The twilight of an idol - Michel Onfray Title: Twilight of an idol. The Freudian fable Author: Michel Onfray Editions: Editions Grasset & Fasquelle date: 2010 Number of pages: 612 p .
Dedication: "A Diogenes of Sinope"
Quote: "Fictitious (Sf) Incorporated in the middle of twentieth century with a new meaning. fancifully or even misleading to present to report the facts. " Peter Gilbert, Dictionary of Contemporary s words, the usual du Robert, 1980.
Subject of book presented by author: " This book proposes to think of psychoanalysis in the same way that The Treaty of atheology considered the three monotheistic religions: as opportunities for collective hallucinations. That is why it is dedicated to Diogenes. " (from the 4 th coverage written by Michel Onfray)
Comment: In Freud, I do know that the concepts taught in school. Oedipus complex and unconscious, as are the few ideas that I learned from the psychoanalysis . So when I saw the cover, certainly alluring, the Twilight of an idol, I was intrigued by its contents. Without being in any way surprised by the tone of the remarks, I enjoy the fact that Freud is still running as much ink. And I let myself ... take
The author tackles the subject through his experience as a professor of philosophy: "Psychoanalysis theoretically taught effectively became their psychoanalysis, analysis of their psyche of young women and young men. I knew there was this thought in a kind of witchcraft to handle with minute precautions. The position of becoming a therapist, then a magician, a wizard, so guru, me freezing: we were asked to teach a subject highly flammable fuel with souls. I have a little finger on, hence the power of psychanaystes dangerous. I then developed an instinctive and visceral distrust against their priestly caste and power of priests ... " says he, speaking of his students p.27. And that can understanding.
Except I thought discover an original analysis and sometimes I read a boring demonstration of the Freudian fable . Based on, among other reading the complete works of Freud, edited by the PUF and the psychoanalyst that maintaining connections with friends and family, Michel Onfray offered by malicious pleasure in making a posthumous psychoanalysis of Freud's own methods based on the latter. We like it or not. Anyway, the result is more qu'incendiaire and it is therefore not surprising to note the strong reactions from supporters of psychoanalysis.
To represent the Freudian theory, the author has chosen what he calls the postcards (these bring "a world in a complex thumbnail mere " p.28):
- Freud discovered the unconscious itself using a self-analysis extremely bold and courageous
- The slip, the act failed, the joke, the omission of proper names, show the mistake of psychopathology by which one accesses the unconscious
- The dream is impenetrable disguised as an expression of a repressed desire, it is the royal road to the unconscious
- psychoanalysis stems from clinical observations
- Freud discovered a technique that, via the cure and couch, can treat and cure psychopathology
- The awareness of a discharge obtained during the analysis leads to the disappearance of the symptom
- The Oedipus complex, whereby the child wants sexually parent of the opposite sex and believes the same sex parent as a rival to kill symbolically, is universal
- resistance to psychoanalysis proves the existence of a neurosis in the restive about
- Psychoanalysis is a disicpline emancipating
- Freud embodies the permanence of critical rationality emblematic of the Enlightenment
He begins his argument by stating these ten postcards. Then he shows how they are false. Either. But we do not need to know that Onfray Freud was far from holding universal truths. Besides the symbolic figure of psychoanalysis has always had enemies and this, since its inception: Freud mystical charlatan Freud, Freud chauvinist, misogynist Freud, Freud homophobic ... Many people have said what is stated Onfray. The question is not in my opinion whether right or wrong. Regardless if it advances the debate that has long been raises many controversies. And this does not seem to be the case. Because for me, if I believe in the Freudian fable , psychoanalysis is a hoax. However, she still has many followers (or victims?). While thinking, if not, after all, this is a story point of view.
Conclusion: below an excerpt from Beyond Good and Evil , which introduces the book and that pretty much describes my vision of things:
"What we grant to wife philosophers, as a whole, a look that combines distrust and ridicule, not so much to discover all the time how much they are innocent, how often and how easily they make mistakes and go astray In short, how childish is theirs, how childish, is to see how insincere they are raising a concert unanimous virtuous and noisy protests as soon as you touch, even remotely, the problem of their sincerity. They act as if they had discovered and conquered their own opinions by the spontaneous exercise of a dialectic pure, cold and impassive divinely (unlike the mystics of all classes, who, more honest and unbalanced, speak of their "inspiration "), while most often it is an arbitrary assertion, a fad, an" intuition ", and more often a wish very dear but quintessential and carefully sifted, they defend with reasons invented after the fact. All are, whatever they have, lawyers and often even the astute defenders of their prejudices baptized by them "truths". Nietzsche Beyond good and evil , Part 1, Chap. 5
This is an excellent reason to (re) discover the work of Friedrich Nietzsche .
