"VIEWS OF HILLARY AND BARACK SEEN BENEATH CLOSED EYELIDS
A REVIEW OF 300+ DREAMS ABOUT THE CANDIDATES
by Dr. Robert Van de Castle with editorial input from Carol D. Warner
An analysis of the 333 dreams collected by Sheila Heti on her website, Metaphysical Poll (or: I Dream of Hillary… I Dream of Barack…) at www.metaphysicalpoll.com.
Beginning in February 2008, people emailed the author dreams in which Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and/or John McCain appeared. A selection of these dreams were edited and posted by Sheila Heti. The postings began on February 18, 2008 and ceased on May 23, 2008.
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~ Table of Contents ~
The Role of Dreams in Our Lives Introduction Editorial Note Male Dreams of Hillary Female Dreams of Hillary Female Dreams of Barack Male Dreams of Barack Conclusion About Dr. Robert Van de Castle
…03 …05 …07 …08 …13 …37 …40 …49 …51
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~ The Role of Dreams in Our Lives ~
Humankind has always been interested in trying to understand the dramatic scenarios known as dreams that we recall upon awakening. Many theories have been advanced about the sources involved in creating these nocturnal dramas. Perhaps most implausible, at least to me, is the theory advanced by those scientists who propose that dreams essentially originate in gibberish. Their explanation for the elegant, sophisticated imagery reported in the dreams shared by respondents of this site – and which bear striking similarities to the visual imagery one sees on political news broadcasts, etc. – is a simple one: random neuronal impulses are sent from a very primitive part of our sleeping brain, and the overwhelmed brain attempts to make sense of these random firings.
Many other current researchers – myself included – feel that dreams are created because emotional events occurred during the waking life of an individual which did not get adequately assimilated before they fell asleep. This “unfinished business” provides the raw material for the dreamer’s mind to reprocess the material to better be able to assimilate it into the dreamer’s view of him- or herself and how the universe operates. The dreaming mind has access to a vast reservoir of personal experience accumulated in one’s life. Through examining dream content remembered upon waking, an individual may discover insights about the patterns of thinking that contribute to their emotional distress in waking life. There seems to be a fair amount of agreement that the dreamer may also possess access to archetypal and emotional material and images that came “prepackaged” in the software package we inherited at birth.
There is, at present, a great deal of curiosity about how the upcoming elections in the United States will manifest, and, as usual, tens of millions of dollars have been invested in sophisticated polling techniques to determine the attitudes of voters. Sometimes these polls are quite accurate in predicting which states will favor selected candidates and which topics are of most interest to voters of a certain demographic background.
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Sometimes, however, the polls turn out to be inaccurate to a surprising degree. Voters might report to a pollster that they intend to vote a certain way because that is the “politically correct” stance to take on a candidate or about a controversial issue, but their behavior in the privacy of the voting booth may be quite different from what they publicly espoused.
A question that naturally arises when reading over these dreams is whether the sort of imagery that potential voters remember and report upon awakening provides a “deeper” assessment of how a potential voter “really” feels about a given candidate or topic – at a level more profound than that which is accessible in an interview with a pollster.
As a researcher who has been involved with dreams for over 40 years, it is my opinion that there is a marked correspondence between the dream imagery people report and their waking actions and behavior. This is called the “continuity theory,” which essentially says that there is a significant continuity between dream behavior and waking-life behavior.
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~ Introduction ~
The dreams used for analyses were submitted to Sheila Heti as a result of a request made through the media and to readers of her website. The responses were not sent by a random sample of dreamers, nor do they represent any population stratification which would ordinarily be included in more careful demographic polling, such as geographic locale, socio-economic class, education, age, marital status, or other variables.
My assumption is that respondents sent in dream accounts because of a serious conscious or unconscious interest in the candidates. Women made up the larger percentage (almost two-thirds) of the dreams posted on the site, but a reasonably large number of men also contributed dreams. In some cases it was not possible to know the gender of the dreamer with any certainty.
