The history of the psychoanalytic movementFreud, Sigmund
History
The history of the psychoanalytic movement
Freud, Sigmund
Psychoanalysis -- History
The third part of Adler’s theory, which consists in giving new
interpretations to, and in distorting the disagreeable facts of
psychoanalysis, contains that which definitely severs the actual
“Individual Psychology” from psychoanalysis. As is known the principle
of Adler’s system states that it is the object of the self-assertion of
the individual, his “will to power” in the form of the “masculine
protest,” to manifest itself domineeringly in the conduct of life, in
character formation and in the neurosis. This “masculine protest,” the
Adlerism motor, is nothing else, however, than the repression set free
from its psychological mechanism, and what is more, it is sexualized and
thus hardly in keeping with the vaunted expulsion of sexuality from its
place in the psychic life. The “masculine protest” certainly exists, but
in constituting it as the motor of the psychic life, observation has
only played the part of the springboard which one leaves in order to
uplift one’s self. Let us consider one of the most fundamental
situations of the infantile desire; namely, the observation of the
sexual act between adults by the child. When the life-history of such
persons is later subjected to analysis by a physician, it is found that
at this moment the minor spectator was seized by two feelings; one, in
the case of a boy, to put himself in the place of the active man, and
the other, the opposing feeling, to identify himself with the suffering
woman. Both strivings conjointly exhaust the pleasure that might have
resulted from this situation. Only the first feeling can come under the
head of the “masculine protest” if this idea is to retain any meaning at
all. The second feeling, whose fate Adler either ignores or does not
know, is really the one which assumes greater significance in the later
neurosis. Adler has placed himself so entirely into the jealous
confinement of the ego, that he only accounts for such emotional
feelings as are agreeable to the ego and furthered by it; but the case
of the neurosis, which opposes these strivings, lies beyond his horizon.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account