Me 223escapism will suffice to make me feel better. All I need is a party and my
troubles will be forgotten.A However, as Perceiver facts grow in power, I
will find that my problems come to the party along with me. Now it is
necessary to use more sophisticated methods such as the catharsis of
Aristotle, or the confession booth of the Catholic Church. I have no choice
but to accept the overall facts, and I can, at most, alter specific Perceiver
connections between cause and effect in order to remove my feelings of
guilt.
When this mental stage is reached, then penance also becomes
necessary. Those who give me 'forgiveness' must dispense a discipline
along with the blessing. They will tell me that I am forgiven if I perform
some action or suffer some form of punishment. This physical discomfort
is essential to gain mental peace, for unless some consequence
accompanies the cause, Perceiver thought will not accept the 'fact' of
forgiveness, and it is Perceiver strategy which must be convinced.
But why go to the „confession booth‟ for forgiveness if it does not free
me from punishment? Because, while a priestly figure cannot use his
emotional significance to remove my mental need for punishment, he still
has the emotional power to change the nature of the discipline. For
instance, he might give me a lighter sentence. And, accepting his
punishment will also bring mental closure. Once cause has led to effect,
then Perceiver strategy can know that the event is finished, and that
nothing more will happen. Of course, this may be wishful thinking and the
dreaded consequence which the mind predicted may yet arrive right on
schedule. However, until then, there will be mental peace and the feeling of
guilt will be removed.
As Perceiver confidence continues to grow, I will discover that even
these methods no longer work. Try as I may, I find that I cannot deny the
connection between cause and effect. When I see portrayals of situations
which deny these relationships, I find that I cannot believe them; I no
longer find them plausible. Perceiver strategy knows exactly what the
consequence of each action is, and it refuses to be fooled.
This leads to the last step before complete acceptance of guilt—that of
remorse. Remorse accepts the facts, and accepts the cause of the facts, but
it denies that a solution is possible. It says, “Isn‟t it too bad that we are like
this. I wish things could be different, but I guess change is not possible.”
This is when theater and film become dark and hopeless. They portray evil
with searing accuracy and clearly outline each step on the way to disaster
and then stop there with the finality of eternal hopelessness. And yet,
A The average Exhorter person who encounters problems will respond by
calling for a party. If someone displeases him, the Exhorter is capable of
„disappearing‟ this person—he acts as if the individual no longer exists.
This indicates a low level of subconscious Perceiver confidence.