Freud Quote by Charles Krauthammer
““One modern conceit is that the inner man is more important than the outer man. The second conceit is that somehow, thanks to Freud and modern psychobabble, we have real access to the inner man.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The New York Times, “The Inner Man”, 1999
It critiques the overemphasis on introspection and psychoanalytic jargon, suggesting we claim a deep inner self is often illusory.
In simple terms: We overvalue inner self‑knowledge based on shaky foundations.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions about inner truth.
Themes
psychology
self‑knowledge
skepticism
Mood
skeptical
critical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal therapy
- leadership coaching
- self‑help literature
- media analysis
Key Concepts
Freud
modern psychobabble
identity
consciousness
Questions to Reflect On
- How reliable are introspective insights?
- Can we truly know our inner motives?
A Different Perspective
The inner self may be constructed, not discovered.
![“By what psychoanalyst friends tell me, in the field of the emotional subconscious, the emotional resistances to be overcome are no longer the ones most people felt in Freud's [..] day. The moralizing respectability and the fear of sex evidenced in Freud's day no longer exist. I am told that…” quote by Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3bc/massimo-piattelli-palmarini-26_freud_by-what-psychoanalyst-friends-tell-me-in_70209.jpg)
