In my blog, although I usually illustrate examples of Rational Emotional Behavior Therapy (REBT) using rap or electronic dance music, I sometimes cite other musical genres to demonstrate how this psychotherapeutic modality functions.
Currently, I examine rock band AC/DC’s song “Who Made Who.” For context, the chorus states:
Who made who? Who made you?
Who made who? Ain’t nobody told you?
Who made who? Who made you?
If you made them and they made you
Who picked up the bill and who made who?
Who made who? Who turned the screw?
In high school, my friends and I spent a significant amount of time shooting pool at Amarillo Slims Pool Palace (“Slims”) in Bomb City. That’s when I began to appreciate the AC/DC track, as it frequently played throughout the establishment.
Using the perspective of REBT, I view “Who Made Who” as a unique illustration of how the ABC model operates. For context, consider the following:
Activating event (“Action”) – What occurred
Belief about the event – What you told yourself about (A) that resulted in (C)
Consequence of one’s belief about the event – What you felt (emotion or bodily sensation) about what happened and what you did (behavior)
Disputation of the self-disturbing belief about the event – How you might challenge (D) what you told yourself (B) and which led to (C)
Effective new belief to replace the self-disturbing belief – What effective new conclusion you can tell yourself rather than using unhelpful or unhealthy narratives (B)
In the naturalistic or physical world, there exists an Action-Consequence (AC) connection. As an example, when shooting pool at Slims, I struck a ball with a cue stick (Action) and as a result the ball was set into motion (Consequence).
Regarding this chain of events, in my youth I learned of Isaac Newton’s laws of motion. Referencing the AC connection I experienced at Slims, one source clarifies, “Newton’s third law simply states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”
Unlike the physical world, REBT maintains that when an Action occurs, it isn’t the event itself that results in an unpleasant Consequence. Rather, from a psychological standpoint – or what one may colloquially refer to as one’s “inner world” – there exists a Belief-Consequence (BC) connection.
For instance, one evening when shooting pool at Slims, another teenage male challenged me to a fight. He said something to the effect of, “I’ll beat your ass,” which constituted an Activating event.
Unlike the naturalistic world in which an AC connection exists, I wasn’t bothered by the boy’s communicated threat (Action). Instead, what I told myself (Belief) about his statement led to anger (emotion), a rapid heartrate (bodily sensation), and a trip through the doors of Slims to fight in the parking lot (behavior) – all which related to an unpleasant Consequence.
Therefore, the BC connection that took place within my “inner world” created the unnecessary and unproductive outcome I experienced. This is where I find AC/DC’s query a valuable investigation, “Who made who? Who made you?”
We make our own self-disturbed Consequences. When considering “Who made who? Who turned the screw?” we can acknowledge truth – the fact that we screw ourselves up when failing to challenge the nonsense we Believe.
When people understand the difference between physical AC connections and psychological BC connections, we can then take appropriate actions to Dispute our unfavorable assumptions and attain an Effective new belief that better serves our interests and goals (i.e., not engaging in physical assault outside of a pool hall).
If you’re looking for a provider who works to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
AC/DC. (2013, March 8). AC/DC - Who Made Who (Official HD video) [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/PiZHNw1MtzI?si=AAS2-omqgNavB01P
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Blog – Categories: Disputation. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/blog/categories/disputation
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Hollings, D. (2022, November 9). The ABC model. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-abc-model
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Space Center Houston. (n.d.). Science in action: Newton’s third law of motion. Retrieved from https://spacecenter.org/science-in-action-newtons-third-law-of-motion/
Wikipedia. (n.d.). AC/DC. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC/DC
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Isaac Newton. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Newton’s laws of motion. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton%27s_laws_of_motion