Reference: DIANETICS: The Original Thesis
This paper presents Chapter 9 from the book DIANETICS: THE ORIGINAL THESIS by L. RON HUBBARD. The contents are from the original publication of this book by The Hubbard Dianetic Foundation, Inc. (1948).
The paragraphs of the original material (in black) are accompanied by brief comments (in color) based on the present understanding. Feedback on these comments is appreciated.
The heading below is linked to the original materials.
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Dramatization
Dramatization is the duplication of an engramic content, entire or in part, by an aberree in his present time environment. Aberrated conduct is entirely dramatization. Aberrated conduct will occur only when and if an engram exists in the reactive mind of the aberree. That conduct will be a duplication of such an engram. The degree of dramatization is in direct ratio to the degree of restimulation of the engrams causing it. A mild dramatization would be a similarity to the engram. A severe dramatization would be an identity with the engram.
The aberrated conduct provides a clue to the content of the engram.
The general tone of an aberree, when high—when his person is unwearied and he is well and not directly menaced in his environment—does not permit as great an influence by the reactive mind, since the tone level of the entire individual possesses too great a differential from the tone of the engram. As the general tone of the individual approaches the tone level of the engram under restimulation, dramatization becomes more severe.
The analytical mind is present to the degree that the general tone of the aberree is high. As this general tone lowers through ill health, reverses, or constant restimulation of the reactive mind, the analytical mind is proportionately less aware. Dramatization is demonstrated by the aberree in inverse ratio to the potential of the analytical mind. A geometrical progression is entered as general tone lowers to cause the analytical mind to lose its entire awareness potential.
Dramatization indicates that the person is in weakened state of mind due to weariness.
Once every engram contains, as the common denominator of all engrams, the unconsciousness of the organ which is the analytical mind, dramatizations gain rapidly as this interaction progresses.
In the presence of a relatively high analytical mind awareness-potential, dramatization takes the form of similarity. The data of the engram is present but is interspersed with or modified by justified thought. The physical pain which is always present as part of the dramatization is equally mild, a duplication of the pain which was present during the engram. The awareness potential of the analytical mind reduces in the restimulation of the engram which again reduces the general tone.
When a person is not so weary, the dramatization is more in the form of justified thought.
The aberree is subject to almost continuous dramatization of one engram or another as the restimulators appear in his vicinity. (Although the aberration may be so mild as to include only some chronically affected organ.) Complete dramatization is complete identity. It is the engram in full force in present time with the aberree taking one or more parts of the dramatis personae present in the engram. He may dramatize all the actors or merely one of them. His dramatization is identity, is unreasoned and always entirely reactive. When the analytical mind reaches the low point of awareness potential it held during the engramic incident, that point is also forced upon the aberree as a part of the dramatization. The aberree may also dramatize himself as he was at the moment of the engram’s receipt.
The words, physical actions, expressions, and emotions of an aberree undergoing an identity dramatization are those of the single or various dramatis personae present in the engram.
When less weary, the person is more himself, but he is introverted and trying to figure out his own behavior. Under greater weariness, the person behaves more like the impressions from other personalities.
An engram, which can be dramatized, may at any time in an aberree’s future be dramatized as an identity dramatization, when and if his general tone is low and his environment becomes infiltrated by restimulators.
An aberree, because of high general tone and other factors, may not suffer the restimulation of an engram for a number of years after its receipt. A large number of engrams may be present and undramatized in any aberree, if he has never been presented with their particular restimulators in an optimum moment for restimulation. The common denominator of all insanity is the absence of all or almost all awareness potential in the analytical mind. Insanity can be acute or chronic. Any identity dramatization is insanity, by which is meant the entire absence of rationality.
Any identity dramatization is insanity, by which is meant the entire absence of rationality.
