Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan participated in the 'Conversations with Masters' program organized by the Turkish Airlines Aviation Academy. Speaking under the title "Human in a Changing World," Tarhan emphasized that modern life, despite increasing material prosperity, fails to provide psychological well-being, leading to an increase in social decay and psychiatric cases. Tarhan also stated that artificial intelligence could create manipulative effects on individuals with weak self-control. Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan drew attention to the importance of awareness and situation analysis in coping with anxiety and stress, while also offering suggestions on topics such as spiritual emptiness, protecting family values, and healthy communication with adolescents. Tarhan also conveyed that people can achieve true happiness by transcending themselves and that focusing on long-term goals activates the serotonergic system.
Members of the Turkish Airlines family showed great interest in the program held at the Turkish Airlines General Directorate.
“Modernism sowed rain, reaps storms”
Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that the decay in human values has begun; “Currently, when we look at global statistics, incidents of violence, suicides, divorces, and depression are increasing. In other words, we seriously see that psychological well-being unfortunately cannot be achieved parallel to material prosperity. Happiness measurements are being made, and trends are being observed. These trends show that social decay is occurring. So, why is this social decay happening? Why are psychiatric cases increasing? Why is violence increasing? Technology has arrived, life has become easier, but parallel to this, there is a degeneration, a decay, in human values. This issue has now become a serious area where science is trying to produce solutions. In other words, modernism, as it were, sowed rain but is reaping storms. We see that the outwardly flashy structure of Western culture is decaying from within. We also need to produce global solutions because this illness has spread to us too. For the last 10 years, we have also been rapidly experiencing social disintegration. Both individually and societally… Life has become easier, faster, and we have become more focused on pleasure. And there are biological weaknesses within humans. They exist in all of us. For example, the passion for pleasure and dopamine is a biological weakness. Humans lose control the moment they see dopamine. What does this mean? It means addiction. It means a pleasure-oriented life. Modern humans chose to live a dopamine-oriented life. Capital culture taught this. Capital culture built a global identity, and this identity tells us, ‘The purpose of life is pleasure. Everything is permissible to achieve pleasure.’ At this point, a pleasure-oriented life opens the door to psychological decay.” he began his words.
Beware of AI psychosis!
Answering a question about artificial intelligence, Tarhan noted that individuals without self-control are manipulated by AI. Tarhan stated; “Opposition to artificial intelligence is very meaningless, even absurd. Because artificial intelligence is a technology. Technology itself is inherently neutral. If you use it for good purposes, it produces good results; if you use it for wrong purposes, it will ruin you. Currently, especially young people and individuals with fragile mental health, when they get too engrossed in artificial intelligence, a condition we call AI psychosis has started to emerge. It teaches hallucinations, guides the person. There are even cases of suicide that have been published and entered the literature. Artificial intelligence has become so skilled that… if the person opposite loses control, AI treats them almost like a child. It guides them like a mother manages her child, says things they will like, gives them things to think about, and directs the person. There are even examples where it has caused people to divorce their spouses. This is very dangerous, but most of the time, we are not aware of it. Because artificial intelligence is attractive, it draws people in. If a person does not have self-discipline or cannot perform internal control, artificial intelligence can manipulate them very easily.” he said.
‘If you’re not a brand enthusiast, you’re worthless’ understanding is spreading!
Tarhan stated that the capitalist system encourages consumption; “Another aspect of the age of pleasure and speed is that it is an age of consumption. Capitalist methodology tries to increase production not by increasing production itself, but by increasing consumption. When consumption increases, competition also increases. Where there is competition, a global holy trinity is formed through brand, status, and fame. The capitalist system presents this as an ego ideal and manipulates people in this way. Brand obsession emerges. The understanding of ‘If you’re not a brand enthusiast, you’re worthless’ is spreading. For this reason, a book titled ‘The Narcissism Epidemic’ was published in America. Because narcissism has become a global problem. The capitalist system says you must be at the forefront to be hardworking and productive. It teaches you to be in the top three in an environment where seven people are competing. As a result, three out of ten people succeed, while seven are unhappy. This system is not beneficial for human mental health. A system should be able to make at least 70-80 percent of society happy. However, the capitalist doctrine is not like this. The capitalist system is a structure that primarily serves power-oriented individuals. If we buy into this capitalist morality, we become its victims.” he said.
“Narcissism is actually present in every human”
Drawing attention to narcissism, Tarhan emphasized that narcissism should be used correctly. Tarhan stated; “Because this age has inflated the ego so much, people’s biggest organ has become their ego. I came across a saying by Imam Ghazali about this. They ask him, ‘What does a person need to do to be successful in this world?’ Ghazali says, ‘They need to abandon arrogance.’ They ask, ‘So what does one need to do to be successful in the afterlife?’ He gives the same answer again, ‘They need to abandon arrogance.’ What we call arrogance is actually narcissism. Seeing one’s ego, oneself as great, special, important, superior… A person who thinks this way closes themselves off to criticism, sees themselves as a god on earth. In psychoanalysis, this is called the feeling of omnipotence. They feel like an omnipotent, very powerful being who does everything. They dominate their child, dominate those around them, and think everyone must listen to them. This attitude leads people to make big mistakes. This is especially what causes managers to make the most mistakes. Every mother is a leader, every father is a leader, everyone is the leader of their own life. Narcissism is actually present in every human being. It is an inner core inherent in human nature. It is like nuclear energy. If used correctly, it is beneficial. A person knows themselves, respects themselves, and has self-confidence. However, if they close themselves off to criticism, narcissism turns into pathology.” he explained.
