Blogpost 5: Dexter's Laboratory: Compensation

Dexter's Laboratory is about a boy-genius who happens to have a secret laboratory in his room that his parents don't now about.  The show follows Dexter's adventures, in and out of the lab, as he copes with with his crazy parents and his Dee-Dee who sees his laboratory as a playground and always festers him throughout his work. When i was a child, this is one of my favorite shows. I was always impressed by his intelligence and the way he invents kick-ass gadgets and even thought his dog to speak in English. But today, i often wonder what Dexter is really going through with his life. If this was reality, can this be possible? To have this much I.Q. and create his own laboratory in his own room, that he can launch rockets off their own house without anyone knowing it? Is there a rational explanation to this show? What can be a psychology behind Dexter's persona?

To apply this scene in reality, let's say the laboratory really exists. What can be the possible factor why Dexter desire so much accomplishment in his life through his laboratory? One thing I can think of is his constant coping with his family, particularly his sister Dee-Dee, who constantly bugs him everyday in his works. He starts to do experiments but he can't finish it because of Dee Dee's wreckless stupidy. As much an exploration of the psychology of siblinghood as of what it's like to be different as a child, the show emphasizes the importance of intelligence and logic through Dexter's encounters with the outside world and the impact of his older sister, Dee Dee, on his life.

This can be some sort of Defense Mechanism. According to the first article that I read about Defense Mechanism written by Kendra Cherry on the website About Psychology, Defense Mechanism is a tactic developed by the ego to protect against anxiety. These are thought to safeguard the mind against feelings and thoughts that are too difficult for the conscious mind to cope with. It's some sort of composed imagination or deviation against reality that attacks your and distort reality. Most people who undergo this process are often anxious.

Dexter may be undergoing anxiety, that's why he's engaged with a certain defense mechanism to protect or satisfy his psychological needs. Probable causes would be his sister. It's because Dee Dee is always ahead or always excels and gets everything she mostly wants, that's why Dexter gets envious with that, and creates anxiety over his competition with her. Through his anxiety, he develops this kind of ego-defense mechanism that can be classified as Compensation. According to the article 15 Common Defense Mechanisms written by Ohn M. Grohol PSY.D, Compensation is a process of psychologically counterbalancing perceived weaknesses by emphasizing strength in other arenas. By emphasizing and focusing on one’s strengths, a person is recognizing they cannot be strong at all things and in all areas in their lives. It's like telling ''I may not know how to cook but i love to eat''

For Dexter's case, his defense mechanism is creating a laboratory of his own, excelling in his science works. Compensating for his inability to cope up with the outside world, and keeping up with her sister's annoying and festering attitude, plus when Dee Dee gets all the credit almost all the time. It's like as if he created a whole new world for himself to satisfy his incompetence to reality.

Dexter's Laboratory is a show that opens our eyes to the world of nerds and people who have high IQ levels, and are not so sociable and athletic like most people in this world. They have a different world compared to most people. While compensation is often portrayed in a negative light, it can have positive effects. However, compensation can also prevent people from trying new things or attempting to address shortcomings. Compensating for certain inabilities or inferiority is not a bad thing. It has it's pros and cons. This is a certain phase most anxious and depressed people undergo.