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“You Talking to Me?”. La Psicología Del Taxista Martín Scorsese

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“You Talking to Me?”. La Psicología Del Taxista Martín Scorsese “YOU Talking to me?” LA PSICOLOGÍA DEL TAXISTA DE MARTIN SCORSESE YOU Talking to me?” MARTIN SCORSESe’S TAXI DRIVER PSYCHOLOGY Manuel Arboccó de los Heros1 RESUMEN Se presenta el análisis psicológico de la obra cinematográfica de Martin Scorsese Taxi driver (taxista) protagonizada por el actor Robert De Niro. La película trata la historia de Travis Bickle, un ex combatiente de Vietnam, ―ahora en la ciudad de Nueva York― perturbado por su pasado y presa de insomnios, jaquecas y otros síntomas, el mismo que decide trabajar por las noches como taxista conociendo así los peores lugares de la ciudad durante los años 70´s. Su perturbación va en aumento y elige finalmente liberar él mismo las calles de tanta corrupción y delincuencia de las cuales está cansado. Palabras clave Estrés postraumático, paranoia, desadaptación, conducta psicopática, neurosis de guerra. ABSTRACT The psychological analysis of Martin Scorsese’s cinematographic work Taxi driver starred by actor Robert De Niro. The film is about the story of Travis Bickle, a former Vietnam vet, who lives in New York City and is disturbed by his past and suffers from insomnia, headaches and other symptoms. He decides to work at night as a taxi driver, and so he knows the worst places in the city in the 70’s. His disturbance increases. Finally, fed up with street corruption and crime he decides to stop them. Keywords Post-traumatic stress, paranoia, maladjustment, psychopathic behavior, shell shock Me parece que cualquier persona sensible debería ver que la violencia no cambia el mundo, y si lo hace, solo lo hace temporalmente Martin Scorsese INTRODUCCIÓN más sórdida, tristes y violentas del New York de entonces. Este personaje presenta algunos Esta es la historia de Travis Bickle, 26 años, síntomas neuróticos: no puede dormir, tiene excombatiente de Vietnam, quien ante una problemas con la memoria y fuertes dolores etapa de insomnio se acerca a una empresa de cabeza. Surge la pregunta ¿por qué ocurre a buscar empleo como taxista nocturno. La esto?, ¿qué comunica (el cuerpo de) Travis historia se sitúa en la década de los 70´s y el con eso?, ¿qué nos muestran estos síntomas?, protagonista nos muestra sus viajes por las calles ¿qué teme que ocurra al dejar la vigilia?, ¿qué 1 Psicólogo. Psicoterapeuta. Docente de la Universidad Femenina del Sagrado Corazón. CONSENSUS 19 (2) 2014 109 “You talking to me?” La psicología del taxista de Martin Scorsese Manuel Arboccó de los Heros miedos o terrores nocturnos le impiden cerrar York en los EE. UU., zonas como Bronx, un ojo? Los psicólogos han comprobado Brooklyn, Harlem, básicamente zonas de la idea que cualquier síntoma aparece por afroamericanos, latinos y blancos pobres y sin alguna razón, inclusive muchas veces es útil su educación. Cabe anotar que se conoce como manifestación, cumple un propósito, aunque zona roja a un barrio o distrito en donde se neurótico. Además, Travis es visto tomando concentran la prostitución u otros negocios en más de una oportunidad ciertas pastillas, relacionados con la industria del sexo. En sin conocer si son debidamente recetadas o es algunos países de América Latina, el término producto de la peligrosa automedicación. cambia de significado y suele denotar un sector con altos índices de delincuencia (aludiendo al Ante este insomnio recurrente decide trabajar término crónica roja). por las noches, lo cual puede ser una buena forma de mantenerse ocupado, trabaja de 6 Travis está en contacto con lo considerado p.m. a 6 a.m., a veces hasta las 8 a.m.; esto como “lo peor” de la sociedad, el inframundo: significa que debe invertir su horario, invertir prostitución, drogas, delincuencia, asesinatos. su ciclo circadiano. Los ciclos circadianos Reniega de su sociedad y sus lacras, desea o ritmos circadianos son oscilaciones de limpiar esta ciudad de tanta inmundicia. las variables biológicas en intervalos regulares Nos preguntamos, ¿cuánta inmundicia ve de tiempo (20 a 28 horas). El sueño y la vigilia, Travis en su propio interior que es incapaz de por ejemplo, ocurren naturalmente al ritmo comprender y manejar? Muchas veces vemos de un marcapasos interno que funciona con afuera lo que está por dentro. base en un ciclo de alrededor de veinticuatro/ veinticinco horas. Esto genera ciertos efectos Es parte de la rutina de Travis consumir mucha pues mientras la gente duerme, él trabaja pornografía. Le es difícil conseguir y mantener y mientras los demás se despiertan y van a una relación de pareja y se refugia en este tipo trabajar, él está yendo a acostarse. Esto quizá de salas de cine para observar películas que le permite de paso evitar el contacto con los combinan el sexo explícito con la dominación, demás. Asimismo, la alteración en la secuencia sumisión y cierta dosis erótica de empleo del u orden de estos ritmos tiene un efecto negativo dolor. Ve sexo mas no lo practica. ¿A dónde se a corto