Ponytailgate: the childish roots of John Key’s behaviour
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Version 0 of 1. In what is being referring to by some as ponytailgate, the prime minister of New Zealand, John Key, is reported to have repeatedly tugged the ponytail of an Auckland waitress. After initial disbelief that a high-profile political leader would act this way comes a question: what makes powerful grownups engage in this kind of behaviour? The internet tycoon Kim Dotcom has suggested that Key has a hair-pulling fetish. But we have no evidence to suggest he was sexually aroused during the ponytail-tugging. So could it be caused by something neurological? While there is a case report in medical literature of a patient suffering a stroke damaging a part of their brain called the paramedian thalamus resulting in “childish behaviour”, a freak cerebrovascular accident would be an unlikely explanation. The ponytail-tugging may well be an example of the psychological process of regression. This occurs when a stressful situation triggers a return to a child-like way of behaving. Regression can be thought of as being malignant or benign. An example of a benign regression would be an adult taking their teddy bear to bed with them. This can be common when young adults, who haven’t seen their teddies for years, dust them off and take them to university for secret snuggles. The normal and understandable stresses associated with leaving home can make people want a transitional object as a source of comfort. This doesn’t just happen at uni. Whereas for most of us this sort of regression doesn’t cause problems, a more permanent regression can become unhelpful. Think of the tragic student Sebastian Flyte from Brideshead Revisited, who went from constantly clutching his teddy to holding a bottle. Examples of high-profile and arguably less benign transient regressions might include Uruguay striker Luis Suárez biting another player during the World Cup or Jeremy Clarkson’s fracas with a television producer. This kind of acting out betrays poor boundary-setting. Regression isn’t just about what happens in an individual, it’s also about how they relate to and interact with the world around them. It was Sigmund Freud’s daughter, Anna, who elaborated the early theories of regression as being an ego defence where people act out fantasies related to the psychological stage at which they are fixated, ie when a significant loss occurred. It’s an oversimplification but, simply put, our minds have two parallel paths for development during life. One is intellectual, the other emotional. In some people who suffer significant losses or deprivation during childhood, normal emotional maturation processes are stunted so they become “stuck” with the personality organisation of a child. If this persists into adulthood it can permeate their relationships and become distressing for them and others. I am not the first to wonder that if there were negative consequences for our MPs’ childish acts, the infantile spectacle of prime minister’s questions might be more civilised and politicians might earn back some respect from the electorate. Being an adult is complex and can be tough. Reverting to a child-like state may seem quite appealing on occasion, an escape from responsibility that can be more fun than being an adult in lots of ways. Unless, of course, you’re the recipient of the behaviour. |