One thing I don't fully understand is the use of the word "vicious" in the sentence preceding (i)....might it instead be 'vicarious?' I couldn't reconcile its meaning, vicious, in the context and grammatical construction in which you used it.
One other point I'd like to posit: for Wilhelm Reich the Character Armor is indeed purely biological,
the rigidification of areas of the body in response to societally imposed strictures, or psychological misconstructions of experiences. It was his major discovery when he realized that for Freud the mental aberrations-- hysterias, neuroses, psychoses-- existed largely cognitively and that for a doctor such as Reich trained initially in anatomy/physiology and the biological processes of lifeforms to not have a somatic basis for such dysfunctions seemed illogical. Thus his discovery of the armoring, akin to building walls within the body for defense which may originally have served protective function, but after the threat no longer at the same level, became monkey wrenches in the mental machinery.
Obviously the body and mind intimately homogenous, holographic.
Thus his therapeutic approach altered profoundly from Freud's 'talking cure' in which cathexed repressions came into awareness for control or elimination to one of releasing the chronic somatic tightnesses with or without those embodied trauma responses needing to reach consciousness. Consequently, once Freud's favorite, Reich split ranks with Freud's psychiatric approach to endorse somatic release therapy, as you undoubtedly know.
Thanks also for the correction! I canged the sentence a little so it made sense!
I remember reading about this all in Reich Speaks of Freud (I think the title went), a fascinating book. He is still written out of psychoanalytic history and paid the highest price for his work. It’s funny, I think he is more popular among the left in Latin America. Many leftists I talk to from there hold his works in as high esteme as Marx, especially the Mass Psychology of Fascism, which is still the best analysis of the problem in a book I think.
Thanks again for writing. I’m always humbled when my readers drop a line, especially old friends. And envious of the way they write too!
The influencing machine has been of interest to me for some time. When I first read a description of it I immediately thought that it sounds like the screen, social media, the internet. Not to mention the spiritual dimensions of influence. The state of things now is sending more and more people into psychosis because they are actually breaking bodies, minds, hearts. It's too much to bear. It takes a lot of energy to keep up all the lies we've created civilization around. The split is driven so far it shards into pieces.
I do think the perception of the nature of reality and maybe even reality itself is becoming loser and more unhinged, for better and for worse. It is kind of a nice switch up compared to what I perceive as the rigidity of the past but the transition right now is pretty harrowing with those trying to hold on so hard to homogony and control. They will fall.
Thank you for this synchronically charged reflection, Martin. I absolutely love your writing and perspective. It's a gift.
Hi Sarah, The whole thing is uncanny. The old influencing machines like the Air Loom are the immaterial materializations of contemporary fears and also predictions of machines to come (social media especially, as you rightly pointed out). It seems the inmates were way ahead of the times. The internet is a seance. Paranoia is an endlessly improvised platform. AI is a kind of hollow specter that regurgitates word-forms back to you in in order to convince you that it really thinks (Is this like those old horror stories about living ventriloquist dummies, where the viewer is supposed to be unsure whether the performer is mad or the wooden thing is really possessed?).
Maybe the remaking of reality cares only about the present, or wants an infinite present? So the past is sealed off, invulnerable, like an old movie. British Colonialism imagined an eternal Victorian era in India, but it still needed guns to back up the dream. I agree that the transition time is harrowing between ideas about reality. Someone will win out. Til then, it's summoning monsters and some of those are certainly benevolent. More ghosts of many futures. We seem to be living in a living museum.
Thank you for your comments. I'm fortunate to have you reading my stuff. If I get more comments like yours, maybe I'll actually learn something... Thanks again for your kind and perceptive words. That's the real gift.
Once again, Martin, compliments on your writing.
Envy too weak a noun.
One thing I don't fully understand is the use of the word "vicious" in the sentence preceding (i)....might it instead be 'vicarious?' I couldn't reconcile its meaning, vicious, in the context and grammatical construction in which you used it.
One other point I'd like to posit: for Wilhelm Reich the Character Armor is indeed purely biological,
the rigidification of areas of the body in response to societally imposed strictures, or psychological misconstructions of experiences. It was his major discovery when he realized that for Freud the mental aberrations-- hysterias, neuroses, psychoses-- existed largely cognitively and that for a doctor such as Reich trained initially in anatomy/physiology and the biological processes of lifeforms to not have a somatic basis for such dysfunctions seemed illogical. Thus his discovery of the armoring, akin to building walls within the body for defense which may originally have served protective function, but after the threat no longer at the same level, became monkey wrenches in the mental machinery.
Obviously the body and mind intimately homogenous, holographic.
Thus his therapeutic approach altered profoundly from Freud's 'talking cure' in which cathexed repressions came into awareness for control or elimination to one of releasing the chronic somatic tightnesses with or without those embodied trauma responses needing to reach consciousness. Consequently, once Freud's favorite, Reich split ranks with Freud's psychiatric approach to endorse somatic release therapy, as you undoubtedly know.
You are too kind sir! Thank you so much.
Thanks also for the correction! I canged the sentence a little so it made sense!
I remember reading about this all in Reich Speaks of Freud (I think the title went), a fascinating book. He is still written out of psychoanalytic history and paid the highest price for his work. It’s funny, I think he is more popular among the left in Latin America. Many leftists I talk to from there hold his works in as high esteme as Marx, especially the Mass Psychology of Fascism, which is still the best analysis of the problem in a book I think.
Thanks again for writing. I’m always humbled when my readers drop a line, especially old friends. And envious of the way they write too!
The influencing machine has been of interest to me for some time. When I first read a description of it I immediately thought that it sounds like the screen, social media, the internet. Not to mention the spiritual dimensions of influence. The state of things now is sending more and more people into psychosis because they are actually breaking bodies, minds, hearts. It's too much to bear. It takes a lot of energy to keep up all the lies we've created civilization around. The split is driven so far it shards into pieces.
I do think the perception of the nature of reality and maybe even reality itself is becoming loser and more unhinged, for better and for worse. It is kind of a nice switch up compared to what I perceive as the rigidity of the past but the transition right now is pretty harrowing with those trying to hold on so hard to homogony and control. They will fall.
Thank you for this synchronically charged reflection, Martin. I absolutely love your writing and perspective. It's a gift.
Hi Sarah, The whole thing is uncanny. The old influencing machines like the Air Loom are the immaterial materializations of contemporary fears and also predictions of machines to come (social media especially, as you rightly pointed out). It seems the inmates were way ahead of the times. The internet is a seance. Paranoia is an endlessly improvised platform. AI is a kind of hollow specter that regurgitates word-forms back to you in in order to convince you that it really thinks (Is this like those old horror stories about living ventriloquist dummies, where the viewer is supposed to be unsure whether the performer is mad or the wooden thing is really possessed?).
Maybe the remaking of reality cares only about the present, or wants an infinite present? So the past is sealed off, invulnerable, like an old movie. British Colonialism imagined an eternal Victorian era in India, but it still needed guns to back up the dream. I agree that the transition time is harrowing between ideas about reality. Someone will win out. Til then, it's summoning monsters and some of those are certainly benevolent. More ghosts of many futures. We seem to be living in a living museum.
Thank you for your comments. I'm fortunate to have you reading my stuff. If I get more comments like yours, maybe I'll actually learn something... Thanks again for your kind and perceptive words. That's the real gift.
So rich and dense, Martin.
Thank you!!
Loved this. Do you know Ian Hacking’s book “Rewriting the Soul”? Similar themes…
Thank you! I don't know the book but I'm off to check it out now....
Beautiful, especially the ending.
Thank you so much! You're too kind. An honor to have you reading.