Üsküdar Üniversitesi Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, was the guest of the ‘City Art’ Talks organized by Başakşehir Municipality. In the ‘Psychology Talks’ interview moderated by Journalist İsmail Halis, Tarhan made striking remarks. Emphasizing that the biggest reason for unhappiness is egoism, and that people who live for themselves cannot be happy, Tarhan stated that the human brain is programmed to be happy not when it is happy itself, but when others are happy.
“They continue their struggle with nobility”
In the highly attended interview held at Başakşehir City Art Center, Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, in his capacity as a psychiatrist, evaluated the attacks on Gaza and made statements about today's world. Tarhan said: “When vulnerable and disadvantaged people such as women, children, and the elderly are targeted, this constitutes oppression. In such a situation, seeking help from the Lord of the universe, not from others, is much more important. Our brothers and sisters in Gaza are doing this and continuing their struggle with nobility. Their fighting spirit has become an example to the whole world. Hopefully, Allah will grant them success, and we will stand taller. What Israel is currently doing is officially state terrorism, genocide, and those who are objective see this. We always say this, the press says it, and I said it too, but people remain neutral to this oppression for various reasons. Cemil Meriç has a saying; ‘To remain neutral when there is oppression is dishonorable.’ So, it's like remaining indifferent to such oppression currently...” he said.
“The Holy Quran began to be studied more…”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that after seeing the children in such a state, a person's failure to do anything in such a matter means losing their humanity, and even being able to say no verbally can bring about change. Tarhan said, “Its effect was also seen in the world; people started to study the Holy Quran more. It aroused curiosity, they ask, ‘How can these people resist, how can they endure?’... As they read, they see that these people believe in heaven, they believe in the afterlife, that's why they can endure... This time, they too are bringing the topic of believing in the afterlife to their minds. It has started to occur to the whole world.” he said.
“Don't say, 'What will happen if I say no?'…”
Tarhan emphasized that people living in Gaza are currently being attempted to be exiled and removed from their land, homeland, and the place they have lived for thousands of years, and he gave an example from the Occupation of Izmir. Tarhan said: “When Izmir was occupied, there was an action taken by Denizli Mufti Ahmet Hulusi Effendi on May 15, 1919. He gathered all the people of Denizli, said, ‘Everyone take a stone,’ and had them throw stones towards Izmir. This is called resistance in psychological warfare. Civil resistance, the civil resistance of society, awakens. The most important reason for the success of the War of Independence was that it was a total struggle. Therefore, civil resistance is not in vain. One should not say, ‘What will happen if I say no, what will happen if I say something?’ he said.
“Where power prevails is the jungle”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized that in today's world, it is not enough to be good, but one must also be strong, and he spoke about how one can be strong as a good person. Tarhan said: “If a person is just, they get results. Where power prevails is the jungle; then jungle laws are used. In jungle laws, the strong crush the weak. This is valid in the animal kingdom, but in the human kingdom, it is not the strong who win, but the righteous and the just. In the short term, it may seem like the strong win, but in the medium to long term, the righteous win.” he said.
“We will be the subject, not the object, of technology”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stating that there are those who avoid using technology in the 21st century and drawing attention to the importance of conscious use, said that technology is neutral and can be good when used for good purposes. Tarhan said: “If you use technology for bad purposes, it serves evil. We will be the subject, not the object, of technology. When I explain this, some people say, ‘If I go online, I cannot protect myself.’ This is no different from saying, ‘I might get injured in war, so I'll withdraw.’ Against cultures, we need to use it not as a threat but in the service of what is good and beautiful. Avoiding technology is a sin/burden…” he said.
“A person who lives for themselves cannot be happy”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stating that someone who cannot be their own leader also cannot be the leader of a family, said: “This is called neuro-leadership; it means managing the chemicals in the brain. It is about knowing where to stop, where to speed up, where to turn right, and where to turn left. Just as a car has an accelerator pedal, our brain has a reward and punishment system. The reward system is the accelerator, the punishment system is the brake. When you manage this, you also manage pleasures, and it works accordingly. A human being is a social creature who will thus produce meaning, contribute something to society, and contribute something to humanity. In other words, if a person lives for themselves, they cannot be happy. The biggest reason for unhappiness is egoism. There are unhappy people. All of them are selfish. Selfish people cannot be happy. It's impossible because the human brain is not programmed that way. The human brain should be able to be happy when others are happy.” he said.
