representing life's potential, transformation, and the nurturing aspects of nature.
What is a wall?
A wall is a structure that serves several purposes, typically defined by its function and location:
Barrier or Boundary: Walls are primarily used to create a division or boundary, separating one area from another. This can be for privacy, security, or to define property lines. For instance, garden walls around a house or border walls between countries.
Support: In construction, walls bear weight, supporting roofs, floors, and ceilings in buildings. This includes load-bearing walls which are integral to the structural integrity of a building.
Containment: Walls can be used to contain or retain materials like soil in retaining walls or to keep water in, as seen in the construction of dams or reservoirs.
Protection: They provide defense against weather elements (like wind, rain), noise, or intruders. Medieval fortifications like city walls were built for protection against invasions.
Aesthetic or Decorative: Walls can also be purely decorative or used as canvases for art, like murals. Architectural designs often incorporate walls to enhance the visual appeal of spaces.
Functional Spaces: Within buildings, walls create different functional areas or rooms, allowing for private spaces or specialized environments like bathrooms or kitchens.
Walls can be made from a variety of materials depending on their purpose, including bricks, concrete, wood, stone, or even modern materials like glass or metal for certain applications. They vary greatly in size, from small partitions to massive structures like the Great Wall of China.
Analyzing Humpty Dumpty through psychoanalytic and group psychoanalytic lenses provides insight into both individual and collective symbolic interpretations.
The "Humpty Dumpty Problem."
A curious connection to this story is what is known as the "Humpty Dumpty problem." Humpty Dumpty has been used as a metaphor to explain the Second Law of Thermodynamics. To my understanding, this law states that in any natural process, the total entropy (disorder) of a system and its surroundings always increases over time. Essentially, it means that systems naturally progress from order to disorder, and once they reach a state of disorder, they cannot spontaneously return to their original ordered state.
In thermodynamics, this concept is crucial because it explains why certain processes are irreversible. For example, when a egg falls off a wall and shatters, the Second Law of Thermodynamics tells us that the egg cannot spontaneously or easily from external intervention reassemble and be put back onto the wall. The increase in entropy makes the reverse process highly improbable.
The "Humpty Dumpty problem" highlights the inherent directionality of time and the natural tendency towards disorder in the universe. This concept is fundamental to understanding the behavior of systems and the limitations of power transformations.
In psychology, Lisa M. Oakes' in her 2009 paper uses "Humpty Dumpty problem" to address a significant challenge in the study of early cognitive development. Oakes argues that cognitive abilities do not occur in isolation; instead, they interact and influence each other. For example, an infant's language development is a fundamental cognitive ability that plays a crucial role in human development and communication. It involves various cognitive processes, including memory, attention, perception, and social interaction. Language development is deeply intertwined with other cognitive abilities, and it helps individuals make sense of their experiences and express their thoughts and emotions (as suggested by Bion). Oakes attends to the fact that language is only a part of the whole (only one element of the egg). Language is not only a tool for communication but also a means of organizing and structuring thoughts, which is essential for cognitive development and functioning. So changing the meaning of a word does not just occur in isolation.
Oakes uses Humpty Dumpty to discuss how, once broken, cognitive constructs might not easily be reassembled into a cohesive form. This makes me wonder what might this mean for when we break a word? Particularly words as foundational in language structure and as male and female?
The Egg Falling off the Wall
Humpty Dumpty, sitting on a wall might represent the delicate balance of stability and fragility. When he falls off the wall, the resulting shattering then signifies a breakdown of order and the difficulty, or even impossibility, of restoration. To my mind this mirrors the current political landscape, where longstanding institutions and norms seem to be crumbling, and the cohesion that once held societies together is eroding - something people can agree on, no matter what side of the wall they are on.
It also seems to me that entropy can describe the unraveling of social and political structures, leading to a state of heightened unpredictability and chaos.
As we witness divisions growing within and between nations, the entropic forces at play become evident. The erosion of trust in public institutions, the rise of polarized ideologies, and the proliferation of misinformation contribute to a climate where order seems to be giving way to disorder.
