The 50th Law (with 50 Cent)

Controlled Aggression
We are born with a powerful energy that is distinctly human. We can
call it willpower, assertiveness, or even aggression, but it is mixed with
our intelligence and cleverness. It was revealed to us in its purest state
in childhood. This energy made us bold and adventurous, not only
physically but mentally, wanting to explore ideas and soak up
knowledge. It made us actively search for friends with whom we could
explore together. It also made us rather relentless when it came to
solving problems or getting what we wanted. (Children can often be
bold in what they ask for.) It made us open to the world and to new
experiences. And if we felt frustrated and helpless for long enough
periods of time, this same energy could make us unusually combative.
As we get older and we encounter mounting frustrations, resistance
from others, and feelings of impatience for power, some among us may
become chronically aggressive. But another phenomenon is even more
common: we become uncomfortable with and even frightened of that
assertive energy within, and our own potential for aggressive behavior.
Being assertive and adventurous could lead to some failed action,
making us feel exposed and vulnerable. If we express this energy too
much, people may not like us. We could stir up conflict. Perhaps our
parents induced in us as well some shame for our aggressive outbursts.
In any event, we may come to view the aggressive part of the self as
dangerous. But since this energy cannot disappear, it turns inward,
and we create what the great English psychoanalyst Ronald Fairbairn
called the internal saboteur.
The saboteur operates like a persecutor from within, continually
judging and attacking us. If we are about to attempt something, it

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reminds us of the potential for failure. It tries to tamp down any
exuberance, because that could open us to criticism from others. It
makes us uncomfortable with strong sensations of pleasure or the
expression of deep emotion. It impels us to tamp down our ambitions,
the better to fit into the group and not stand out. It wants us to retreat
inward, where we can protect ourselves, even if that leads to
depression. And it makes us forge a fake self to present to the world,
one that is humble and self-effacing. In the end, the internal saboteur
works to lower our energy and constrain what we do, making our world
more manageable and predictable but also quite dead. It is the same
goal as the aggressor—gaining control over uncertainty—but through
the opposite means.
The internal saboteur can also have a dampening effect on our
mental powers. It discourages us from being bold and adventurous in
our thinking. We limit our ideas and settle for the conventional
opinions of the group, because that is safer. Creative people display
great aggressiveness in their thinking, as they try out many options
and search for possible solutions. By trying to rid ourselves of any kind
of aggressive impulse, we actually thwart our own creative energies.