One may ask why predominantly women reported their dreams. It is known from extensive lab investigations that women have the same percentage of REM sleep as men. The ability to recall dreams is constant between the sexes (although women use somewhat more words to describe the content of their dreams). Women are more open to requests about their views on interpersonal and communication issues. The subject of this survey is extremely captivating for women: the recent nomination contest between the two Democratic candidates had very positive emotional valences with regard to each candidate. Women may feel vindicated and empowered because a female candidate was at last receiving very active consideration for the top executive position in our government, while the male candidate has a great deal of personal charisma, sexual appeal, and platform eloquence.
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It is my impression that the occupations of the dreamers included in this sample are drawn mainly from the professional and white collar category. Overall, respondents might be considered to represent sort of a “Starbucks contingency” – those who would discuss a recent dream over a cup of coffee.
In my analyses, each of the candidates’ perceived attributes will be considered from the point of view of male dreamers and female dreamers separately. I will attempt to quote from the dream being considered. I will also refer to the number assigned to each dream on the website, so the full dream can be examined by the reader. Dreams with an HC affix refer to dreams at idreamofhillary.blogspot.com; dreams with a BO affix: idreamofbarack.blogspot.com; dreams with a COM affix: idreamofboth.blogspot.com.
Not all the dreams reviewed have been cited in this study. Some dreams did not readily fit into any categories, while others did not contain very clear clues as to whether the dreamer possessed a positive, negative, or concerned attitude about the candidate.
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In order to place my subsequent comments in context, I should share my bias: I favor Barack Obama as my preferred presidential candidate, as my perception is that he intends to find some sort of method for respecting and synthesizing the disparate views that currently characterize the state of demoralization and loss of hope affecting our country.
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~ Editorial Note ~
When Sheila Heti began her call for dreams, there was no plan for a formal research project. Dreamers were asked to send in details about themselves including gender, age, location, profession and marital status, and respondents complied in varying degrees: sometimes gender was stated, sometimes not.
Bob Van de Castle is the seventh person to analyze the dreams on the site. His background in developing Content Analysis of Dreams makes him one of the world’s leading experts in understanding gender, age, cultural etc. differences in dreams. Once he began looking at the dream collection with his content analysis perspective, he began noting clear general patterns in male and female dreaming of Obama and Hillary, and conceived the idea of writing an analysis based on observable gender differences. His article is based on his observations of these trends, but because the source material in some cases lacked significant information about the dreamers, educated guesswork, at times, came into play.
The clear limitation of this study is that it was not set up under strictly scientific conditions, and represents a number of subjectivities: on the part of Sheila Heti, who posted only a selection of dreams on the site, and in the case of Bob Van de Castle, in the case of individual bias in analysis. The incredible strengths of this study are the general patterns and trends this fascinating collection of dreams demonstrates about people’s feelings and perceptions regarding the candidates. Bob’s work-up of Sheila’s large dream collection compellingly shows gender differences in perception of the candidates, and reveals specific details about those differences.
– Carol D. Warner, Editorial Consultant
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~ Male Dreams of Hillary ~
Sexual content Friendly interactions with Hillary Romantic interactions with Hillary Hillary praises the dreamer Hillary as a ruthless opponent Hillary’s lack of credibility Hillary in a presidential role
…08 …09 …10 …10 …10 …11 …12
~
SEXUAL CONTENT
A married man dreams that Hillary wants him to date her. Although he respectfully declines, she insists he consider her advances with an undertone of or else. She takes off her dress and asked him to check her out. The dreamer noticed she was wearing average women’s underwear that is not very flattering [HC18]. A New York designer reports a dream where Hillary has a rumpled silk blouse and she is wearing only underwear – and not particularly impressive underwear: kind of grey and a little baggy [HC102]. Underwear also comes up for scrutiny by a married man when Hillary is a guest in their home and puts on one of his wife’s light cashmere sweaters over a black bra. The dreamer protests that the bra shows through the fabric glaringly [HC45]
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Hillary is not an available sex partner for an older art critic. He picks her up at a peace rally and they go to her apartment where she has a waterbed, Melanie poster, and a book of Kahlil Gibran’s poems, but she won’t put out. This leaves the dreamer really put off, but with grudging respect for her [HC74].
