Splitting occurs when an individual is incapable of seeing the coexistence of good and evil. When this happens, people/ groups of people are only capable of being seen as purely good, or purely evil.
How we use it:
In politics: "Either you're one of us or one of them."
"Those amoral liberals are hell-bent on running our nation into the ground."
"Those inbred conservatives are intentionally hindering the progress of our nation to serve their own selfish wants."
"All politicians are selfish and corrupt and cannot be trusted."
Projection
Projection occurs when a person subconsciously denies his own thoughts, attributes, emotions, etc. and 'projects' them on to somebody else.
How we use it:
"My boss/teacher hates me and thinks I'm incompetent."
"Islam inherently despises our culture and wants to destroy it."
"I don't want to call X, she doesn't want to talk to me. I can just tell."
Magical Thinking
Magical thinking is best described as superstition, or a skewed sense of causality. This defense mechanism is possibly the most pervasive in America, and the most unsettling to learn about.
How we use it
In science: We love our science. It cures cancer, puts men on the moon, and makes really big asplosions. We love our science because well, it's right! It uses the scientific method, which has no place for superstition or false beliefs. Right? Yes and no.
In school we learn about how everything is made of teeny, tiny bits of electrically chargedsomething called atoms. All atoms are made of the same three 'elements': Neutrons, protons, and electrons. Now, the neutrons and protons somehow magically stick together, and the electrons spin around the clump of protons and neutrons really really fast. And everything is made of these magical, unseen objects.
Right.
Now contrast that with the sooo obviously wrong theory of the four elements: that everything is made of different combinations of earth, fire, wind, and water.
Which one seems more plausible? The magical invisible balls of electricity, or the four elements that are easily observable by anyone with half a brain? Most people blindly accept atomic theory the same way people blindly accepted the four elements theory. Very very few individuals have been able to witness for themselves that atomic theory is accurate; most of us accept it on blind faith in the mystical "scientific method".
In medicine: A little-known North American tribe called the Narcirema engaged in extremely bizzare healing rituals. First, they believed that all diseases were caused by evil spirits that lived all around them that entered their body through the mouth, eyes, etc. First, the Elder Mothers would give a possessed tribe member a mystical drink known as "living waters" because of its effervescent properties and occasionally small bits of a magical tree bark called Livda Nirpsa. When this did not work, the possessed would be taken to a large, inter-tribal temple known as The Latipsoh. There the afflicted would be permitted to enter only if he had a good enough reputation with the money-exchangers. If not, no matter how sick or afflicted, he would not be allowed to enter. Once inside the Latipsoh, the tribe member would be given many intoxicating substances and forced to undergo torturous, sadistic cutting rituals in which 'good spirits' would be placed inside the body by Witch Doctors. Very few would survive the Narcirema healing rituals.
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That being said, I do believe that modern science is valid as a result of my own objective inquiries, but most people believe it the same way Native Americans believed in magical spirits.
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