Defenses as described by Freud were psychic structures erected to defend and protect the treasures of the soul.
Subsequently, defenses suffered a misinterpretation. Saying ‘you’re defensive’ when people differ from us actually pushes them further into their defences; it does not liberate them.
It is probably impossible to live without the capacity to defend oneself against the vicissitudes of interpersonal relationships, including especially the misinterpretations of who we are by others who project their shadow sides upon us.
Perhaps we ought to recognize that the vital issue is whether our current set of defenses enables us to live more freely or whether it impedes us from full creative self-expression.
