Freud Quote by Gilles Deleuze
““The great discovery of psychoanalysis was that of the production of desire, of the production of the unconscious. But once Oedipus entered the picture, the discovery was soon buried beneath the new brand of idealism: a classical theater was substituted for the unconscious as a factory: representation was substituted for the units of production of the unconscious; and an unconscious that was capable of nothing but expressing itself – in myth, tragedy, dreams – was substituted for the productive unconscious””
About This Quote
Source Book: Difference and Repetition, 1968
The quote critiques how psychoanalysis’ insight into desire and the unconscious was later idealized, turning the unconscious into a symbolic stage rather than a productive force.
In simple terms: It warns that theory can turn a dynamic unconscious into mere representation.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and preserve the productive aspects of the unconscious.
Themes
psychoanalysis
philosophy
theory
representation
production
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
theoretical
critical
When to use this quote
- clinical practice
- literary criticism
- artistic creation
- psychotherapy
- cultural analysis
Key Concepts
desire
unconscious
idealism
myth
tragedy
Questions to Reflect On
- How does framing the unconscious as a factory change therapeutic approaches?
- What are the risks of idealizing the unconscious?
A Different Perspective
It may overlook the unconscious’s active role in shaping reality, reducing it to passive symbolism.
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![“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)
