I have a friend who has low frustration tolerance (LFT) for songs in which lyrics are used repeatedly. As such, she’s no fan of electronic dance music (EDM) that often uses phrases in rhythmic repetition.
For example, consider the 1992 EDM track “Coffee Pot (It’s Time for the Percolator),” also known as “Percolator,” by Chicago house DJ Green Velvet, who was formerly known as “Cajmere.” Over and over again, the song states, “It’s time for the percolator.”
According to one source, “A coffee percolator is a type of pot used for the brewing of coffee by continually cycling the boiling or nearly boiling brew through the grounds using gravity until the required strength is reached.” Hence, Green Velvet’s song also contained sounds of percolation.
I recall the track being quite enjoyable to me when I used to rave, as lyrics didn’t matter as much as the emotions and bodily sensations which I experienced when dancing throughout the night. However, what coincided with joy for me is unenjoyable to my friend.
Through the lens of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), I recognize my friend’s LFT personal narrative as one pertaining to a major irrational belief examined by this psychotherapeutic modality. If LFT had a catchphrase, it’d be something like, “I can’t stand it!”
In essence, when hearing songs with continuously repeated lyrics, my friend unfavorably believes something along the lines of, “I can’t stand songs which are repetitive!” Generally speaking, beliefs of this kind tend to cause the unpleasant process of self-disturbance.
When practicing REBT with people, I invite them to consider how the ABC model functions, illustrate how LFT beliefs cause self-disturbance, encourage individuals to practice disputation of unproductive beliefs, and advocate use of unconditional acceptance to relieve suffering.
All the same, it’s important for me not to assume that simply because an LFT narrative exists, people are therefore doomed to self-disturbing belief-consequence connection outcomes if they don’t practice REBT. To better understand what I mean, consider the case of my friend.
Imagining that she believes she “can’t stand songs which are repetitive,” though the only consequence of this belief is that she foregoes listening to EDM, is her reaction one of a self-disturbing nature? I argue that it isn’t.
To my knowledge, it isn’t written in stone that an individual should, must, or ought to listen to or appreciate “Coffee Pot (It’s Time for the Percolator).” Therefore, my friend’s LFT self-narrative – although irrational (not fully grounded in logic and reason) – isn’t worth disputing.
Using a personal example, I dislike feminism as an ideology and a sociopolitical movement. Although it isn’t true that I can’t stand feminism, I mostly choose not to engage the rhetoric of feminists unless I’m rigorously challenging the nonsensical tenets of their ideology.
This outcome is virtually indistinguishable from that of my friend’s personal LFT narrative. We both arrive at a similar conclusion. When demonstrating this matter through use of a psychoeducational lesson, I find it useful to illustrate how I arrive at conclusions.
Using a modus ponens syllogism (if p then q; p; therefore q), my friend and I have concluded that if we don’t want something in our lives, then we won’t entertain that something. It doesn’t matter what our preferences or beliefs are, because the outcome isn’t of a self-disturbing nature.
Presuming that you understand this relatively short blogpost, I invite you to consider that not all preferences or demands are of the self-disturbing variety. Of course, if or when you experience the unpleasant consequences of your beliefs, then it may be time to dispute your LFT narratives.
If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As the world’s foremost EDM-influenced REBT psychotherapist—promoting content related to EDM, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
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