The aberree commonly and chronically dramatizes locks. The engramic content may compel or repress the aberree whenever restimulated. An irrational person is irrational to the degree that he dramatizes or succumbs to engramic content in his reactive mind. The computations which can be made on the basis of dramatization are infinite. The reactive mind thinks in identities. Dramatizations are severe as they approach identity with the engrams which force them into being in the conduct of the aberree. The Dianeticist can profit in many ways by these principles of dramatization. By examination of the rage or apathy or hysteria patterns of the preclear, the Dianeticist will find himself in possession of the exact character of the engrams for which he is searching.
The impressions repress a person’s own personality and force other personalities on him.
In the case of the manic, the fanatic, or the zealot an engram has entirely blocked at least one of the purpose lines deriving from a dynamic. The engram may be called an “assist engram.” Its own surcharge (not the dynamic force) leads the individual to believe that he has a high purpose which will permit him to escape pain. This “purpose” is a false purpose not ordinarily sympathetic with the organism, having a hectic quality derived from the pain which is part of it, even though that pain is not wittingly experienced. This “assist engram” is using the native ability of the organism to accomplish its false “purpose” and brings about a furious and destructive effort on the part of the individual who, without this “assist engram” could have better accomplished the same goal. The worst feature of the “assist engram” is that the effort it commands is engramic dramatization of a particular sort, and if the engram itself is restimulated the individual becomes subject to the physical pain and fear which the entire experience contained. Therefore, the false purpose itself is subject to sporadic “sag.” This sag becomes longer and longer in duration between periods of false thrust. It is easy to confuse, in casual observation, an “assist engram” and an actual, valid drive, unless one also observes the interspersed periods of “sag.” The “assist engram” may or may not occasionally accomplish something, but it does accomplish a confusion in the society that the dynamics of the individual are derived from his bad experiences. This is a thing which is emphatically untrue.
The unassimilated impressions divert the natural drive of the person. He sags when he resists this diversion.
Inherently the individual has great will power. This however can be aberrated. Will power or its absence occasions the attitude of the aberree toward his reactive mind.
The prevention of the dramatization of an engram or a lock further reduces dynamic thrust of the aberree. Chronic prevention lowers his general tone toward the break point. Unhampered dramatization, as it contains restimulation of a physical pain and the reduced potential of the analytical mind, produces other harmful effects.
Unhampered dramatization introduces irrationality in high drive. Prevention of dramatization. as through punishment, lowers the drive and pushes the person into apathy.
Necessity can and does render inactive the entire reactive mind. Dramatization occurs most often in the absence of necessity or when the reactive mind has obscured the presence of necessity.
Rationality may be restored under necessity.
Dramatization is residual in the motor controls including speech and can be allayed by the physical exhaustion of the individual. The organism during dramatization tends to revivify toward the moment of the engram’s occurrence—the engram containing, as one of its identity parts, the complete physical condition of the organism as at the moment of laying-in of the engram.
Dramatization can be allayed by the physical exhaustion of the individual.
There is no folly or facet of human activity which cannot be dramatized. An immediate alleviation can be achieved when addressing an aberree who is in identity dramatization by acting upon the fact that the conditions of auditing, with no exception, already exist; i.e., the preclear returned to the moment of occurrence. Affinity may be established and dianetic auditing begun at once. He can be persuaded to listen for the phrases he is uttering and they can be alleviated by exhaustion on routine procedure.
Recognition of engramic phrases uttered during dramatization may be used through dianetic procedure to reduce the pressure to dramatize .
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FINAL COMMENTS
KEY WORDS: Anaten, Justification, Introversion, Engramic phrases.
The main points of this chapter are as follows:
The contents of the engramic node are dramatized when that node is activated by similar content appearing in the environment. There is no aspect of human activity, which cannot be dramatized.
A person is more prone to dramatization when he is sick, tired or worn out. Rest, sleep, nutritious food, and change of environment may help reduce the dramatization.
He may be persuaded to listen to the phrases he is uttering as part of the dramatization. He may then meditate on those phrases with mindfulness and see what comes up. As the understanding about those phrases dawns, it diffuses the engramic node.
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