Unhinged: A Prospective Perspective on Being Unsafe¹

Area of Science:

• Psychoanalytic theory
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Recent global events necessitate re-evaluating psychoanalysis's role.
• Communities grapple with offering psychoanalytic insights into contemporary realities.
• There's a perceived pressure to prioritize safety over depth in addressing current crises.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore psychoanalysis's capacity to engage with difficult contemporary realities.
• To propose that confronting the "unsafe" is central to psychoanalytic work.
• To examine Ann Ulanov's concept of personal evil as a bridge to collective and archetypal evils.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical exploration of psychoanalytic concepts.
• Engagement with Ann Ulanov's work on evil.
• Analysis of the psychoanalytic process in confronting the unknown.

Main Results:

• Psychoanalysis is fundamentally about navigating "unsafe" territory.
• Personal evil serves as a crucial entry point to understanding broader societal and archetypal evils.
• Becoming "unhinged" from rigid theories allows for deeper engagement with the other and self-discovery.

Conclusions:

• Psychoanalysis provides a framework for confronting collective and archetypal evils through personal exploration.
• Embracing the "unsafe" is essential for psychoanalytic growth and understanding.
• This approach encourages transformative self-reflection and new ways of living.