Rockefeller, the Standard Oil magnate who, by the time .
of his death in 1937, was probably worth close to a billion dollars, .
is perhaps one of the best historical examples of an .
obsessive-compulsive. An obsessive-compulsive is one who is driven to .
an act or acts, generally being asocial, by his own fixations but by .
nature of his peculiar psyche must balance these actions with others .
more socially acceptable. There are abundant examples of Rockefeller's .
deeds fitting these clinical characteristics, and John D. Rockefeller .
is today generally regarded as an obsessive-compulsive. The roots of .
this disorder are traceable back to his childhood. While much of .
Rockefeller's business history remains a mystery today, it is apparent .
that much of his success is attributable to his obsessive-compulsive .
disorder.
Franz Alexander and Louis B. Shapiro's description of the .
obsessive-compulsive disorder from their book "Neuroses, Behavior.
Disorders, and Perversions" is a frequently used summary of the .
commonly agreed-upon characteristics. It states: "Full blown cases of .
obsessive-compulsive states present a dynamic equilibrium in which .
obsessive preoccupation with ego-alien fantasies. are precariously .
balanced by rituals representing an exaggeration of social standards, .
such as cleanliness, punctuality, consideration for others. The .
dynamic formula is similar to bookkeeping in which on the one side of .
ledger are the asocial tendencies which the patient tries to balance .
precisely on the other side with moralistic and social attitudes. .
Every asocial move must be undone by an opposing one." The term .
"ego-alien" refers to thoughts, emotions or material which are.
consciously detestable to the patient (though not he may not .
necessarily be conscious of the reason). This summary is important, .
and we will return to it later.
Rockefeller was born in 1839 and raised in a troubled, then .
broken, home.