(4) New ink blot tests

I am sitting in a living room, at a small desk, wearing the most torn double pair of jeans you've ever seen.

In order to get on with my subject, I have to go over some history.

It is said that Justinus Kerner (1786-1862) was the first modern figure behind the inkblot projective tests with his 1857 "Klecksographien."

As an author, among others, he would embellish his poems with designs reminiscent of what we are familiar with today.

The earliest was Rorschach in 1921, following his book "Psychodiagnostik."

This went on to become the most famous, although in the end, the 1931 (TAT) test by Murray and Morgan was also widely used.

To conclude this brief overview, I will bring up a latecomer, Holtzman, with the (HIT) in 1961.

What these tests have in common is being "projective," meaning your insights in reaction to the designs are collected.

These designs are intended to help discern underlying thought processes and are supposed to reveal hidden emotional or internal conflicts, thanks to the ambiguous stimuli in which objects, shapes, and scenery play a role.

Results are obtained by interpretation according to charts and parameters defined by them and enhanced later on.

In one way of gaining legitimacy, a notion of "unconscious awareness" guarantees you will compromise yourself with knowing.

Sounds like the perfect little setup. It is so effective, I don't remember any other deck; there are few changes along the way.

I would like to point out, however, why some aspects of these tests are disqualifying. The fact they created the designs themselves means they etched their psyche into the test. Subjects are presented the elements of their psyche to provide insight on.

If a test comes out negative, it is certainly a revelation of their inner dynamics. There is no room for personal additions. When we think that the impressions we project are personal. It may seem right at first, but don't be fooled. Everything that gets projected comes from the designs they created, including every detail possible to mention.

Those who pass the test are optimists. Those who fail are realists. People will see everything there is to see.

The fact they created the designs and interpretations themselves is the greatest flaw. Expecting "ambiguous" pareidolia" capable of revealing precise thought disorders and hidden internal conflict is also a stretch

A few people can't be right for the entire human psyche. From the start, if such a test should exist, it would have needed to be produced by the patients. The problem is, even though museums are packed with all kinds of contemporary art, no doctor has the key for them. They are not used diagnostically in psychiatry.

The only thing a contemporary work can display is the person's hand at work at the time of creation. Even that may be easily misinterpreted. The only details gathered from art in general pertain to physical illnesses that affected colour and texture, for example.

As for mental illness, apart from a side note on a biographical profile or speculation on paintings themselves, no art is recognized as more schizophrenic than other art. There are still debates over the mental health of many artists with no conclusive results. In many cases, perception was influenced by prior knowledge of the artist's diagnosis.

The only ambiguity I see is the results psychologists hope to gain from the tests. This is the little historical review on the origins and specifics of this method.

The reason is simple: I want to present the only alternative that can be.

The idea would have come sooner or later since it comes from a field widely studied in all laboratories and hospitals around the world.

As shocking as it may sound, it is through the scientific study of our own stools, which is common and widespread.

Given that our stools provide such a wealth of information on a patient's physical health, it was a question before the link with psychology was made

Boldened by the extent of details provided by stools, a university team formed with the goal of finding out if they weren't missing anything.

Conventional study of stool samples wasn't going to work. Another starting point, or impetus, was needed. The missing link suddenly appeared to an artistic member of the team.

The solution that made the whole difference is that the samples needed to be some form of imprint made by the person. The only way this made sense was by collecting the toilet paper after someone imprinted on it after wiping themselves.

The toilet paper currently bought in grocery stores is too cheap to be used. It was finally agreed that a special tissue would be used that would not tear and would be even more absorbent without the danger of smudging or deforming in shape due to spreading absorption.

The key element here is asking a person to use the tissue to wipe themselves in all intimacy and ease; you get a unique imprint of feces etched. detailing with how hard they pressed and with which fingers predominantly.

This imprint is unique to each person in many more ways than a fingerprint can be. The feces serve mostly for all the other data they provide, but of interest for psychology, what is left to contemplate after someone wiped themselves is the gold mine that will be studied.

Stools are famous worldwide since time immemorial for often having visible bits and pieces of recognizable food parts embedded in them. This aspect already garnered much interest both as portents of health and were also believed to be possessed with divinatory power.

Our stools can even inform on hereditary traits. They can serve as a valid identification, just as foolproof as DNA.

I'm telling you, since the university team has been working on it , more practical issues are being discovered.

Thanks to the tissue and imprint provided by the patient, results have skyrocketed. Naturally, bear in mind that these designs are nowhere near in appearance to the inkblot tests!

In real unconscious awareness , each patient reveals extremely personal details about their life and pathologies.

Nowadays, it is possible to quickly find out if the stools are male or female.

Your personality is also present, along with a portion of their personal conflicts with the others, and everything a person usually tries to hide about themselves is there to study.

The advances have been so great that in the last five years, it is now even possible to know if you killed someone or could be driven to murder. If you ever cheated on your spouse, yo"u're in trouble: this is the extent for the moment.Next to come is a valid criminal record; your level of deviancy and general courage and survival instinct will be discernible. It makes so much sense. Unknowingly, we were often on the cusp of such a breakthrough.

It was in many parts thanks to the artistic university student who humorously figured out the psychodrama of the lesser-known influences such as psychoanalysis...

It helped improve the worn-out legitimacy of psychology, psychiatry, and the coalitions in between. That was easily a journey you can get lost on and never come back from. If you are wounded, just lie back in the field and let the warm afternoon sun and fresh air tend to you.

Being now just as scientifically verifiable a s any other branch of science, able to meet rigorous standards. Psychologically, referring to our stools is wisdom and plenitude. If we compare them to rabbit droppings that still contain nutrients, we humans don't usually rechew our

Friends for their nutrients.

Not to worry though, I see it coming already : the daily diet chocolate stool bar.

They will be fat-free and leave no aftertaste or bad breath.

Another overlooked detail supporting the ambiguous correlation with that usually discreet part of the body.

It is indeed a part of the body, preferably not mentioned recreationally, as it is considered vulgar. Even a nudist camp would be shocked and expel someone who would bare bend down naked, and spread it open to expose the anus!

That is a shocking image; don't visualize it too much !

Oh well, when we think back to the old projective inkblot tests, we can't help but blush.

What a paradox and a sick twist on a big hit!

The last word is a reminder to those of you hoping to keep to yourselves whatever you contain and do not want it detailed in hospital records: avoid stool samples or anything close. Show your faith by standing, blinded by faith, leaning against a gate of steel melting like wax.

The teamwork paid off worldwide and is still progressing. on the wings of a partnership that opened horizons of understanding and meaning.

I know that both my psychological bruises need as much attention to restore the right principle.

I wish to thank all who supported the effort!