In a group context, Humpty Dumpty's story might resonate as a cultural or collective narrative about the fear of loss or change. The wall in this context could symbolize societal structures or norms that fail to protect or contain individuals, leading to chaos or transformation when those structures fail. The story then can be seen as a metaphor for social or group dynamics where unity or the collective identity (Humpty on the wall) is disrupted, leading to fragmentation. This could relate to historical or societal events where groups or nations experience significant disruption or loss of cohesion.
The failed attempt to repair Humpty might also speak to the collective memory and the process of healing from trauma. It underscores the theme that some fractures in society or group identity might not be mendable by traditional means (all the king's horses and men), suggesting a need for new approaches or acceptance of change. The reference to "the king's" horses and men introduces elements of authority, power, and perhaps the critique of centralized power's effectiveness or limitations in dealing with personal or collective crises.
Being Put Back Together:
At the heart of Humpty Dumpty's tale lies the pursuit of restoration and renewal, encapsulating the essence of healing from trauma whether individual or collective. The phrase "being put back together" holds both literal and metaphorical weight, symbolizing the journey from fragmentation to wholeness.
One of the aspects is the futile efforts of all the kings horses and all the kings men - this makes me think about the concept of power and back peddling. Backpedaling often refers to the act of retreating or reversing one's previous position, particularly in discussions or arguments. A hope that things can be reversed or put back together. In a broader sense, it can symbolize a reluctance to confront uncomfortable truths or the need to reassess one's beliefs and actions in light of new information.
Backpedaling can manifest in various contexts, from political discourse to personal relationships, where individuals may attempt to soften their stance or retract statements made in haste. This behavior highlights the complexity of human communication and the challenges of maintaining consistency in one's views, especially when faced with the consequences of one's words or actions. Ultimately, backpedaling serves as a reminder of the fluidity of understanding and the ongoing journey of self-discovery, where acknowledging missteps can lead to growth and deeper insight.
Humpty's fall from the wall serves as a metaphor for the fragility of life and the plunge into grief that accompanies loss. While the king's horses and men represent a more rigid, masculine approach to mending, Jungian Analyst Kim Bateman posits that true healing involves embracing the fluid, nurturing aspects often linked to the feminine—suggesting that recovery is not just about piecing back together what was lost but allowing ourselves to be transformed through the experience.
Bateman suggests this transformation is facilitated through story making, where narratives about the lost and one's connection to them bridge the gap between the physical and the imaginal, keeping the bond alive beyond death. Similarly, symbol making transforms the remnants of loss into tangible symbols—like a father writing a song using the recording of his son's heartbeat or sister making a patchwork quilt from of clothes of a lost brother —allowing grief to be held, understood, and woven into the fabric of one's life. Here, the egg's symbolism of potential and creation highlights that from the cracks of loss, new understanding or life can emerge, underscoring the limitations of purely rational approaches to healing. Bateman's insights advocate for engaging with the intuitive, emotional, and creative facets of the psyche, not defined by gender but by the nurturing qualities that guide one through the depths of grief towards rebirth and integration.
Conclusion
For me, the image of an egg perched precariously on a wall isn't just about the physical danger of falling; it's a mirror to the internal balance I constantly negotiate. The wall, becomes the boundary between my fears and hopes, between the known parts of myself and the potential for who I might become. What am I and who are we to become?
The back peddling failure of all the king's horses and all the king's men to restore Humpty doesn't just signify defeat; it's a poignant reminder of the limits of repair. Instead we must take an internal journey of healing, of growing into a new form from the pieces of what was. This isn't about returning to an unblemished state but about the courage to embrace the cracks, to see them not as flaws but as pathways to a different kind of wholeness.
The dichotomy I've observed in my social groups' reactions to current instability, where some see only danger and others see potential for renewal, mirrors Humpty's precarious balance and fall. His story reflects our struggles with change, the fear of losing what we know, and the hope for transformation. It seems to me that just as Humpty's egg symbolizes creation and the possibility of new life, our current societal and political landscapes are at a crossroads, teetering on the edge of entropy and rebirth. The egg's fall and the inability of external forces to mend it remind us that true healing, whether from personal grief or societal fracture, requires not a return to what was but an evolution into something new. This narrative, along with Bateman's insights on story and symbol-making, invites us to look within, to use our narratives and symbols not just to mourn what has been lost but to craft a future from the fragments of our past, acknowledging our vulnerability as a path to rebirth.
Upcoming Events:
Commentaires