Who would study psychology if they didn't have some kind of problem?

Chapter 349 Teacher Zhao: Ready! To Go Crazy!

Humans cannot control their environment, but they can decide how to respond to it. Even in the most extreme situations, humans retain a final freedom—the freedom to choose how to respond to suffering.

Anger is a natural reaction to injustice, but if anger is allowed to consume reason, one will become an oppressor no different from the perpetrator. Authenticity demands that we act with a clear will, not be enslaved by our emotions.

True resistance is not destruction, but creation. Even in a world that is absurd and irrational, people can still demonstrate the dignity of humanity through small acts of kindness every day.

【…】

Teacher Zhao frowned more and more as she read, and finally slammed her hand down and closed the book.

"Isn't this all toxic motivational content? It feels like I'm just self-motivated. Is this really psychological counseling or even psychotherapy?"

She slapped her forehead hard: "It's really... hard to accept!"

"Can't existentialism be as simple, easy to understand, and practical as behaviorism?!"

The female teacher even swore at it!

click-

The commotion behind him startled the already angry teacher, Xiao Zhao.

His body stiffened.

Her neck, as if wound up, slowly and haltingly turned backward, and she discovered—

It was Chonghui who opened the door to the workshop.

It seems he heard what he just said.

Okay, it's not enough for Teacher Nan to hear it—no, that's not right! Even letting Teacher Nan's senior brother hear it wouldn't be enough!

Anger, panic, relaxation, regret.

Teacher Zhao's rich and frequent switching of emotions and expressions amazed Chonghui, who was in the "Micro-expression Analysis" research group.

After thinking for a moment, Chonghui tentatively tried to reassure her: "Well... actually, I'm also a [behaviorist]?"

Teacher Zhao's expression immediately fell.

Looking at Teacher Zhao, who resembled a wilted cucumber, Chonghui thought for a moment, then stepped forward and craned his neck to take a closer look.

After glancing at his study book, he suddenly felt the confidence of a doctoral student: "Got some problems with your studies?"

Ms. Zhao smiled sheepishly, after all, it was Professor Nan who recommended that she study existentialism, and yet she had just vented so much.

It was overheard by someone.

"My junior brother definitely told you these things, but you're clearly stuck on them again—"

Unexpectedly, after thinking for a while, Chonghui affirmed, "Judging from the 'famous quotes' you copied, existentialism does indeed provide a wide range of material for toxic motivational quotes and PUA."

Ugh?
Teacher Zhao blinked.

Chonghui added, "But this is not just about existentialism; any document or famous quote will go through this process."

"It was taken out of context and then misinterpreted."

"For example, the saying 'Of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is to have no offspring' is often misunderstood by the older generation as 'not having children is the most unfilial thing'."

Chonghui sighed: "But this sentence actually comes from Mencius, Book 4, Part 1. The original text is: 'Of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is to have no descendants. Shun married without informing his parents, which is considered as having no descendants. But a gentleman would think that he had informed them.' "The 'no descendants' in this sentence actually condemns Emperor Shun for not informing his living parents when he married, which is a failure to fulfill his duty as a descendant, rather than condemning Emperor Shun for not having children."

Looking at Chonghui, who was shaking his head, Teacher Zhao's professional knowledge began to come into play. He subconsciously began to analyze the logic behind the person's behavior: Is it because this doctoral student is suddenly so pedantic and remembers this ancient text so clearly because he is too old and has been pressured by his family to get married?

"so--"

Teacher Zhao was startled by Chonghui's unexpected turn of events.

Chonghui ignored Teacher Zhao's expression and continued, "The works of existentialism also went through such a process. People who use these words as toxic motivational quotes and PUA tactics have also given them selective interpretations."

“For example, this sentence—” Chonghui pointed to a sentence in the notebook, “[Even in the most extreme situations, people still retain the last bit of freedom—the freedom to choose how to respond to suffering.]”

"When this phrase appears in an article, on a public account, or from the mouth of an elder or boss, it's blatantly saying, 'No matter how extreme the environment, you must strive and never give up.'"

"They present the single option of 'choosing not to be defeated by suffering' as 'freedom,' but if you believe them, you will become a 'slave to freedom.'"

Chonghui shrugged: "Because although they talk about 'existentialism,' they actually use it as a tool to make you take 'their existence' as meaning and make you fight for them."

"But true existentialism is about giving meaning to one's own existence and one's own life."

Teacher Zhao blinked and suddenly felt that the doctoral student in front of her had become truly philosophical.

It feels like the knowledge is being absorbed into my brain.

Chonghui continued, "With this understanding in mind, when we look at the statement, 'Man still retains one last bit of freedom—the freedom to choose how to respond to suffering,' we will find that man actually has many choices."

"You can resist—that's the most proactive way to respond."

"You can also escape"—"The Full-Time Wife Escapist." By the way, this is also the name of a Japanese drama that I particularly like, and I really like the female lead.

"You can even lie flat—take all the damage you can get, scratch wherever it hurts, and maybe the skin there will become thicker, which can also reduce your internal friction."

"Perhaps you've been influenced by PUA for too long, and even your thoughts have become unconsciously 'unfree,' making you feel that these existentialist words are just preaching."

Chonghui stretched out his finger and pointed to the sentences that Teacher Zhao had copied down in the self-study book.

"Now, look at these sentences again, do they no longer seem like PUA?"

Teacher Zhao's eyes first became serious, sparkling with the light of thought; but then they became blank, showing a kind of mental blankness as if her thinking had been shocked.

"So, it's not that these words are manipulating me, but that I'm manipulating myself?"

Chonghui thought for a moment: "If you understand it that way, it's not wrong."

Teacher Zhao shook his head.

She looked at Chonghui again and suddenly felt that the tall man in front of her had become handsome, and he didn't seem to be much... much, much, much less handsome than Teacher Nan.

"Professor Chong, are you so knowledgeable about schools of thought in psychotherapy related to philosophy?"

Chonghui's expression suddenly turned bleak: "I'm pursuing my doctorate..."

Jingle Bell--

Before Ms. Zhao could say anything more, her cell phone suddenly rang.

The call connected, and Vice Principal Ma's voice came through: "Hello, Xiao Zhao? What have you been doing with that Teacher Nan these past few days... Never mind, come to my office now, immediately!"

(End of this chapter)