She engages in love making with a 24-year-old Texan man who discovers that to my frustration, my lovemaking skills were not enough for her. I woke up so confused and disappointed by my failure to please her. I awoke feeling sexually inadequate for the first time in my life and saw how all of the power in Hillary’s life was acquired through a personal sacrifice of sexual desires [HC25]. A married man is at a county fair. Hillary walks up to him, introduces herself, and asks if the dreamer was going to vote for her. When the dreamer indicates that he hasn’t yet decided and needs more information, she tells him that she had to go to the restroom and if he goes with her into the bathroom, she will talk to him while she takes care of business. The dreamer, however, refuses. He doesn’t want to get caught in a women’s restroom with Hillary Clinton [HC10].
FRIENDLY INTERACTIONS WITH HILLARY
A married man living in Toronto dreams he is shopping for dinner when he runs into his mom, then sees Hillary in the back of the store with eyes shining. I stepped forward and said, ‘Hi, Hillary.’ I was impressed by her handshake. She looked me right in the eyes. ‘And what’s your name?’ she said. I told her my name and she smiled: ‘That’s a nice name’ [HC37]. An American student living in Turkey is sitting across a picnic table where Hillary is eating a hamburger. I wanted to say something to her, but couldn’t think of anything to say. I would begin to ask her a question, but then I would just smile. She would smile back [HC32]. A journalist interviewing Hillary meets him in the grand entrance hall of what looked like a 19th-century building. She was smiling and we walked out together. I remember finding her hot [HC113].
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ROMANTIC INTERACTIONS WITH HILLARY
A food writer is in the kitchen of his country house when Hillary sits next to him. She speaks to the dreamer very gently and is very affectionate and wants to know how I am doing, and with each answer I give, she closes her eyes and brings my hand up to her cheek [HC62]. A young Canadian dreams: My head was resting on Hillary’s thigh, and she brought her hand down to my cheek as I nuzzled into her jeans [HC41].
HILLARY PRAISES THE DREAMER
A young lawyer in D.C. is pleased that he knows what to say in a college classroom: We’re having a discussion about current economic troubles. Hillary is teaching the class and she is using the Socratic method, trying to elicit the correct response. No one is getting her point, so I raise my hand and she calls on me. I say, ‘The problem is liquidity!’ She agrees: ‘Exactly.’ I feel so proud [HC92].
HILLARY AS A RUTHLESS OPPONENT
When sexually rejected in a dream, Hillary’s Secret Service people begin pursuing the dreamer. They said they needed to find him or else Hillary is going to be mad as hell [HC18]. A 25-year-old dreamer reports: Hillary had plotted against me and my friend and was trying to destroy us, and had set her thugs upon us. The thugs chase them and the dreamer eventually runs into Hillary and tries to convince her to let them go because they were on the same side [HC111]. A writer in Colorado begins firing at two women with a rifle: The first woman drops dead, but Hillary is only wounded and turns to me and returns fire. When he runs out of ammo, Hillary comes after him and stalks him. The dreamer reports: I have a sense that the fight is not over [HC83].
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HILLARY’S LACK OF CREDIBILITY
Hillary’s credibility is suspected in some dreams. A history professor is in a seven-cardstud poker game with Hillary. She is the bettor. The dreamer keeps calling her each time. In the end, she claimed to have a flush but then showed several different colored trinkets which she insisted was in fact a flush. Hillary refuses to accept the dreamer’s hand which is a higher flush, and she took the pot [HC125]. A New York-based graphic designer is at a school gym as Hillary and Barack are trying to shoot hoops. The basketballs are flat, worn, heavy and hard to throw, the dreamer complains, but Hillary is adamant that everything is completely fine; we’re having a great time. She keeps shooting but nothing is going any where near the hoop [COM4]. A man who is both a clarinet and saxophone player observes a jazz band playing. Hillary was in front of the stage with the mike, trying to be hip and somewhat relating to black people using language like ‘Let me tell y’all about it!’ Then she started to play the saxophone – she sounded awful [HC65]. A 38year-old married man with three daughters is chasing Hillary down a sidewalk, but she indicates she didn’t want to talk with him. He ends up pressing her against a brick wall and asks her why the Democratic Party has not been getting behind Barack but rather tearing him down when he had grown up so poor… truly poor. At that point, Hillary breaks eye contact and looked off in a peevish kind of way that said to me that she knew I was right, but that she couldn’t be bothered [HC121].