“Even if our family values are shaken, we manage to protect them”
Tarhan stated that the drift in the family structure is protected by cultural ties; “As a culture, no matter how much our family values are shaken, we manage to protect them. A Western sociologist is conducting family research in Turkey. They are looking at whether it's a nuclear family or an extended family. But they see that the family in Turkey fits neither the concept of an extended family nor that of a nuclear family… In an apartment building, everyone lives like a nuclear family, but the entire apartment building is made up of relatives. Even if no foreigners come, kinship ties are established in many places. The sociologist even says, ‘Turkey has become a confederation of nuclear families.’ In other words, we have produced our own interim solution. An example can also be given through music. Why did Arabesque music become so widespread during the Republican era, when it was not common during the Ottoman period? Because folk music and Turkish classical music were banned in Turkey until the 1950s. When it was banned, people started listening to Arabic music on radios, and that music gradually became cultural. Music that existed only in Urfa turned into the general music of Turkey. In other words, pressures feed their opposite. The situation is similar in the family. As pressure is applied to a child, the child turns in the opposite direction. Authoritarian and totalitarian methods in family relationships generate their opposite. This must be known. A similar situation applies in a cultural sense. We are currently experiencing a drift in family structure, but our cultural codes are still protected.” he said.
“One of the diseases of this era is spiritual emptiness…”
Tarhan stated that one can achieve true happiness by transcending oneself; “One of the diseases of this era is spiritual emptiness. Aristotle divided happiness into two. Maslow added a third dimension to this. The first is pleasure happiness, the second is meaning happiness, and the third is transcendental happiness, which is the happiness of self-transcendence. If a person transcends themselves, they achieve ideal happiness. For example, a person attributing meaning to music or art, pursuing meaning in their life, makes them happy. However, one must also explain death and the afterlife. At the top of Maslow's hierarchy of psychosocial needs was initially self-actualization. But later, Maslow placed self-transcendence on top of this. A person who can transcend themselves is someone who can help others. The word 'manevi' (spiritual) in Arabic means 'meaningful'. In fact, it is about giving meaning to the work done, to life and existence. If one does not give meaning to the question ‘Why do I exist in this world?’, one drifts. Because no living creature other than humans searches for meaning. Young people ask these questions, they question. We can show them the truth when we synthesize religion and science. Because both positive sciences and religious sciences are two branches of the same truth. They are not rivals but complementary to each other.” he said.
“Work done with a sense of flow ceases to be a burden”
Tarhan stated that where there is teamwork, the stress level will be low; “Career pressure is one of the most common group stresses, especially in workplaces. Due to the capitalist system’s ‘Produce, earn, consume’ cycle, the understanding that ‘the more you produce, the more valuable you are’ emerged. In fact, the measure of worth began to be shaped by how much you consume. This also increases career pressure. In consulting services, leadership is the most important factor at this point. If the leadership is good and there is an inclusive leadership approach, one-on-one relationships can be established, and people can talk about their problems instead of internalizing them. This makes the solution easier. In institutions with teamwork, stress decreases at the group and corporate levels. Individually, if a person enjoys their work, they do not get stressed. If they do the work with a sense of flow, meaning they lose track of time when engrossed, then that work ceases to be a burden.” he said.
“A person who can focus on long-term goals activates the serotonergic system”
Tarhan drew attention to the importance of the ability to delay gratification; “There are two types of meaning in life. Material meanings and spiritual meanings. Concrete meaning is related to needs and desires like 'I want a house, I want a car.' But art, music, or academic success are also forms of meaning. For example, a student preparing for a university exam is a pleasure-oriented process, but this instills a future-oriented ability to delay gratification. Delaying gratification means being able to think about future rewards. A person who can reject short-term pleasure and focus on long-term goals activates the serotonergic system in the brain. Thus, the pleasure obtained becomes more lasting and sustainable. Instant pleasure is related to dopamine. For example, if a child wants chocolate and the mother gives it immediately, the child is satisfied with instant dopamine. However, this prevents the child from developing patience. If the mother says, ‘Finish your homework first, then you'll get the chocolate,’ the child thinks about the future reward while studying. This strengthens the serotonergic system and increases the child's ability to wait patiently for a reward.” he explained.
“In conflicts with adolescents, adults are the ones who lose”
Answering questions from the participants, Tarhan drew attention to the need for good communication with adolescents. Tarhan stated; “Having an adolescent child is truly a great test. Generation Z adolescents are egocentric, conformist, and want to try many things. They question everything. If we establish a good relationship with them, make the home a safe space, and if they love the home, they will return even if they make mistakes. In the adolescent problems we encounter most often, if there are mother-child or father-child conflicts, the adults are usually the losers. A person who goes to war with their child loses that war. Therefore, we will not fight with our child, or even our spouse; we will be companions on the journey of life with them. Instead of giving advice or lectures to our child, we will be good role models. Instead of giving commands and orders, we will offer options. For example, instead of saying, ‘Take this t-shirt and wear it!’, we will take out four or five t-shirts and ask them to choose the most attractive one. We will tell them, ‘Choose what you want.’ By doing this, the child will experience the feeling of ‘I did it’ and satisfy their autonomy. The mother and father will also not lose control. Don’t get into ego wars with simple methods like these; you will lose.” he concluded.
Tarhan also signed his books for his readers…
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist, Author Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan signed his works for the participants after the talk.
The book signing ceremony, which took place in a warm atmosphere, witnessed colorful moments.
