Posts by boldjackal5

It doesn't really sound like you think this is such a rare occurrence, I guess. 😉 Just a regular post on the forum, I guess.

wiredcrane11 said:According to Wikipedia: projection is a defense mechanism where the unconscious part of the ego takes over, attributing internal impulses and feelings that the conscious personality finds unacceptable to an external object, which then enters awareness as a distorted perception of the outside world. While this mechanism is characteristic of psychotic states, projection frequently shows up in normal everyday life and within neuroses too.

Do you actually recognize when you're projecting? To borrow some terminology from Jung's work, a person encounters their Shadow during the process of individuation—which is basically all those negative traits tucked away in our own personalities. Facing your Shadow is always a painful experience, and projection serves as one of the primary ways we defend ourselves against it. For example, if you absolutely hate it when someone compares you to a parent of the same gender, maybe you just aren't ready to admit that you actually share some of those same qualities? Instead of seeing that comparison as a nudge toward self-improvement, you experience it strictly as an insult. Taking those projections back into yourself is a true sign of maturity and a perfectly natural step on the path of individuation, though unfortunately, some people stay stuck at that defensive stage forever.😢

Another classic case is projection on internet forums, something anyone who has spent a decent amount of time in online communities will recognize immediately. You’ll write a post, and someone will respond by essentially "putting words in your mouth," claiming you meant something that never even crossed your mind. Of course, that content is actually originating from their own psyche. It's often something they can't face themselves, so they operate under the assumption that "everyone thinks just like them," all while having absolutely no clue what they're doing or that they're engaging in projection.

I guess I'm a little confused about how "projection is the only way to communicate" could actually be true? Maybe there's something I'm missing.

A wise gentleman once mentioned this to me—you know the one I mean—and he suggested that if one is aware of their projection, it becomes a sort of "bonding." I guess you could say that empathy itself is just another form of projection, maybe.
I guess communication might not even be interesting without a little "noise in the channel." Maybe that's what makes it worth having in the first place.

If I were to say, "Look at that blue flower," and you responded by saying, "That blue color is quite lovely," I suppose one might wonder where the projection lies in that interaction.

I'm not quite sure what the issue would be here... I guess I don't really understand what you're aiming for.

I guess, how could you really know what's going on inside my head? That's why I wrote it that way... It seems like projection is happening on both our sides, which is pretty typical for an online forum🙂 and maybe even beyond the forum🙂

yeah, I suppose I might have mistaken you for another user here :rofl 🤣 🤣 You looked familiar ... ah, those projections. 😁

I still think that if you're seeing projection all over the board, you might be overthinking it; I mean, online communication can't really be much better than this. People mostly come here to work through their own feelings rather than just hearing others' opinions... but then again, who cares..

And also, how can a projection be conscious (since you mentioned that)? In the moment it happens, it's usually unconscious—otherwise, it wouldn't be a projection. Maybe it feels conscious because sometimes we realize quite quickly that something isn't quite right.

In a way, projection is the only way people communicate, and perhaps it can be conscious... I don't know, it doesn't really bother me when others do it...

That's actually the mildest version. There are many other, truly tragic types. Just look at politicians; they use it constantly for brainwashing, essentially using this phenomenon on others by saying things like, "We are the best nation, and those people over there are the worst, look at what they've done..."

Well, I suppose we are the best nation 🤣🤣🤣 :ispran mozak:

I don't really mind seeing projections in others... I just hope it doesn't lead to World War III

wiredcrane11 said:I didn't really post this to ask for help or vent about specific problems, but rather to open up a conversation about this phenomenon because it's something many people aren't even aware of, even though it happens to everyone.

I suppose they will just stay unconscious. I guess people can't really be aware of everything, honestly.
If you are experiencing this personally, how can you be certain that what you observe in others is actually happening the way you perceive it? I suppose there might be some projection involved, though I don't think it happens all that frequently, even here on the forum. People tend to respond based on their immediate moods, so I guess we shouldn't expect perfectly ideal communication.

I suppose I was saying that true communication might be impossible without some level of projection; perhaps all interaction is just a form of projecting our own views. I guess the most important thing is simply being conscious of it.

I didn't really intend to frame the topic as "this is what's bothering me," I guess I just said it that way? 🙂

This is such an interesting topic. I guess withdrawing one's projections and actually recognizing them could be seen as the beginning of true clarity—realizing that "this is me" versus "this is reality." It feels like moving away from living entirely inside your own head and finally starting to live in the real world.

Well, that's just how it goes, I guess. 👍
In reality, there probably aren't that many projections happening. It might just feel like more if one happens to be projecting. Then, of course, they are... Maybe everyone else is just a little bit crazy. 🤣

Maybe you're just projecting onto others, thinking they're projecting onto you. I guess it isn't actually that common; rather, you might just be seeing reflections of your own internal state. Projection can be a perfectly normal way to communicate, provided it stays moderate and self-aware. Personally, it feels like people project less often now, perhaps because I've started projecting less myself.