A journalist expatriate in Budapest gets Hillary’s cell phone number and calls her. When she answers, I want to tell her not to play so dirty in the campaign, but then I realize there’s no way she’s going to listen to me. I tell her that I think she should use good karma in the campaign [HC66].
Reasons for not voting for Hillary are expressed in other dreams. A Hillary supporter puts a tiny action figure of Hillary back together after a terrible plane crash and tells her ‘That’s the second time we’ve brought you back from the dead this week!’ When the dreamer goes to give her a hug, her mood immediately changed. ‘I don’t do hugs,’ she said coldly, which makes the dreamer suddenly very angry and embarrassed. Her tone
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was incredibly rude. I thought, ‘Well, if she’s going to be like that. I’ll just vote for Obama!’ [HC122]. A Barack supporter is on a plane. It starts to experience mechanical difficulties and the pilot has to land at a fairly busy highway. This takes out a couple of cars but everyone on the plane is safe. Later, the dreamer sees a newspaper with a headline that reads: Clinton Pilots Plane to Safety and a bunch of pictures of Hillary smiling and being congratulated on saving the lives of the passengers [HC104].
Hillary’s priorities may be questionable in the dream of a graphic designer who is in an industrial city in Eastern Europe. There is a war in the streets, and after jumping from one roof top to another, he and some others wind up in a warehouse and we start fingerpainting at little art stations. The dreamer is awe-struck by her presence. Hillary announces she is holding a rally and asks who she can count on to come. I raise my hand and shout ‘Go Hillary!’ The dreamer’s enthusiasm is met by groans from others. I remember that a war is raging outside and suddenly feel ashamed [HC91].
HILLARY IN A PRESIDENTIAL ROLE
After Hillary becomes president, several other countries declared war on America and were going to launch nuclear weapons and Clinton and others were ready to surrender to prevent devastation of the population [HC36]. A middle-aged man in Calgary is very frightened because Hillary was president and was ordering a nuclear strike [HC42]. After Hillary wins the election with Barack as VP, a Baptist dreamer was watching a news broadcast from Mexico. They were complaining about the huge number of illegal aliens that were flooding in from the United States [HC9].
In another dream, Hillary is going to give a concession speech. Her voice began choking up. Everybody became very upset in an almost biblical way – shouting, tearing their clothes [HC35].
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~ Female Dreams of Hillary ~
Hillary’s light-hearted side Positive emotional connection with Hillary Hillary’s physical attractiveness Hillary in a culinary and helpful role Hillary as a maternal figure Sympathy for Hillary Concern over Hillary’s welfare Hillary refuses advice Hillary’s ambitions Hillary’s impulsiveness Hillary’s caustic behaviour and temper Bill Clinton in Hillary dreams Ambivalent feelings about her credibility The dreamer is dishonest with Hillary
…14 …14 …15 …15 …16 …16 …17 …18 …19 …20 …20 …22 …24 …25
~
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HILLARY’S LIGHT-HEARTED SIDE
A wife who scrapbooks dreams that Hillary Clinton and I were cleaning my parents’ attic: She was actually a lot of fun, and we got a lot of work done [HC16]. A young nonprofit worker falls off a ladder and splashes mud on Hillary’s suit jacket. Hillary is good natured about the whole thing, and I am pleased [HC97]. An undecided voter dreams: I was in a room with Hillary and a bunch of other people. She was so funny that when I woke up, I was laughing [HC61].
POSITIVE EMOTIONAL CONNECTION WITH HILLARY
A lesbian dreams that Hillary and I are intimately involved. I feel so lucky and thrilled that I actually have a relationship with Hillary [HC88]. In another dream, Hillary is driving a research scientist to a biochemistry class. She reports: I felt like she was supporting me in my life goals [HC75]. A Texas lesbian at a church retreat ended up sitting next to Hillary in the dining hall. We struck up a pleasant conversation. I found her easy to talk to, genuine and personable [HC117]. An Interfaith Minister at a fundraising dinner dreams that Hillary wows us all. She is personable and friendly. She takes me aside and says very earnestly, ‘I’m so sorry you had to deal with all that harassment stuff at your work.’ I am deeply touched by this [HC124].
A histor..."
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