h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm not sure. But that's maybe partly because of my increased brain metabolism. It really is so impossible to convey what that's like.

You are much more calm and logical in general in the way you write..and lately you've been more like that with me to my mind. I'm still worried that its connected with the Wolfden thing..and you're more angry with me than you let on...that's just my hunch.

It could be my altered perception. One moment I think I can se a kind of piercing truth about people and things..and the next I'm thinking I'm deluded.

I think it's going to take time to sort out. And I'm worried about upsetting you now. I was so mortified when you said that Wolfden thing had affected you in real life.

I just don't properly know how to explain things because my analytical mind is still a bit submerged. You should bear that in mind.

I'm going to the shops now.

We can discuss this again whenever you want.

>>I just don't properly know how to explain things because my analytical mind is still a bit submerged. You should bear that in mind.


Well everything you just said in that post made sense to me

If I'm being more logical and calm in my posts currently it's because I've been unwell and low energy. Kind of interesting actually given I've had such a stressful year.

I do think there is stuff we should talk about with the LW thing but I don't think either of us are in the right place for that yet.

>>I do think there is stuff we should talk about with the LW thing but I don't think either of us are in the right place for that yet.


That sounded patronising. I meant I'm not in the right place, and I had the impression there were limits to that convo for you too.

Yes I do want to discuss the Wolfden thing with you sometime..and it wasn't patronising. You're spot on, I'm not ready either.

I think Freud is important for westerners because he opened up a revolutionary way of thinking about our psyches. The Cartesian, 'Cogito ergo sum' was the foundation of western philosophy for hundreds of years. But Freud says, 'the ego is not master of its own house'. The subject is incapable of knowing itself completely...because of the unconscious.

This is just such a fundamental change in terms of our illusion of 'control'.

And then once that conception of the psyche had opened up..it had massive effects on culture and the arts..and of course subsequent analysts and therapists.

Yes other cultures may well have thought that way about the psyche..ie there are parts that are unknowable. Like eg drug rituals are used to get in touch with those parts.

I think his importance was giving a language for it for our culture.

The oedipal complex is yes, fundamental to the conception of how 'adult' sanity is mediated.

I'll be very interested to read that book as I am very familiar with Freud's theories. Though Melanie Klein interests me more in terms of her theorising about the development of the psyche.

It'll be interesting to read that book, 'Final analysis'. I think criticism such as you described he makes..won't take away from my basic opinion of Freud as being the first to give a language to the conception of the unconscious for our culture...and what an enormous achievement that was...

**

I know you've been working incredibly hard on h2g2 stuff..and yes of course health issues..so don't worry about replying unless you want. But hopefully you'll find my take interesting to read.

And when I start reading that book I'll post more.

That's all very interesting about Freud. Do you have a book budget?



Wiki has MI6 as the foreign one and MI5 as the domestic one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_Intelligence_Service

Wiki is wrong.

No I don't have a book budget. In this part of my life I very rarely read. The last was the Tennant of Wildfell Hall which anhaga got me into...I actually now think it's the greatest Bronte novel.

I read with a passion when younger like you wouldn't believe. But these days it's not that way.

I read most of Freud before I went to Goldsmiths for my Fine Art...he was recomended reading...but I'd already been reading psychological stuff from a young age...as it was a passion of mine. I knew there was something wrong with me.

I would never have a book budget. I'd rather starve.

I'm very happy to talk to you but you should know I'm not well...I like talking...it's not like your problem...it's just it might come out a bit chaotic at present.

You know I may have got those MI5s and 6s wrong. I don't care so much. But I'm pleased we have them.

And when I read that book written by that guy who has issues with Freud, it hasn't got here yet, if he doesn't engage intellectually properly with Freudian ideas I will point that out.

I mean if it's some sort of tabloid style expose that will be something I'll draw attention to that.

Tabloid style thinking really was the biggest threat posed by the BskyB.

I'm getting really excited though to read it, to see just how he goes about his attack on Freud.

