Displacement of Power

Although the Social 6 adopts a “responsible, follow-through” stance, their strategic displacement of power toward ideals and external authorities allows them to avoid the potential consequences of their actions. This includes external criticism and blame.

This submission to ideals or authorities goes beyond mere hierarchical compliance or fear of guilt or punishment. There is a subtle dynamic: a passive anchoring that shifts personal freedom (of judgment, thought, and choice) toward others. By idealizing and empowering

the authority, they receive relief from the monster of uncertainty, doubt, and insecurity, as well as the guilt’s devastating consequences.

This dynamic echoes Eric Fromm’s reflections:

“Can freedom become too heavy a burden for man, to the point where he seeks to avoid it? How is it that freedom can be a longed-for goal for some, yet a threat for others? Isn’t there, along with an innate desire for freedom, an instinctive yearning for submission? [...]

Does submission only occur toward external authorities, or does it also manifest in relation to internalized ones, such as duty or conscience? Is there a hidden satisfaction in submission?”

Indeed, one might speak of a “submission instinct” in the Social 6, though their authentic instinctive needs remain present but heavily penalized by an inflated ethical conscience.