The following is an excerpt from Bruce Lee's handwritten notes entitled "The Top Dog and the Underdog." The italics and bold are his (though he used capital letters instead of bold).
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Bruce Lee: Self-Actualization vs. Self-Image Actualization
If we examine the two clowns – the top dog and the underdog – that perform the self-torture game on the stage of our fantasy, then we usually find the two characters to be like this:
The Top Dog
The top dog usually is righteous and authoritarian; he knows best. He is sometimes right, but always righteous. The top dog is a bully and works with “you should” and “you should not.” The top dog manipulates with demands and threats of catastrophe, such as, “If you don’t ... then – you won’t be loved, you won’t get to heaven, you will die,” and so on.
The Underdog
The underdog manipulates with being defensive, apologetic, wheedling, playing the crybaby, and such. The underdog has no power. The underdog is Mickey Mouse. The top dog is the super-mouse. And the underdog works like this: “I try my best,” “Look, I try again and again. I can’t help it if I fail.” “I have such good intentions.” So you see the underdog is cunning, and he usually gets the better of the top dog because the underdog is not as primitive as the top dog. So the top dog and underdog strive for control. Like every parent and child, they strive with each other for control. The person is fragmented into controller and controlled. This inner conflict, the struggle between the top dog and underdog, is never complete, because the top dog as well as the underdog fights for his life.
This is the basis for the famous self-torture game. We usually take for granted that the top dog is right, and in many cases, the top dog makes impossible perfectionistic demands. So if you are cursed with perfectionism, then you’re absolutely sunk. This ideal is a yardstick which always gives you the opportunity to browbeat yourself, to berate yourself and others. Since this ideal is an impossibility, you can never live up to it. You are merely in love with this ideal, and there is no end to the self-torture, to the self-nagging, self-castigating. It hides under the mask of “self-improvement.” It never works.
If the person tries to meet the top dog’s demands of perfectionism, the result is a “nervous breakdown,” or flight into insanity. This is one of the tools of the underdog. Once we recognize the structure of our behavior, which in the case of self-improvement is the split between the top dog and the underdog, and understand how, by listening, we can bring about a reconciliation of these two fighting clowns, then we realize that we cannot deliberately bring about the changes in ourselves or in others.
This is a very decisive point: many people dedicate their lives to actualizing a concept of what they should be like, rather than actualizing themselves. This difference between self-actualizing and self-image actualizing is very important. Most people only live for their image.
Where some people have a self, most people have a void, because they are so busy projecting themselves as this or that. This is again the curse of the ideal. The curse is that you should not be what you are. Every external control, even internalized external control – “you should” – interferes with the healthy working of the organism. There is only one thing that should control the situation. If you understand the situation that you are in, and let the situation that you are in control your actions, then you learn how to cope with life. For example, you don’t drive according to the program, you drive according to the situation (same thing in combat). You drive a different speed when you are tired, when it’s raining, and so forth.
The less confident we are in ourselves, the less we are in touch with ourselves and the world, the more we want to control.
Bruce seems to be echoing the thoughts of Gestalt therapist Fritz perls. In fact this might actually be a direct quote from one of Perl's books.
ReplyDeleteEntirely possible. He was quite well-read. Fun fact: Seattle's Wing Luke museum had an exhibit this summer featuring the Bruce Lee library, where all of his books were donated. I was SOOO excited to see his library. But when I went, I was severely disappointed. So much so that this is what I emailed them:
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To whom it may concern,
DeleteLet me begin by saying that I am deeply appreciative of how you've honored Bruce Lee's memory through your exhibits - the current one, and the previous one. I consider myself to be a long-time student of Bruce Lee, not in martial arts, but in his approach to life. I began studying his writings when I was in graduate school for education, and his ideas shaped my whole style of teaching AND teacher-training. I thanked him in my valedictorian speech and have given many classes and written many articles about his principles. The more people are aware of his philosophy of life, the more they will seek out additional learning. I've recommended his books to many people, and I thought Shanon Lee's recent book provides an excellent, contemporary, practical introduction.
You can imagine my excitement when I first read about the Be Water My Friend exhibit. The line that sold me was: "Follow Bruce’s path beginning with his revelations on water, through the wealth of knowledge found in his 2,800-book personal library, to his philosophy on self-understanding and self-expression." I had also read another article about how Bruce Lee's library was the focus of this exhibit.
Seeing someone's library is like getting a glimpse into their soul. Especially someone with an eclectic mind, like Bruce Lee. I was so looking forward to seeing what was included in his personal library. And when one of my students told me he'd be in Seattle for a week, I decided to take him as well. We booked tickets for 8/18/22. (I only got around to writing this now because I've been traveling in the interim.)
When I first set foot in the exhibit and saw this (see attached), I was elated. My student and I spent a few minutes combing through each of the titles of the books that were visible and talking about what might have interested Bruce Lee in those particular books. THIS is what I wanted to see!
And then ... we were let down. There were several stacks of books around the exhibit, but all of them had the spines facing the wall, so it was impossible to see what the books were. I don't even know whether those were just props or whether they were actually his books. All I know is that they underscored the message of: "We have 2,800 books from Bruce Lee's library, but we're not going to show any of them beyond the teaser at the entrance."
I liked seeing the one or two examples of his handwritten notes, but I had been hoping to see MORE examples. I know he was a prolific note-taker. Sadly, that was just a small feature of the exhibit.
The media exhibit with the screens and the pools of light was cool, and might serve as a nice intro for people who were unaware that Bruce Lee was a thinker, but I didn't get much out of it.
My purpose in sending this email isn't just to complain, but to ask: IS there a list of the 2,800 books that I can see? I would LOVE to know what was in his library, even if I can't see the books themselves. And this might be a silly question, but if there is NOT a list, might there be an opportunity for me to volunteer to catalogue his library for the museum, or for whoever has access to his books?
Anyway, I don't know whether you're interested in feedback, but as a devoted student of Bruce Lee's teachings, I felt I had to express my disappointment in an exhibit designed to showcase these teachings.
- Matt Schneeweiss
They replied, saying: "I am the Interim Director of Museum Services at Wing Luke Museum. Thank you for your thoughtful email and I'm sorry to hear our messaging was confusing and led to a disappointing experience. As you surmised, yes a lot of those books were props and we had a selection from Bruce's collection visible at the entryway. The interactive circles pull quotes from the books that Bruce loved, but I can see how it may not have been as personal as seeing his notes up close. I will pass along your request on how to learn more about Bruce's personal library to our Collections and Exhibits departments and see if there are any volunteer needs that may be of interest to you. A staff member will be in touch if there is an opportunity."
DeleteBut I never received an opportunity to volunteer. The end.
nice article on Self-Actualization. You also included good examples. Thanks.
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