The guide has trained Stanley to repress his feelings of un…

The guide has trained Stanley to repress his feelings of unhappiness about not being accepted by the children with feelings about the piano. The guide punishes him when he has negative feelings and then rewards him with a feeling of superiority when he plays the piano. Thus, Stanley has lost the ability to think about what the other children value, which means he can never really be friends with them and has gained the ability to tell himself that he doesn't care about rejection. His forbidden negative feelings will resurface as projections; everyone around him will be seen as someone who is just about to reject him and thus requiring constant self-esteem management.

"Sorry, I have to go play the piano." => I reject you before you can reject me.