“Suddenly, I Couldn't Anymore:”
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WINTER 2008 ISSUE #14 Newsletter of Section 9, Psychoanalysts for Social Responsibility, Division of Psychoanalysis, American Psychological Association “Suddenly, I Couldn’t Anymore:” On Becoming a Psychoanalyst-Activist Edited Transcript of Presentation to the Department of Psychology, The New School, New York By Steven Reisner, Ph.D. to think; not to think is not to risk risking.” I belief and in speech, in what it was possible to International Trauma Studies Program, would like to offer one more quotation, from think. When the Bush administration came in, Columbia University, New York Beckett: ‘Suddenly, no, at last, at long last, I it became very clear to those of us who think couldn’t any more; I couldn’t go on. Someone politically, and progressively, that this admin- said, you can’t stay here; I couldn’t stay there, istration was determined to change everything I’d like to try to accomplish two and I couldn’t go on.” completely, quickly and across the board. things today. First, for those of you who aren’t For me, that ‘Suddenly, no, at last, at They were changing civil liberties, they were so familiar with what’s been going on with the long last, I couldn’t anymore, I couldn’t go changing the judgeships, they were changing American Psychological Association, I want to on,” frames how I wanted to approach this. the law, they were changing the power of the recount this reprehensible story of psychologists’ Suddenly and at long last, I couldn’t go on not Presidency; there was a vast array of attempts to involvement in torture. I also want to speak acting when it came to the issues being raised put in place an agenda that was so fast and so about a view of psychoanalysis as contributing to by psychologists and interrogations. And what continued on page 4 a kind of activism, because it’s not how people I want to get at today is, when did I start to tend to think of psychoanalysis and psychoana- act? How did it happen that I was acting? And lysts. Analysts have been at the forefront of the what does it mean to be an actor? I want to FROM THE EDITOR movement to get the APA to change its policies talk about the personal to see if that will help by Steve Botticelli, Ph.D. in regard to psychologists’ role in military elaborate what I am thinking of as a kind of interrogations. That’s a remarkable fact and philosophy of psychoanalytic action. This issue of the newsletter fea- a surprising one, given what people generally I, along with many others who have lived tures statements by Steven Reisner tend to think about psychoanalysts: that not only through the Bush administration, saw pretty and Ghislaine Boulanger concern- ing their experiences in the effort to do they stay in their offices, but even in their early on that we were faced with a major dis- change the APA’s position regard- offices, they are not supposed to be saying very ruption in American politics, in freedom, in ing psychologists’ involvement in much. So I would like to figure out what it is military interrogations. They and about psychoanalytic thinking and psychoanalytic The Psychoanalytic Activist other members of our Section have preparation that allows for activism -- and I am Editor: Steve Botticelli, Ph.D. been in the forefront of this effort, talking about a very specific kind of activism. President of Section 9: and their essays here are moving The French philosopher Alain Badiou has and illuminating. Frank Summers, Ph.D. said, “When all is said and done, all resistance Also, Susan Gutwill tells us Past President: Arlene Steinberg, Psy.D. is a rupture in thought through the declaration about Donna Bassin’s film The Treasurer: Barbara Eisold, Ph.D. of what the situation is, and the foundation of Mourning After, in which she Secretary: Karen Rosica, Ph.D. a practical possibility opened up through this explores veterans’ experiences Representative to Division 39 Board: declaration.” That sums up everything that I of loss and remembrance. And Karen Rosica, Ph.D. we include a president’s message want to say. He goes on to say, “this does not Members of the Board of Section 9: from both outgoing president Lu amount to believing that it is the risk, very seri- Rico Ainslie, Ph.D., Steve Botticelli, Ph.D., Steinberg and incoming president ous indeed, which prevents a good many from Susan Gutwill, Ph.D., Adrienne Harris, Ph. D., Frank Summers. resisting; it is, on the contrary, the non-thinking Maureen Katz, Ph.D., Donna Bassin, Ph.D., Contact me with feedback at of the situation that prevents the risk or the Rachael Peltz, Ph.D., Steve Portugues, Ph.D. [email protected]. examination of possibilities. Not to resist is not I want to start my first president’s column