Sugar sugar baby

[47] The Oedipus effect

I walked into the lecture hall on my first day of psychology class, my stomach doing flips like it always did when I started something new. The room was packed with students—some fresh out of undergrad, others like me, a little older, trying to make sense of their lives. I found a seat near the back, trying to blend in, still feeling like I didn't quite belong here yet. But this was the beginning, and I was determined to make it count.

The professor walked in a few minutes later. He was an older man, probably in his late 60s, with a thick white beard and a pair of wire-rimmed glasses that looked like they'd been around for decades. He had this calm, almost grandfatherly presence, but there was something sharp about the way he carried himself, like he had seen it all before and nothing could surprise him anymore.

"Welcome," he said, his voice deep and a little gravelly, like he'd spent years lecturing without a microphone. "This is Psychology 501: Advanced Theories of the Mind. Some of you are here because you love the field of psychology. Some of you are here because you think it'll help you make sense of your own lives. And some of you... well, you're probably here because you didn't know what else to do."

There was a low chuckle from the class, but I just nodded to myself. He wasn't wrong. I was here because I needed to figure out my next step.

The professor paced at the front of the room, his hands clasped behind his back, like he was gearing up for something big. "Today, we're going to talk about a concept that many of you have probably heard of, but few of you have truly understood: the Oedipus effect."

A murmur went through the room. I knew the term, of course. Most people did. It was one of those things that got thrown around in pop culture as shorthand for some creepy mother-complex joke. But the way the professor said it, I knew there was more to it than that.

"Oedipus," the professor continued, "comes from Greek mythology, where the character unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother. But we're not here to talk about Greek tragedies. We're here to talk about the psychological theory that sprang from this myth, thanks to one man: Sigmund Freud."

He stopped pacing and looked out at the room, his eyes scanning the faces of students who were scribbling notes or staring blankly ahead. "Freud believed that, in our unconscious minds, we harbor a secret desire—one that society tells us to repress, but one that exists nonetheless. He called it the Oedipus complex. Freud's theory suggested that all young boys, at some point, develop an unconscious sexual attraction to their mothers and view their fathers as rivals for her affection."

I shifted in my seat, feeling a little uncomfortable. It wasn't exactly the kind of thing you wanted to think about, especially not in a room full of strangers. But this was psychology, and nothing was off-limits.

The professor continued, his voice steady and authoritative. "Now, most people dismiss Freud's ideas today, and there's a good reason for that. Freud had some... interesting theories. But the Oedipus complex is still relevant, especially when we look at how people form attachments, particularly to older women."

At that, my attention perked up. Older women? What was he getting at?

"The Oedipus effect," the professor explained, "is not just about the relationship with one's mother. It's about the unconscious preference that many young men have for older women in general. This stems from the nurturing role that mothers play early in life. Young men, especially in their formative years, often find themselves drawn to women who resemble that nurturing presence—whether they realize it or not."

He paused, letting the words sink in, and then gave a wry smile. "Let's be real. How many of you have found yourselves attracted to women older than you at some point? Maybe it was a teacher, a friend's mom, a mentor, or even a celebrity. And before you start denying it, remember that this isn't about what you think you prefer. This is about what's going on in your unconscious mind."