Sublimation

Sublimation

Although many people criticize Freud and discount his ideas, he developed many landmark theories and concepts that persist today (I’m not a Freud groupie, just point this out). One of these concepts is a defense mechanism known as sublimation. According to Freud, sublimation is a way in which people can deal with socially unacceptable impulses, feelings, and ideas in socially acceptable ways. For example, a person may have a longing to be a banker but has not been able to achieve this goal (Seinfield fans…are you listening?). The frustration with not being able to achieve this goal may be very difficult to deal with and lead to hostility and anger toward bankers, to the point where the person wants to physically hurt all bankers. Of course, hurting all bankers is not socially acceptable, so the person transforms this anger with bankers into building his own venture capital business and becoming incredibly successful.