tal growth? In man, the basic protoplasmic process of working toward goals that are built into the organism has become conscious of its own activity. Man is a self-conscious being. The individual works to achieve purpose that derives ultimately from the same instinctual levels as the bird building a nest; but he has conscious techniques at his disposal and he works with an awareness of the process as a whole. He is, to this degree, not spontaneously fulfilling the protoplasmic goals of life-goals that are real before thought is taken, but he is working toward goals that he "thinks" he wants. Consciously, he seeks goals that do not come out of his basic protoplasmic nature, but which are in the directive goals of his consciousness. It was in reference to this point in the devel opment of man's consciousness that both the depth psychologists, C. G. Jung and Otto Rank, issued their basic warnings to modem man that he beware of getting out of touch with his basic nature through the hyperdevelopment of self-consciousness. (ibid., p.123.)
The assumption that can be made is that the homosexual has different protoplasmic goals than does the heterosexual, not that some individuals do not have some of both kinds of nature. If he seeks heterosexual relations, according to this hypothesis, it means that he has been convinced by our heterosexual society to think that he wants to be heterosexual, even though it is not what he is really made for. It would be easy for one to interpret Progoff's statement to mean that it is the homosexual who is out of touch with his basic nature. The fact that some individuals actually feel that they are "born this way," however, suggests that this writer's interpretation is more likely to be correct.
Whatever the truth is, there is a general consensus that homosexuals are quite often interested in the arts, music and theater. Could such interest be related to a make-believe world they have grown accustomed to through their early partial psychological separation from societal teachings?
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To further elaborate, most, if not all, children learn early in life to romanticize their fantasies in order to achieve an exciting sense of meaningfulness that does not exist in their not-so-interesting mundane lives (i.e., They see themselves as heros). Because this brings satisfaction, they learn to rely on this method of escape from boredom, and learn to look forward to it. Naturally, because they are curious and preoccupied with their bodies and the pleasurable functions that accompany them, they incorporate such thoughts and emotional feelings into their fantasy life. Inasmuch as children are in the presence of people of two different sexes who interact, most of them "catch on" and visualize a time when they themselves will be doing the same thing. This heterosexualness
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fits very well into their fantasies, the same fantasies they will pattern their concept of a meaningful life from later on. The reason they will pattern their life after these fantasies is because, if these fantasies can bring relief from a not-so-interesting life in childhood, they ought to be worth living up to in reality as adults.
Thus, as an adult, a heterosexual's conception of life incorporates the concept of heterosexual relations (both social and sexual), without which, either through marriage or continual affirmation 'through dating, he feels that his life is not being fully lived. He feels that he must have this "heterosexualness" if he is to be completely living, because he has been taught this concept since early childhood.
The homosexual, however, because he has patterned his concept of existence after a different set of fantasies, is not likely to achieve meaningfulness in a heterosexual life. Thus, such an inclined youth, because his psychic orientation is fed by fantasies) made up of different elements, does not feel that he is missing anything by not adhering to heterosexual goals. He may be confused and tormented, however, because of guilt or not wanting to admit the truth to himself because of fear of social disapproval. Furthermore, these problems are likely to consume much of his time and energy.
Societal teachings are frequently strong enough to prevent the individual from consciously realizing the true nature of his concept of meaningfulness for some time. This superficial acceptance of heterosexualism accounts for the latent homosexual. Such an individual has not gone through a "coming out" process in which he has conscious insight as to the type of life he must live in order to come closest to a meaningful existence based on his earlier fantasy life. He will be able to say to himself, "I am homosexual," only when he no longer superficially accepts the societal heterosexual teachings he has come in contact with > the last few years. Insight would be more apt to come to the individual if it were not for the fact that the earlier fantasies, from which he draws his concept of meaningfulness, are built not only of verbal ideas, but also of emotions, especially those connected with the individual's bodily preoccupations and functions, which are more difficult to comprehend in in terms of organized rationality.
It is interesting to note that children in some societies, apparently because they are allowed to participate in sexual intimacies with others of the opposite sex, do not have an opportunity to develop fantasies made up of different elements. Thus, there is often no adult homosexuality to be found.
Many children, who may be psychologically separated from heterosex-
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