With the participation of the President of Üsküdar University, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, a talk on “The Effects of Cities on Human Psychology” was held as part of the Amasya International Atatürk Culture and Art Festival on the 107th anniversary of the Amasya Circular. The talk was attended by prominent figures of the protocol, including Amasya Governor Önder Bakan and Amasya Deputies.
Amasya, a place where Anatolian wisdom embodies…
In the talk moderated by Kasım Alper Özdemir, which attracted great interest from the people of Amasya, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan made striking statements. Tarhan began the talk by saying, “It's impossible not to come when Amasya is mentioned. Because Amasya is the embodiment of Anatolian wisdom. It is one of the pillars in our Anatolia that makes us who we are. It is the city of princes. Therefore, it is very difficult to put into words what we feel here, our emotions.” He then made evaluations on many topics, from the effect of cities on the human soul to family structure, from digital threats faced by young people to psychological resilience.
Cities leave permanent marks on people…
Prof. Tarhan stated that cities leave permanent marks on people and spoke as follows:
“Every city has an identity, a soul. Amasya also has a soul. We see that this soul is still alive despite all the upheavals, storms, and difficulties brought by modernism. We can feel this very clearly when we look from our own childhood to today. In Amasya's center, as well as in its districts, there are memories, stories, and experiences we carry from our childhood years. When all these come together, a person takes root. For a person to love the city or homeland they live in, they must establish emotional ties there that add meaning to their personality and life. As these ties strengthen, the sense of belonging also takes root. Because what truly comforts a person is not just buildings or walls; what is important are identity ties, social relationships, and the strong sense of belonging that surrounds a person. All these ties bind us to the city we live in. Therefore, every city has its own unique identity and soul. In this respect, Amasya is one of those cities that connects people to itself and is hard to forget. Indeed, wherever you meet someone from Amasya in the world, you immediately see a warm smile on their faces. The city has an energy.”
Neighborhood culture forms the basis of psychological resilience
Emphasizing that experiences gained during childhood are determinant in a person’s psychological structure, Prof. Tarhan said, “Experiences lived in a city are like seeds sown in a developing soul. A person first learns from their mother and father; then, they are nourished by the neighborhood, neighborly relations, and the culture of the city they live in. All these accumulations are sown like seeds in our developing soul. Over the years, these seeds sprout, grow, and shape our personality and identity. Therefore, it is extremely important for the seeds sown in childhood to be healthy. Current psychological resilience research also reveals this. In these studies, how an individual copes with and overcomes traumas experienced during childhood emerges as an important determinant. Of course, everyone can experience various difficulties and storms during their childhood years. However, Anatolia’s strong neighborhood culture, as is the case in Amasya, offers significant support in coping with these difficulties. The feeling of solidarity protects people from loneliness, strengthens their sense of belonging, and increases their psychological well-being.”
Loneliness has become a global threat
Prof. Tarhan noted that in the United Nations' reports on the future, loneliness is listed as a global threat alongside income inequality and the climate crisis, stating:
“One of the strongest aspects of Anatolian culture is its understanding of friendship and solidarity developed against loneliness. It is still possible to see the warm relationships and spirit of mutual aid among people. When something bad happens to a person, the immediate rush of those around them to help is a reflection of the feeling of compassion that neighborhood culture instills in people.”
Modernization is not urbanization…
Pointing to the importance of cities preserving their identity, Prof. Tarhan said, “Where urbanization is limited, city identity develops more strongly, and this identity eventually transforms into the soul of that city. Amasya is one of the beautiful examples of this. The conservation efforts carried out by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and such events also support this. Societies that modernize while preserving their own culture can develop without losing their identities. It is not correct to view modernization solely as urbanization. Historical and spiritually valuable cities like Amasya, Manisa, and Eyüp Sultan are symbols of our collective memory and cultural identity. Therefore, preserving Amasya's symbolic value and transmitting it to future generations is of great importance.”
Technology accelerates, but values determine the direction
Pointing out that young people face risks such as digital addiction, loneliness, and substance addiction, Prof. Tarhan stated that the importance of psychological resilience has increased in this process.
Prof. Tarhan stated that they submitted a project based on psychological resilience to the Ministry of Youth and Sports and made the following evaluations:
“Just as a body with a strong immune system is more resistant to diseases, individuals and families with a strong psychological immune system are more resistant to the upheavals of the digital world. Technology has accelerated our lives, but human values will determine the direction. Those who can preserve these values will survive in the future. Individuals who cannot preserve the values that will guide the future can turn into individuals swept away by the digital world. Therefore, psychological resilience has become more important than ever today. A positive state of mind is a person's ability to develop a balanced attitude towards life. What is important here is not just for the person to be happy, but to be at peace. Peace is a person's ability to maintain inner balance not only in good times but also in difficult times. It is for a person to see both good and bad and to be ready for the best in all circumstances. The concept we call life satisfaction is also related to this. Being satisfied with life, finding meaning, and enjoying life are the main indicators of a positive state of mind.
