It is fabulous to note that the ordinary man, methodically doing what he does not want to do, does not live to use all his strength in an attempt to break this unpleasant cycle. It seems that the faculty of seeing possibilities has not been equally distributed among men. Very few are those who feel the pulse of dishonor in surrendering to the convenient. From this, what to conclude? … that it is natural to be beaten inert instead of moving in order to get rid of the blows? Oh, rational being!
Category: Notes
Each Epoch Has a Peculiar Pair of Lenses
Although, essentially, the human tragedy repeats itself over the centuries, the variations in the scenario, the characters, and the plot are striking. It is as if each epoch had a peculiar pair of lenses. That is why the artist, in complying with the fair recommendation to “belong to his time,” must be very careful not to lose sight of the timeless. In the same way, the particularities of a scenario can generate interest and boredom: everything depends on the proportion in which they are balanced with features that will not wear out over the years.
The Greatest Human Creation of All Time
Whenever a man tries to concentrate, something happens to get in his way: this fundamental law of the universe has been tested by me infinite times, and I have always verified its validity. I have analyzed it with more thoroughness than any scientist, and I say without hesitation: it is infallible and has no exceptions. Almost always, the universe sends the human voice as a disturbance, in its most diverse and detestable manifestations. That is why, to me, the greatest elevation of spirit in the history of mankind was that of the —anonymous!—guy who invented this marvel called the acoustic muffler, noise muffler, ear protector, or portable peace—this last name, of course, is how I named it myself. Designed to protect workers who are subjected to noise that can make them deaf, this magnificent invention symbolizes man spitting in his hand and nailing it to the face of the universe. It is the greatest human creation of all time! May this genius, this saint, this enlightened man that history has forgotten be blessed for all eternity!
Frankl, Jung and Freud
Thank God I do not frequent psychology clinics, but I would bet that Frankl’s logotherapy outperforms Jung’s analytical psychology and Freud’s psychoanalysis together in the rate of cases of impressive behavioral change and therapeutic success. In logotherapy, I see a very clear exit door in case of good application; something I also see in Jung’s analytical psychology, but not in Freud’s psychoanalysis, which seems more like a palliative system that the patient can never get rid of—at least not in truly serious cases. It is true: there are cases and cases—perhaps, I base my conclusion on the infrequent ones. Psychoanalysis has molded itself to its patients, and for them it can be effective. Analytical psychology, which is broader and deeper, is also capable of treating them—although perhaps for some “psychological types” it is less enjoyable and, consequently, less satisfying. For many patients, routine venting is enough; but for the desperate, the expressly disillusioned who enters a consulting room in complete helplessness, carrying in his hands a mediocre and unsatisfactory life, which methodically inhibits his aspirations and delivers no meaning—for he, the suicidal candidate, sitting on a comfortable divan and moving his facial muscles is useless, and Frankl’s disciple seems to me the best prepared to deliver to him a definitive solution hardly achievable by other therapies.