There is a widespread refusal to let children know that the source of much that goes wrong in life is due to our very own natures — the propensity of all human beings for acting aggressively and selfishly. Instead we want our children to believe that, inherently, all people are good. But children know that they themselves are not always good; and often even when they are, they would prefer not to be. This contradicts what they are told by their parents and therefore makes the child a monster in his or her own eyes. The dominant culture wishes to pretend, particularly where children are concerned, that the dark side of human beings does not exist. Psychoanalysis is viewed as having the purpose of making life easy - but this is not what Freud, its founder, intended. Psychoanalysis was created to enable people to accept the problematic nature of life without being defeated by it. Freud's prescription is that only by struggling courageously against what seem like overwhelming odds can people succeed in wringing meaning out of their existence. This is exactly the message that fairy tales get across to the child in manifold forms: that a struggle against severe difficulties in life is unavoidable, is an intrinsic part of human existence — but that if one does not shy away, but steadfastly meets unexpected and often unjust hardships, one can master all obstacles and emerge victorious.