And this is the first condition for psychological resilience. A person must be able to maintain their spiritual balance even under difficult circumstances; and in good circumstances, they must be able to continue on their path without becoming spoiled. People who do not lose their inner peace, whether in prison or in a palace, are those who can establish this balance. In fact, our cultural heritage, which we call Anatolian wisdom, has transmitted this understanding from generation to generation for centuries. Parents, neighbors, and neighborhood culture have been the carriers of these values. However, today, societal norms are undergoing a major transformation. Legal norms are changing, traditions and customs are changing, and intra-family norms are changing. Technology and digital tools are also entering homes and affecting the family structure.
In the face of this change, what will keep people standing are the guiding values. Individuals with strong psychological resilience are those who can maintain a sense of meaning and purpose in their lives. Because people who pursue a meaningful goal can maintain their spiritual balance more easily. In contrast, people who have no purpose in life are more prone to being swept away by events.”
Family exists not to protect the child, but to prepare them for life
Addressing the roles parents should undertake while raising children in the digital age, Prof. Tarhan stated that the family should be a safe haven.
Prof. Tarhan said, “The home should be a place where the child feels safe. However, the family is not just a protector, but also an institution that prepares the child for the difficulties of life. Motherhood and fatherhood are more about preparing the child for life than making them happy. If a child returns home willingly and does not feel judged, that home has created a strong family environment.”
Quality social relationships are the strongest predictor of happiness
Referring to Harvard University's long-standing happiness research, Prof. Tarhan stated that the most important factor distinguishing happy and healthy individuals from others is meaningful social relationships, and said, “What makes people happy is not just wealth, fame, or position. People who can establish deep, quality, and meaningful social relationships lead healthier and more peaceful lives. The feeling of friendship, trust, and belonging is one of the most important needs of human psychology.”
Artificial intelligence should be our assistant, not our captain
Drawing attention to the risks that artificial intelligence can pose, especially for children and adolescents, Prof. Tarhan emphasized the importance of conscious use of technology.
Prof. Tarhan said, “Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool that makes our lives easier, but we must be the ones managing it. If we completely leave control to technology, distortions in reality perception may emerge. Artificial intelligence should be our assistant, not our captain.”
Unrequited kindness makes people biologically happy too
Prof. Tarhan made evaluations regarding the effects of unrequited acts of kindness on human psychology, stating, “In psychological resilience studies, there is an important concept called ‘prosocial values’. Prosocial values refer to acts of kindness without expecting anything in return, helping others, and behaviors that prioritize social benefit. There is a striking research conducted at Harvard University on this topic. In the study, two different groups of young people are given a certain amount of money. One group is asked to spend this money as they wish, while the other group is asked to use the money for selfless help to people in need. Researchers measure the participants' stress levels before and after the intervention. The results are quite striking. Although dopamine secretion related to happiness increases in individuals who spend the money on themselves, stress hormones are observed to remain high. In contrast, in individuals who use the money to help others, both stress hormones decrease and biochemical processes related to happiness are found to strengthen. The happiness of the person helped also returns as positive emotions to the helper. Therefore, acts of unrequited kindness and helping others are among the elements of psychological resilience that are also scientifically supported today.”
Anatolian people should not lose hope
Answering questions from participants and giving a message of hope to young people and families, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan emphasized that hope is the strongest antidote to societal pessimism.
He stated that uncertainty and anxiety about the future are experienced in many parts of the world today and added:
“Despite all the storms that the future may bring, I believe that one of the strongest voices to guide humanity will rise from the people of Anatolia. Because these lands have been the bearer of a civilization that has succeeded in generating hope in the face of difficulties throughout history. The issue we must particularly focus on today is keeping the feeling of hope alive. We must not succumb to despair and pessimism. One of the problems we frequently encounter today is the increasing anxiety about the future and the sense of uncertainty in society. One of the important features of the human brain is its perception of uncertainty as a threat. When uncertainty increases, people begin to withdraw, avoid taking risks, and lean towards pessimism. Therefore, preserving the feeling of hope is of great importance. We must not lose our trust in Anatolia’s deep-rooted culture and its power of resistance throughout history. Our biggest enemy is hopelessness. As long as we can maintain hope, we can find the strength within ourselves to overcome every difficulty we face.”
“If Amasya were in the hands of the USA, it would be a tourism center like Paris”
Emphasizing that Amasya is an important center in history, culture, and tourism, Tarhan said, “If Amasya were in the hands of the Americans, they would make it a tourism center like Paris. Because it carries the Bronze Age, Hellenistic Era, Roman, Seljuk, and Ottoman periods to the present day.”
