Posts about Life
On March 17th
covering Life, Psychoanalysis, Uncategorized
People are always being apologetic about this. They don’t feel it’s right for them to be in my office unless they are prepared to condemn their parents or make accusations of abuse or neglect.
The longer I do this, the more I’m impressed by how complex the task of being a human being is. We all have to live with ourselves somehow. Yes, we’re interested in your childhood because that’s when you first developed your basic approach to inner and outer reality. And there’s a lot to deal with in childhood. I don’t think he put it this way exactly, but Freud realized that childhood is inherently traumatic. Read more »
On September 18th
covering Creativity, Life, Psychoanalysis
I am still troubled and sad about the passing of David Foster Wallace — and I’m in touch with many others who share this feeling. It seems apropos to say a word or two about suicide.
It’s hard to keep away from the question of what the suicide’s real state of mind was — a question we can’t answer. A suicide leaves such a toxic stew of pain, guilt and anger among the survivors that one interpretation is that this is an act of terrific hostility and selfishness - a gift that keeps on giving, a massive stink-bomb of an exit. This is a hard thing to think about a person we love and esteem, and it’s not the only possibility. I do not think this of Mr. Wallace. Everyone says he was a thoroughly decent fellow, and there is some wishful thinking on my part. I do not want to be angry at him for doing this to his family, his wife, his students, and to all of us. Read more »
On July 18th
covering Life
I recently rediscovered an old favorite, Frost’s poem Two Tramps in Mud Time. I hesitate to say any more about it, because it’s really impossible to add anything to the poem without taking more away from it.
The poem has a lovely payoff for anyone who strives to combine work for money with work for other satisfactions. I could write a little summary of what I think it’s saying … but then I’d be substituting my halting prose for Frost’s poetry. I think he says it just fine.