connection because it is the basis for my vision only expand and become enriched, but also it by expressing how honored I am to be able for the section. Each patient comes to analysis will offer the best guidance for the analysand’s to assume the presidency of Section IX. I am with certain historical patterns and assump- life. Psychoanalysis assumes faith in the human proud to follow in the trail blazed by my pre- tions erected to protect against early anxieties, spirit given the freedom to actualize itself, a decessors, Neil Altman, Rachael Pelz, Nancy these defensive adaptations limit their ways point Loewald perspicaciously made 47 years Hollander, and Lu Steinberg. A big thanks to all ago. of them for establishing the section as a major The problem is that individual experience voice for social justice within psychoanalysis, is compromised by the inevitable societal pres- and I want to extend a special thank you to Lu PRESIDENT’S sures that attempt to stifle the authenticity of Steinberg for her tireless work to get all the MESSAGE experience. Needless to say, all societies con- pieces in place in order to make this transition by Frank Summers, Ph.D tain a variety of complex and competing pres- as seamless as possible. sures, and it would be quixotic to expect that In the throes of a concerted governmental counterforces to self expression can be abol- effort to reverse decades of social progress of being and relating, and these constricting ished from any culture. Nonetheless, the neces- while using the military and other illegal means forms of interaction result in the distress that sity of constraint can never be used to rational- to extend domination of corporate America brings them to analysis. Our job is to immerse ize forces of oppression. It is incumbent on the over much of the world, the section has been ourselves in the analysand’s world in order to analyst to judge whether any particular antago- a great solace and even inspiration for me over make transcendence of these historical patterns nistic force is a necessity that promotes a longer the last seven years. I have difficulty keeping possible. Psychoanalysis, as I conceive it, is a term goal, or an opposition to self expression my psychological equilibrium while the flames special relationship the aim of which is to cre- to serve the narrow self-interest of a group. of injustice and destruction burn around me. ate new possibilities based, not on defenses, but Analysts are constrained by the nature of what As I have said before, such sanity as I still pos- authenticity of experience. It is this opening up, they do to do battle against the latter because sess can be attributed in no small measure to this transcendence of established and historical oppressive structures and policies stifle the my involvement with the humane and just souls ways of being, that provides psychoanalysis with very spirit that analysis is designed to liberate. who make up this section. With that as an intro- its unique contribution to understanding and Therefore, the analyst cannot ignore oppres- duction, I thought this would be an ideal time to expanding the human condition. sion of freedom, wherever it occurs. Societal share my vision for the section. To maintain such a concept of psycho- structures, policies, and movements that stifle It strikes me that there are two ways of view- analysis is to assume that the social structures self expression are anti-psychoanalytic and rep- ing psychoanalysts who take part in social activ- provide opportunities for the patient’s authen- resent a greater threat to a successful analysis ism. One view would hold that analysis is no tic expression of affects, desires, values, and than any insurance company. That is why, in different from any other profession in its rela- beliefs. This does not mean, of course, that my view, analytic work is inextricably bound to tionship to the social world. According to this the analysand has to be indulged in the expres- freedom, justice, and human rights. To be an position, members of our section are analysts sion of every feeling; it means that the society analyst while rationalizing oppression of any of who happen to be left-leaning in their political must allow enough authenticity for the patient these virtues is a contradiction. As the early views. I respect those who hold this position, to feel the life she lives belongs to her. The socially active analysts saw, individual psycho- and I certainly welcome their participation in environment for a successful analysis includes analysis and social movements for a humane our work, but I do not agree with their con- the possibility that the patient’s authentic self- society are two different forms of achieving the ceptualization of psychoanalytic activism.