Mortification: Why Do We Hesitate to Get Better?
One of the biggest obstacles to my individuation and healing process was undoubtedly my own self-destructive traits.
I don't mean to diagnose myself or anyone else with complicated personality disorders—I am obviously not qualified to do that. Instead, I aim to discuss a trait that inhabits most, if not all, humans and arises whenever we are not entirely honest about who we truly are for a multitude of reasons.
This doesn't happen in a vacuum. There are many valid reasons for people to hide their true selves, as well as reasons that may not hold up to scrutiny. Regardless of intent, this trait can emerge within the subconscious mind. While we can never fully rid ourselves of it, it’s vital to understand the danger it poses to ourselves and others if it governs how we make decisions.
Our personality and ideologies are often mixed and used like objects. We project them onto the world and interact with others while striving to remain consistent with our own perceived "true self"—our "ideal self."
Mortification
Mortification, as described by Sam Vaknin, refers to the profound fear and distress experienced when someone's carefully constructed self-image, or "ideal self," is threatened or exposed as inauthentic.
Loss of Control: People often interact with their internalized perceptions of others rather than engaging with them directly. When someone else's unpredictable behavior—such as criticism or perceived humiliation—disrupts these perceptions, it can create a sense of losing control over both internal and external realities.
Confrontation with the Authentic Self: Situations that expose one's true traits, especially those perceived as undesirable, can force a confrontation with the authentic self. This exposure may challenge the image of an idealized or "better" self that one strives to maintain.
Overwhelming Feelings of Terror and Helplessness: The experience of such moments can be intensely destabilizing, leading to feelings of helplessness or even existential fear. These emotions can feel especially disruptive when they conflict with one’s self-image of being in control or strong.
Resorting to Coping Mechanisms: In response to these challenges, individuals may turn to coping strategies such as heightened self-focus, denial, or idealizing certain aspects of themselves in an attempt to reassert a sense of balance and protect against perceived threats.
Vaknin highlights that while these experiences are deeply uncomfortable, they can also present opportunities for growth. Facing such moments constructively can help individuals align more closely with their authentic selves and foster resilience.
This concept has also been described as "the primitive terror of self-dissolution, triggered by the sudden exposure of one's sense of a defective self." Such moments can lead to feelings of shame and a temporary loss of inner stability. However, with the right tools and support, these experiences can serve as a catalyst for self-understanding and personal development.
Hyperobjects
Timothy Morton defines hyperobjects as entities so massively distributed across time and space that they transcend traditional notions of individuality and locality. Examples include climate change, nuclear materials, and capitalism.
The Pondscum Collective introduces the concept of hyperassassination as a radical response to people who have become embodiments of hyperobjects—termed "Hypermen." These Hypermen are seen as carriers or vessels through which vast structures of power and influence operate, making them representations of systems beyond individual understanding, like capitalism. The act of hyperassassination is portrayed as an attempt to disrupt these systems by removing their human representatives.
Everything in Luigi Mangione's planning was to create a hyperobject and mortify it.
The example used is Luigi Mangione, and how his murder of CEO Brian Thompson on December 4th 2024, was a hyperassassination. It isn't my article so you should really just open it in a second tab before you keep on reading my article! It develops on much more than the memetic usage of Luigi Mangione and is definitely worth a careful reading!
Don’t Hesitate to Get Better
I would rather explore the more conventional aspect of Mangione's actions, what lead his mental state to want to organize such a dramatic thing.
It is still unclear what we know about the exact psychological state and personality profile of Luigi Mangione. However, there are indications that he suffered from back pain and occasional depression. Ironically, he was not in a situation where healthcare was unavailable to him.
Source: LEA SKENE and JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER, AP News
Additionally, there are signs he was socially isolated and struggled to maintain a cohesive personality, despite being typically considered a successful person. This likely compounded his loneliness, as those around him may not have realized the depth of his struggles.
Source: David Hanscom, Psychology Today
Mangione chose unhealthy coping mechanisms and likely sought to immortalize himself through dramatic actions. Which I have to admit is something I have done many times in my life, albeit through less destructive outlets. Unfortunately, Mangione’s mental health has only worsened since his arrest, and his inability to develop healthy coping mechanisms remains at the core of his struggles.
We are Apes, and as such, we tend to identify reality through associations, thanks to our mirror neurons. When I see an injustice go unnoticed, my first reaction is to want to do something about it—anything. Then, my rational subconscious starts to weigh the feasibility and extent of that action. Most of the time, not much comes of it. If I manage to take notes and write about it later, great—but often, it’s lost in the ocean of variably relevant comments scattered across the internet.
The human mind has an incredible ability to imagine things beyond comprehension and express them in myriad ways. Mortification and the personality development it may inspire are, first and foremost, products of this imagination.
(WIP)
Back to Weaponized Pop Psychology