Where does the new desire for self-mortification come from?

Many complain about the current restrictions to contain the Corona pandemic. But a new social desire for hardship and self-mortification can also be observed. However, this prevents a view of successful, alternative concepts.

Much has been complained about the Corona restrictions in recent months, even of oppression. But now suddenly 32 percent of Germans (according to ARD-DeutschlandTrend from 01/07/2021) want to tighten the current lockdown measures even further. And 47 percent want to maintain at least the current full lockdown with its restrictions. Only 18 percent want to relax. For almost a third of Germans, the current restrictions are no longer sufficient. They would like it even harder. The new, even more contagious mutation of the corona virus has certainly contributed to this change in mood. But in our interviews, the trend was already observed in November and December. Is a new tendency towards self-mortification developing in Germany?

The strictest becomes king

The demand for more hardness goes hand in hand with descriptions of events in which people do not adhere to the distance and contact rules. Two groups are primarily accused: the elderly and the young. A typical quote from a survey: "The worst is my mother-in-law, she considers the fear of Corona to be exaggerated and therefore does not properly adhere to the distance rules anywhere." There is often an undertone that it is easier for "the old" to be so reckless because they have "already lived their lives."

And then of course the young: It is claimed that they do not take the whole thing seriously enough and, for example, go tobogganing in groups or smoke shisha together. There is also a modicum of envy that people are making life pleasant despite Corona. And this despite the fact that the corona virus is not disappearing, but the number of infections continues to rise in many places despite the lockdown. This suggests tougher measures.

The desire for hardness

In the public opinion, however, the consistent attitude is now becoming a competition to outdo each other, in which increasingly far-reaching, stricter measures are demanded for one's own profiling, and at the same time entire groups are generally pilloried as "irresponsible": Employers enable too little home office, nurses are not vaccinated enough, politicians make the wrong decisions, Europeans act more incompetently than Asians, and so on. In any case, it is good to demand even more hardness, stricter measures. Psychoanalytically, this competition to outdo each other can be seen as a transformation. The desire for a more lax approach is put a stop to and more consistency and hardness is demanded. But not only that: the desire is also transformed into the secret joy of celebrating oneself as a hero of discipline and self-mortification for a greater cause, by denouncing the behavior of others.

There are historical precedents that show that this desire to denounce and restrict can become a social addiction. Whether under Calvin and his ultra-strict community order in Geneva or under the Nazis in Germany: The less that can be directed against the inner or outer enemy, the greater the willingness to discipline in order to experience effectiveness again. Strictness then becomes a substitute action for the experienced powerlessness.

At the same time, strictness also offers a secondary pleasure gain that no longer has anything to do with coping with reality: the strictest is the king in public opinion. For example, the Bavarian Prime Minister Söder, who likes to demand more hardness, is considered by voters to be the most promising candidate for Chancellor of the Union, although the facts do not necessarily identify Bavaria as a model state in terms of pandemic management.

Consider alternatives instead of demanding strictness

Strictness can then also be an indication that the methods used are not working properly. The hope is that you do not have to change the familiar methods and patterns, but only apply them more strictly. But it could be more helpful to look at more successful methods - for example from Asia or Israel - in order to copy them and, if necessary, modify them until they fit: Is the greater consistency in dealing with a local corona outbreak in Asia really always undemocratic or not to be conveyed to the individualized Western societies? New Zealand seems to be a counter-example. Why is vaccination in Israel progressing much faster than in Europe? How can the advantages of the stronger digitization of the healthcare system in Israel be used here? What can you take over? Steel with pride!

The narrow view of a competition to outdo each other in strictness leaves no room for such perspectives and forces those responsible into a defensive position with simultaneous demands for even tougher measures. Critics are generally lumped together with "lateral thinkers and Covidiots." This also applies to other fields in which strict regulations are quickly obvious: Whether alcohol consumption, advertising, vacation travel, driving - pleasurable behaviors cannot be permanently "prohibited". They can only be modified and transformed into other forms. The demand for greater strictness should therefore always also be an indicator to look for more open, playful, perspective-rich methods to achieve meaningful goals. Strictness and hardness are usually only the "second best" and not a good solution.

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The article also appeared in planung&analyse.