[Buddha-l] Buddhism and Psychology research

JKirkpatrick jkirk at spro.net
Mon Sep 6 09:11:16 MDT 2010


Here's where I part company with a lot of "Freudian readings": 

DL: "The current state of Freudian analysis has something to do
with how the "disciples" have mismanaged the founding ideas --
but also a lot of rival (oedipal) castigation from most competing
"therapies," so making up strawmen, comic Freuds to ridiculte and
feel superior to has been a cottage industry in the profession
for many years (Jung was one its earliest practitioners)."

Mismanaged, yes; However, what bugs me is the tendency to ascribe
only neurotic motivations to any and all critics, rivals etc.
Castigation may just be castigation, like a cigar sometimes is a
just a cigar, as the great man said.  Competition within
professions or crafts, and/or in economy in general, is based on
scarce resources. To label it Oedipal is not a worthwhile
reduction. Even to label as such sibling rivalry is pointless.
Siblings also rival because of scarce resources: parental love,
attention, goods, fairness, justice, etc etc are not oceanically
available. Eris is also at work in human affairs. (See Hesiod's
Works and Days.) 

Joanna  




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