As a child, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, still existed (1922-1991). Admittedly, I self-disturbed quite a bit in regard to unhelpful beliefs regarding inevitable war with this former ally of the United States of America (USA).
Before I continue, it may be useful to understand the ABC model of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). Unlike the Action-Consequence (A-C) connection of physical disturbance, the Belief-Consequence (B-C) connection explains psychological self-disturbance.
REBT theory maintains that when an unexpected Action occurs and a person uses an irrational Belief about the situation, it’s one’s unhelpful attitude and not the undesirable circumstance that causes unpleasant cognitive, emotive, sensational, and behavioral effects as Consequences.
From an A-C perspective, if the USSR launched a non-retractable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at the USA (Action), which is colloquially referred to as a “continent killer,” then the nation in which I was born and raised could be obliterated (Consequence).
It probably didn’t help that I watched films such as WarGames (1983), The Day After (1983), and other content which proposed that multiple ICBMs would be launched at once and could have a “civilization killer” outcome. That was a realistic possibility that Stanislav Petrov averted.
Nevertheless, potential A-C disturbance regarding ICBM devastation wasn’t what caused me to be terrified (self-disturbed). Rather, my personal philosophy about nuclear holocaust is what led to my frightening experience.
When thinking about ICBMs raining down upon the USA (Action) and unfavorably Believing, “The USSR should care for my country, and it’s awful that it doesn’t, because I couldn’t stand to be destroyed by that worthless nation,” then I miserably upset myself (Consequence).
Rather than remaining self-disturbed, an individual is invited to try Disputation which may lead to an Effective new belief that’s used in place of an unproductive self-narrative. With the ABC model, a person learns to stop needless suffering which is caused by unhelpful assumptions.
Likewise, REBT uses the technique of unconditional acceptance (UA) to relieve self-upset. This is accomplished through use of unconditional self-acceptance, unconditional other-acceptance, and unconditional life-acceptance. Yet, I knew nothing of REBT as a child.
Thus, I self-disturbed when I heard that Nikita Khrushchev of the USSR had once reportedly stated, “If you don’t like us, don’t accept our invitations and don’t invite us to come see you. Whether you like it or not history is on our side. We will bury you.” According to one source:
Many authors have pointed out that “we will bury you” was misinterpreted as a threat of military violence by the USSR against the USA and other capitalist countries, whereas it basically meant that the communist system would outlast and replace capitalism, as predicted by classical Marxist doctrine, and hence “we will bury you” essentially meant “we will survive you” or “we (communists) will live to see you (capitalists) buried”.
Therefore, alternative translations have been suggested to convey this meaning more accurately. A frequently proposed variant is “We shall be present at your funeral”. In the metaphor used by Khrushchev, Russia’s role was to take care of the funeral arrangements for capitalism after its demise.
Just as I knew nothing about REBT in childhood, I didn’t have context to Khrushchev’s remark. Therefore, I upset myself with unaccommodating beliefs about how the USSR could bury the USA in a literal sense and I used to have nightmares about this topic when in elementary school.
Much later in life, I gained employment in the field of nuclear security and realized that my childhood fear wasn’t irrational—that which isn’t in accordance with both logic and reason. The USA and the Russian Federation both have an ample supply of civilization-ending weapons.
All the same, even though my fear was rational as a child, self-disturbance was an irrational way to live. This is because I had no control or influence over whether or not the world would end in nuclear winter. Therefore, in the interest of rational living, I’ve learned to routinely practice UA.
Petrov may’ve historically saved the world from destruction, yet it seems as though irrationally motivated world leaders often flirt with total annihilation. Recently, I was reminded of the potential for such an outcome.
In specific, President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy—who I’ll charitably refer to as the leader of his people, even though he’s suspended elections—met for a contentious meeting in the White House.
During the talk, Trump stated to Zelenskyy, “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people! You’re gambling with World War III [WWIII]!” Regarding this matter, in a blogpost entitled Concern vs. Worry, I stated:
There remains a realistic possibility that if the U.S. continues its current course of antagonism against Russia, there could be consequences to the actions of our nation. Having formerly worked in the field of nuclear security, I understand the devastating possibilities we face.
That blog entry was posted when then-President Joe Biden was in office. Thankfully, more cogent arguments are now being made in an attempt to stop the Russo-Ukrainian war which is being backed by that North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in favor of Ukraine.
Arguably, NATO should’ve been dissolved after the Iron Curtain fell. Yet, I digress. When contemplating the potential of WWIII, I’m reminded of the 2006 album Servants in Heaven, Kings in Hell by hip hop collective Jedi Mind Tricks.
In specific, the track’s title “Outlive the War,” featuring the late rapper Sean Price and containing a sample of Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Traviata,” is a reminder of Khrushchev’s remark. Even if nuclear Armageddon inevitably results, perhaps some people will outlive the war.
Personally, peace before that nightmarish scenario unfolds is preferable. Thankfully, I no longer have self-disturbed sleep about such possibilities. Through frequent practice of REBT, I’ve learned to un-disturbed myself. Would you like to know how to do the same in your own life?
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 hip hop-influenced REBT psychotherapist, 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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