plazo, como fatiga y desorientación va toda esa libido? ¿Qué ocurre con toda esa (Arango Sánchez, 2009). Otras diversas estimulación que consume? funciones corporales, como la temperatura del cuerpo, funcionan, igualmente con base en TRAVIS SE OBSESIONA CON BETSY ritmos circadianos. Recordemos que Travis se queja de “demasiado calor”. La falta de sueño Observa desde su taxi a una agraciada joven está asociado al aumento de la irritabilidad, llamada Betsy, empleada en la campaña el cansancio, la falta de concentración y presidencial de un Gobernador. Luego de disminución de la creatividad, entre otros mirarla desde su taxi, afuera de las oficinas efectos (Feldman, 1995). donde ella trabaja, un día Travis ingresa al local de campaña, la aborda y consigue que ella le Mencionamos líneas arriba que Travis Bickle acepte una invitación para almorzar. Ella acepta es un exmarino de la Guerra de Vietnam, sin mayores reparos, ¿por qué ocurre esto? Esta esto nos da una idea por dónde comenzar. aparente tranquila y seria muchacha acepta Sabemos desde hace casi un siglo de las sin mayores cuestionamientos la invitación famosas neurosis de guerra (Covelli, 1988). del extraño taxista que, de pronto, se muestra Soldados que regresaban a casa, pero con todo un líder en el arte de abordar y conquistar una serie de dificultades y problemas no solo amores. Probablemente son dos solitarios a nivel anímico sino también físico, corporal: en busca de compañía. Dos solitarios que parálisis, cegueras, contracturas, terrores después no logran hacer uno (simbólicamente nocturnos, obsesiones, que sorprendían a los un equipo) y la separación es cuestión de médicos de entonces. Vive en un suburbio, días. Travis, un solitario sin mayor experiencia trabaja como taxista en zonas rojas de Nueva amorosa, no tiene mejor idea que llevarla a 110 CONSENSUS 19 (2) 2014 “You talking to me?” Manuel Arboccó de los Heros La psicología del taxista de Martin Scorsese ver una película pornográfica, ella ―y esto es ganas de salir y hacer algo… de veras quiero… interesante― acepta inicialmente, sabe que es tengo ideas malas en la cabeza” dice Travis a su una sala de cine “para adultos” aunque decide colega. Su compañero le lanza un disparatado acompañarlo, luego de ver algunos instantes argumento que termina en un contundente la película sale molesta por considerarla una “todos estamos jodidos”. ¿Podría un diálogo invitación de mal gusto a intimidar con Travis, más inteligente, empático y terapéutico haber situación que aún no está preparada para ayudado al confundido Travis? De pronto sí. aceptar. ¿Y Travis? Surge, en este análisis, la En psicoterapia, la herramienta básica es la pregunta ¿a qué hombre se le puede ocurrir compañía, el lenguaje, la comunicación y llevar en una primera cita a una chica a ver la razón. Por un mecanismo, llamado en el una película pornográfica? Falta de empatía psicoanálisis, de desplazamiento, Travis orienta (capacidad para ponerse en el lugar del otro), su hostilidad hacia el jefe de Betsy, es decir, quizá. De pronto una restricción en lo que se el candidato presidencial para el cual la joven conoce en Psicología como la teoría de la trabaja. Cabe aclarar que el desplazamiento es mente, esto es “la habilidad para comprender el nombre de un mecanismo de defensa que y predecir la conducta de otras personas, sus consiste en redirigir una emoción o sentimiento conocimientos, sus intenciones y sus creencias” de un objeto a otro. Para Laplanche y Pontalis (Tirapú-Ustárroz, J. y colbs., 2007). O su forma (Laplanche y Pontalis, 1997), consiste en algo burda de sugerir intimar sexualmente. Quizá que el acento, el interés, la intensidad de Travis no entiende cómo ella se podría sentir una representación puede desprenderse en un lugar así. Quizá presenta el denominado de ésta para pasar a otras representaciones analfabetismo emocional (Steiner, 2003) o falta originalmente poco intensas, aunque ligadas a de neuronas espejo (Iacoboni, 2009). Como la primera por una cadena asociativa. dato adicional, debemos mencionar al respecto que en 1995 un equipo de neurobiólogos De pronto, es a ella a quien Travis quiere italianos, dirigidos por Giacomo Rizzolatti, dañar por haberlo rechazado, pero busca un de la Universidad de Parma, identificó un reemplazo, el candidato. Escucha decir a este tipo de neuronas desconocidas, las llamaron por televisión cosas como “el pueblo empieza a neuronas espejo o neuronas especulares. Son gobernar”. En su mente alterada, Travis puede un tipo particular de neuronas que se activan haber visto un mensaje del tipo toma la justicia cuando un animal o un individuo observa una por tus propias manos. Él desea eso, limpiar la acción similar realizada por otro individuo. ciudad con sus propias manos, ajusticiar a los Desempeñan un importante rol en la vida social, que considera la inmundicia de este mundo. la imitación y la empatía (Iacoboni, 2009). Luego, mientras deambula en su taxi, se cruza Luego Travis la llama, insiste pero ya el lazo con una joven prostituta (Iris) por la que siente se terminó de romper.
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