The Monsters Beneath the Floorboards: Rethinking Socialization for Genuine Integration.

Our social constructs are deeply flawed. The process of socialization, which begins from the moment we enter this world, teaches us to fragment ourselves to deem some aspects acceptable and others shameful, pushing parts of ourselves into shadow, into hiding. This division starts small but grows insidiously. It’s not just an internal split; it reflects in the way society operates. It creates a world of “this is good, that is bad,” a world of 'me versus the other.'

This disconnection, this segregation of self and society, manifests in the wars we fight, the hatred we project, and the systems that perpetuate suffering. The justice system, for example, thrives on shame and disconnection, punishing people who embody the very shadows society refuses to acknowledge. Yet, these structures meant to control and enforce compliance are the very reason for the disarray we see today.

The Dangerous Game of Suppression

Take a child, for instance. Imagine they feel jealousy a natural emotion but this emotion bothers their parent. To gain approval and closeness, the child learns to suppress jealousy, burying it deep within, like a monster under the floorboards. Over time, they forget this jealousy exists at all. They might even declare, “I’m not a jealous person at all.” But those buried parts of self don’t disappear. They cry out from beneath the surface, causing inner turmoil, mistrust, and self-sabotage.

We’ve been taught for millennia to transcend our 'bad' with 'good,' our darkness with light. Spiritual teachers and self help gurus often perpetuate this split, offering tools to bypass the discomfort of these suppressed aspects. They promise transformation through meditation, retreats, or light body activation methods that often deepen the divide. The truth is, true healing doesn’t lie in more escapism. It lies in integration.

Integration is the revolution we need!

Integration is the revolution we’re called to join. It’s not about eradicating darkness but merging it with light. It’s about owning the parts of ourselves we’ve been taught to disown the jealousy, anger, and fear. Instead of projecting these shadows outward with hatred or judgment, we must face them, embrace them, and bring them into harmony with the rest of who we are.

Criminals, for instance, are the embodiment of society’s collective shadow the parts we refuse to see within ourselves. The murderer, the thief, the violent all of these are reflections of our own suppressed shadows. Society separates them, shames them, and imprisons them. But this approach fails to solve the problem. Instead, crime escalates, prisons overflow, and the cycle of disconnection and separation continues.

To truly rehabilitate and integrate these people, we must connect with their humanity. We must understand their unmet needs, their pain, and the circumstances that led them to their actions. This doesn’t mean condoning harmful behavior but acknowledging that no one commits harm in a vacuum. Every crime stems from disconnection from others, from society, and from self.

The same principle applies to our own lives. To achieve the relationships, health, or happiness we desire, we must confront the challenges in our path. Those challenges often stem from the monsters under the floorboards the parts of ourselves we’ve disowned. Yet again healing doesn’t come from bypassing the pain; it comes from moving through it.

This revolution requires us to take risks that feel unsafe. It challenges the social constructs we’ve lived by and asks us to step into vulnerability and accountability. It’s about dismantling unstable structures, both within and around us, and rebuilding with authenticity and integrity.

The ultimate vision isn’t just coping with the world as it is; it’s creating a world we don’t need to cope with a world rooted in connection, understanding, and integration.

This isn’t a process for the faint hearted. It requires courage to embrace our shadows and sit with our discomfort. But the reward is worth it. Integration leads to the happiness, peace, and wholeness we’ve been seeking all along.

The monsters under the floorboards are not our enemies; they are parts of us waiting to be reclaimed. By embracing them, we don’t just heal ourselves; we transform society. This is the revolution we are ready for. Will you join?

Let’s reimagine the process of socialization. Let’s repair the harm caused by separation and reclaim our truth, power, and authenticity. The time for integration is now.