Boys Quote by Steven Pinker
“The idea that boys want to sleep with their mothers strikes most men as the silliest thing they have ever heard. Obviously, it did not seem so to Freud, who wrote that as a boy he once had an erotic reaction to watching his mother dressing. But Freud had a wet-nurse, and may not have experienced the early intimacy that would have tipped off his perceptual system that Mrs. Freud was his mother. The Westermarck theory has out-Freuded Freud.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Better Angels of Our Nature, 2011
Freud’s personal experience challenges his theories, showing how early intimacy can shape adult sexuality.
In simple terms: Personal history can bias scientific ideas.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions in theory.
Themes
psychology
theory
bias
development
Mood
inquisitive
skeptical
Type
theoretical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- clinical practice
- academic research
- parenting advice
- therapy sessions
Key Concepts
Freud’s upbringing
Westermarck hypothesis
sexual development
Questions to Reflect On
- How do early experiences shape adult desires?
- What evidence supports or refutes Freud’s view?
A Different Perspective
Personal anecdotes may not generalize.