“The biggest enemy of family communication is lack of empathy”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan drew attention to life being like concentric circles, noting that the most important is the small circle, meaning the circle of the self. Tarhan said: “In cultural change, the most important things in human life are duties, jobs; life is like concentric circles. The most important small circle is the circle of the self. The most important, most valuable nested circle is the center. It is for that person to know their strengths and weaknesses and to know themselves. They will have a life purpose, be visionary, have ideals, have expectations about life, and have goals. If one manages these, they should not be afraid. The environment cannot do anything to them; that person can be the captain of their own ship. They will manage themselves; this is called self-management. First is self-awareness to know oneself, second is self-management to manage oneself, third is social awareness to empathize, to know others. And fourth is being able to manage relationships. The most important pillar of relationship management, close relationships, starts with the family. Therefore, if someone can manage themselves, they can also very easily establish healthy relationships within the family. The biggest enemy of communication and family communication is a lack of empathy. It is not taking into account the other party's thoughts, feelings, rights, and needs.” he said.
“Our brain is like the government, our body like the state”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stating that a person gives a fight or flight response under stress, said: “When danger arises and there is acute stress, pupils dilate, all vascular resistance in the body increases, blood pressure rises, all fat and glucose stores in the body activate and immediately provide energy to the blood. Shoulder, neck, and back muscles contract, and it switches to fight mode. If you are scared, it's the opposite; blood vessels dilate, you fall flat and faint. So, the nervous system produces this fight or flight response. In moments of threat, the brain releases acidic chemicals. We call them the five points of darkness: malice, hatred, anger, jealousy, hostility. These protect a person from their enemy instantly, but if prolonged, these secretions are continuously released in people who are constantly under stress and constantly tense. Our brain is like the government, our body like the state. If the government is constantly stressed, all resources go to war, to tension, to polarization. If the captain's bridge breaks down, the state's own dynamic can withstand it up to a point, then easily resolves acute situations such as sadness or bankruptcy due to stress. In contrast to this, the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated. We call it sympathetic activation; the parasympathetic nervous system has the body's longest nerve: the Vagus nerve. It collects from all organs and goes to the brain. If the person has given a command, if they have triggered, if they have said ‘be calm, relax,’ the brain activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Muscles relax, the body calms down, and you get through it. Stress is such that, like a car, if you always run it at high RPMs, the engine will malfunction and wear out prematurely; similarly, if you constantly push the body at high levels, it will wear out.” he said.
“One must also consider the wisdom dimension of fate”
Tarhan drew attention to the fact that every event has both a threat aspect and an opportunity aspect, saying: “Calamity is not desired, but when it comes, one should not only consider its threat aspect but also think about its opportunity aspect and act accordingly. Here, one must also consider the wisdom dimension of fate. What is our duty here, everyone should ask themselves: ‘What is my duty here, what steps should I take, what should I do?’ At least at home, one should explain to children about this situation, saying, ‘There is such an oppression.’ We do not recommend children playing war games so they don't learn violence. Here there is living violence, real violence. Children need to see this and understand how cruel and oppressive it is. It is an opportunity to teach children the concepts of good and evil and friend and enemy. It needs to be evaluated in that way.” he said.
“If people do not experience revival by their own will, fate will make them experience revival through calamity”
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, stating that the world is undergoing a transformation process, said: “There is an incubation period, there is pain here; after incubation, there will be hatching, and these are also painful processes... We will be ready for this pain; in such a situation, we need to clearly determine our position: ‘Are we among the good, or among the bad?’ There are things we can do with our hands and our tongue (words). I believe this will lead to an awakening, to salvation from heedlessness. Because if people do not experience revival by their own will, fate will make them experience revival through calamity. There is such a law of psychology.” he said.
“Avoiding technology is a sin/burden”
Tarhan, drawing attention to the fact that all roads lead to the internet, said: “If electricity is an infrastructure, if water is an infrastructure, then the digital system is also a digital infrastructure. Those who dominate big data dominate the world. This is a current reality. The biggest benefit of the Covid pandemic was that it accelerated and facilitated adaptation to the digital world. If the Covid pandemic hadn't happened, the metaverse would have been fully realized in 2018. They would have swallowed cultures that neglected digitalization. There are many Eastern societies that miss out on digital. While the Roman Empire ruled the world with its stone roads in history, today all roads lead to the internet. It is digital technology, like a phone, like a car, like an airplane. Technology is neutral; if you use it for good purposes, it serves well. If you use it for bad purposes, it serves badly. We will be the subject, not the object, of technology. When I explain this, professor colleagues say, ‘If I go online, I cannot protect myself.’ This is no different from saying, ‘I might get injured in war, so I'll withdraw.’ The UK established a social media brigade in 2015. Now they have established a social media brigade, which means they see it as a battlefield. What happens if you miss this? We need to produce alternatives against this culture. Against these cultures, we need to use it not as a threat, but in the service of what is good and beautiful. Avoiding this is a sin/burden. One must go and fight there. It is a field of struggle.” he said.