I haven't read any of Masson's work lately. He has an academic background - his original work was studying Sanskrit. He's reasonably controversial - in more recent years he's written about animals and emotion and challenged the psychology orthodoxy that animals are emotionless. He lived in NZ for a while, not sure if he's still here.

Yeah the book still hasn't arrived...although it's got big in my mind

I had already started to decide that it was going to be a simplistic tabloid style thing in terms of his analysis..And I was going to slate it.

Then I realised that was just me pre-judging things.

I'll be taking it fairly on its merits now.

I'll keep you posted.

And I suppose you're sleeping

Get up.

Everything's OK

What made you think he would be tabloid?


Asleep? It's only 9.30

Still, I might have an early night

>What made you think he would be tabloid?<


Oh that's more to do with my own obsessions of late. You don't know how much I care to try to defend our culture from that. And we really have been in peril. But I'm much more optimistic now. It's incredibly complicated...

Good you're awake.

I hope having a friend like me will be okay for your health

That book just arrived. I've read the preface and have no doubts about Masson's integrity or intellectual approach. And he makes positives points as well about Freud's importance in the biggest scheme of things that I was trying to explain.

My concentration abilities at present are shot to pieces. But it might be good to not read it too quickly.

Apparently it's the last in the trilogy he wrote to do with the industry of 'Freudian analysis'.

He also makes the point that there are good people doing this work..and the good they do is as much to do with them as people.

I concur with this because the person i did psychotherapy with was a truly excellent and ethical person. The thing went on far longer than it was meant to. But at the end she was very clear that doing it with me had taught her a lot of stuff that she could use to help others. I was very pleased because I had felt a bit guilty because it was on the NHS..even though at a top hospital to help train psychiatrists.

Some very strange things did happen during the process..in terms of sudden understanding on my part of things and which did affect her on ocassion. It was very *real*.

But I feel good about reading this book. Thanks for recommending him.

I saw that you were upset by Ed's behaviour as you thought of him as a friend. That's for you to come to terms with and sort out.

But of course I'm aware you would have been upset by my behaviour a few weeks ago.

FKF really did mess with my head by resurrecting that Wolfden thread at that particular moment.

I just wanted to reassure you that you won't have any more worries about me as your friend.

I don't like the way you completely ignored me tonight on that thread to do with noohootoo. You know what a good friend of yours I am and have spoken up for you recently on that YouTube thread stuff.

I felt you talked down to me.

I'm an incredibly intelligent and creative person. You should be pleased to have a friend like me.

And no doubt HI will be out attacking me again soon..and reading this.

I'm not sure what you mean Effers, I don't have the sense that I was ignoring you. Without going back and counting, I'm pretty sure I was replying to some of your posts. Were there specific points that you wanted me to respond to?

When you said that you felt the conversation was too bureaucratic I just explained how I see the necessity for us to move into that tight, controlled conversation (making lists and using jargon etc). I didn't feel I was talking down to you and when you posted again saying it was just how you were feeling, I thought fair enough It was a really, really fast moving thread at that point, so I'm not surprised if stuff got lost.

I know you are a very intelligent and creative person. I don't see where I've denied that

Actually we should leave it.

We speak two entirely different languages. I've explained to you I'm basically a pattern thinker...and logic is an add on. You are coming back at me with logic.

There's just so much that I can't communicate with you.

And I'm very scared that HI might read this and come onto me again with that bile.

I find it quite strange though that you claim to have a kind of Feminist perspective..and yet when a man sets out to completely psychologically hurt and undermine a woman you say nothing.

My cultural background is incredibly different to yours. I think that's what's been exposed of late, plus the pattern thinking thing which is pretty normal in my community background.

I know when we had that problem recently to do with the Wolfden thing it badly affected you..so I don't want to cause you more problems again.

HI has caused something similar for me I think.

I don't think meaningful communication between us is possible so rather than have another nasty argument, I'll just let it go. These things happen. Relationships between people reach a natural ending. Of course I'll speak to you on h2g2. But i no longer think of you as a 'friend'.