Making Conscious the Unconscious

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The basic principle of psychoanalysis is that there are no such things
as "accidents." This is the principle of psychic determinism.

If human beings are responsible for their dreams, slips-of-the tongues
and symptoms, if these express unconscious desires, then we also are
responsible for behavior that is played out on the stage of "cultural reality." That
which we create as society and history represents the expression of our wishes
and fantasies.

We are responsible for the entire panoply of destructive events that
are played out on the stage on the "external world," in the form of war,
genocide, terrorism, etc. These events "do something" for us. We "get off" on them.
It there was not some gratification that some (large numbers) of human beings
obtained from these behaviors, they would not recur. We create culture and
history in order to externalize or project who we are.

That is us. That which is occurs, human beings have created. We are
responsible.

Human being act out their fantasies in the domains of culture and
history, which function to express, articulate or play out the human neurosis (or
psychosis). Culture and history are the domains in which unconscious fantasies
are made visible.

We are complicit in the perpetuation of destructive social institutions
to the extent that we deny that the outer (the cultural form) has a
relationship to the inner (the psyche). We imagine that events such as war and
terrorism happen on their own--at a distance from the self, "out there," separate from
us.

The next phase in "making conscious the unconscious" is recognition
that we are the source of what is occurring "out there." Human beings are
responsible, not only for specific acts of bombing that kill persons, but for the
very idea of war, bombs, murdering large numbers of persons, etc.

We have created bombs as a response to our paranoid anxieties, to
defend ourselves against terror. We bomb in order to kill and destroy.

Symbolic structures in society contain and express human desire. They
exist and continue to exist to the extent that they are able to articulate
human wishes--to help us to repress or contain anxiety.

The psychoanalytic task is to reveal the nature of the desires that are
expressed through particular modes or forms of societal behavior. What is the
nature of the pleasure that is obtained by blowing up human beings? Why do we
wish to smash and destroy the artifacts of civilization?

It is not a question of "this war" or "that war." There are always
reasons. When Freud spoke about repression and the unconscious, he was saying that
human beings do not know the real reasons why they do things.

Psychoanalysis is not like other sciences in which inevitably
"progress" seems to occur. Since the psyche is shaped through the mechanisms of
repression and denial, therefore civilization is always producing new editions of the
human neurosis. About many things (such as sex), we know more than we once
did. Resistances have been over come.

In other domains, however, we continue to remain entirely unconscious.

There are "reasons" for every single war, but the reasons do not tell
us about the unconscious fantasies and desires that are being played out.

Human beings live within a dream that they call "reality." They are so
bound to this reality, so tied to their own "symbolic systems" that they
cannot perceive the pathology contained within these systems.

The first step in the psychoanalysis of culture and history, therefore,
is a systematic effort to DISIDENTIFY with phenomena that previously we had
accepted as "normative." We must begin to imagine that we live in the midst of
a collective psychosis, a dream that many persons are having at once.

The objective of psychoanalysis as a mode of activity within
civilization is to begin the process of "awakening from the nightmare of history."

Best regards,

Richard K.

Richard A. Koenigsberg, Ph. D.

Richard A. Koenigsberg, Ph. D.

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<HTML>      The basic principle of=20=
psychoanalysis is that there are no such things as "accidents." This is the=20=
principle of psychic determinism. 
 
      If human beings are responsible for their dre=
ams, slips-of-the tongues and symptoms, if these express unconscious desires=
, then we also are responsible for behavior that is played out on the stage=20=
of "cultural reality." That which we create as society and history represent=
s the expression of our wishes and fantasies. 
 
      We are responsible for the entire panoply of=20=
destructive events that are played out on the stage on the "external world,"=
in the form of war, genocide, terrorism, etc. These events "do something" f=
or us. We "get off" on them. It there was not some gratification that some (=
large numbers) of human beings obtained from these behaviors, they would not=
recur. We create culture and history in order to externalize or project who=
we are. 
 
      That is us. That which is occurs, human being=
s have created. We are responsible. 
 
      Human being act out their fantasies in the do=
mains of culture and history, which function to express, articulate or play=20=
out the human neurosis (or psychosis). Culture and history are the domains i=
n which unconscious fantasies are made visible. 
 
      We are complicit in the perpetuation of destr=
uctive social institutions to the extent that we deny that the outer (the cu=
ltural form) has a relationship to the inner (the psyche). We imagine that e=
vents such as war and terrorism happen on their own--at a distance from the=20=
self, "out there," separate from us. 
 
      The next phase in "making conscious the uncon=
scious" is recognition that we are the source of what is occurring "out ther=
e." Human beings are responsible, not only for specific acts of bombing that=
kill persons, but for the very idea of war, bombs, murdering large numbers=20=
of persons, etc. 
 
      We have created bombs as a response to our pa=
ranoid anxieties, to defend ourselves against terror. We bomb in order to ki=
ll and destroy. 
 
      Symbolic structures in society contain and ex=
press human desire. They exist and continue to exist to the extent that they=
are able to articulate human wishes--to help us to repress or contain anxie=
ty. 
 
      The psychoanalytic task is to reveal the natu=
re of the desires that are expressed through particular modes or forms of so=
cietal behavior. What is the nature of the pleasure that is obtained by blow=
ing up human beings? Why do we wish to smash and destroy the artifacts of ci=
vilization? 
 
      It is not a question of "this war" or "that w=
ar." There are always reasons. When Freud spoke about repression and the unc=
onscious, he was saying that human beings do not know the real reasons why t=
hey do things. 
 
      Psychoanalysis is not like other sciences in=20=
which inevitably "progress" seems to occur. Since the psyche is shaped throu=
gh the mechanisms of repression and denial, therefore civilization is always=
producing new editions of the human neurosis. About many things (such as se=
x), we know more than we once did. Resistances have been over come. 
 
      In other domains, however, we continue to rem=
ain entirely unconscious. 
 
      There are "reasons" for every single war, but=
the reasons do not tell us about the unconscious fantasies and desires that=
are being played out. 
 
      Human beings live within a dream that they ca=
ll "reality." They are so bound to this reality, so tied to their own "symbo=
lic systems" that they cannot perceive the pathology contained within these=20=
systems. 
 
      The first step in the psychoanalysis of cultu=
re and history, therefore, is a systematic effort to DISIDENTIFY with phenom=
ena that previously we had accepted as "normative." We must begin to imagine=
that we live in the midst of a collective psychosis, a dream that many pers=
ons are having at once. 
 
      The objective of psychoanalysis as a mode of=20=
activity within civilization is to begin the process of "awakening from the=20=
nightmare of history." 
 
Best regards, 
 
Richard K. 
 
Richard A. Koenigsberg, Ph. D. 
 
Richard A. Koenigsberg, Ph. D.</HTML>

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