by Dr Augustine Panchoo, Clinical Psychologist
A few weeks ago, Pamela Moses in her remarks at a public meeting asked her audience to vote for her and the NNP in the upcoming elections and promised that if they do, they will continue to “suffer”.
Well, that pronouncement made its usual headlines and the NDC took it as their road march into the next few meetings.
Not to be undone, at the launch of the NDC candidates for St Andrew’s, the MC/entertainer in his remarks welcomed everyone to an NNP rally and proceeded to introduce the political leader as Prime Minister, Mr Cox and not as Dickon Mitchell.
Then last Sunday, at the launch of Norland Cox, Peter David in his closing remarks during his endorsement of Cox as the best candidate for the South said, “Norland Cox is the best man for the Town of St George.”
Pretty embarrassing you may say. Because most opponents who often have very little substance to campaign on, seek to maximise your every fault as if to say they are prone to slips of the tongue. Ask Clarice Modeste and others who have felt the sting of ridicule for a common speaking error of many.
So, what is a Freudian slip? Coined by the famous Psychologist Sigmund Freud a Freudian slip is a verbal or memory mistake that is linked to the unconscious mind. These slips supposedly reveal secret thoughts and feelings that people hold. The Freudian slip is saying the wrong word, or even misinterpreting a written or spoken word. If you want to know how embarrassing a Freudian slip can be, call the name of an ex while having sex or in conversation with your spouse or significant other.
So why did Moses use the word “suffer”? Well, examine her history. She was an NDC. Her husband used to seat on the block and preach against the NNP. So one has to conclude that they both associated the word suffer with the NNP. They repeated that sentiment over and over until their brain believed it to be the truth. Then came the opportunity to represent the NNP at the constituency level. The body came into the NNP Party but the brain is taking a longer time to cross over. There are residual feelings from her past associations that when triggered will say “stupid” things. So her brain heard NNP and it went back to the days when she believed and said that under NNP you will suffer.
As for the MC/entertainer, he is an NNP. He looked Dickon straight in the eyes and called him Mr Cox. It is either he has lofty expectations that one day Cox will be the PM or he is voting for Cox. So that leaves us with Peter David. Peter believed that he is the “best man” to take over the NDC, and when it did not happen, he left. He now believes that he is the “best man” for the Town of St George. Peter lives, breathes and says to himself that he is the “best man” at what he does. And this might well be the truth. Therefore, whenever Peter hears or uses the word/phrase “best man” he thinks of himself. So, when introducing Cox as the best man for the South, his brain went back immediately to the Town of St George because Peter has convinced himself that he is the “best man” and the “best man” rules the town.
David Andrew and Gloria Thomas will understand this article, after all, Gloria, up to a few years ago was literally a “pot hound” for the NNP. A surrogate if ever there was one. However, now, she is singing to a different beat.
Ladies and gentlemen, as the election rhetoric heats up and the campaign intensifies, look out for many candidates and supporters to say a lot of “stupid” things. A word of advice, believe 90% of what they say. It represents their inner, unconscious feelings. Who they really are. What they really believe. A mere 10% might be genuine mistakes.
Dr Augustine Panchoo is a clinical psychologist and can be reached at #473-406-3601 or email: [email protected]
