Letter to Sigmund Freud - Essay Example

Letter to Sigmund Freud I am pleased to inform you that I have been keenly following your advancement of major psychology concepts. You are truly a great scholar, in the recent past, I happened to go through your theory and was much moved with your presentation of the ‘unconscious’ concept. It was of great importance in my field of studies, was interested to understand why we as people act the way we do. For instance, one question that really bothers me a lot is what drives a rapists or a thief. I have read many work including yours and I have found many conflicting explanation though at some point they seem to agree. Your work on unconscious concept did shed light. In your views, it emerges that the unconscious factors have a power to bring about unhappiness. According to your concept, individuals are mostly in dark on factors that cause them to have some unique behavior and emotions. Upon my consideration, your work is of much value. However, some experts have reviewed it and raised a lot of criticism. It has been agreed that the unconscious factors prompts a show of distinguishable symptoms that includes disturbing personality traits, an individual’s difficulty in relationships as well as disturbance in self-esteem disposition. However, I realize a discourse in your work on how the unconscious factors affect the overall mental health. Yours is a general theory concerning human behavior and ones experience. I must admit that I was moved by your comparison of the mind with a tip of an iceberg. However, how does that tip of an iceberg that is visible above the water represent just a small portion of our mind? Does this mean that a very huge expanse of that ice is the one hidden beneath the water is the one to represent the larger unconscious? The Stages of Development In your theory, you have argued that children do develop through a kind of series involving psychosexual stages. Your research concurs with that of many researchers that all psychic energy may be generated by libido. I like your suggestion that at each stage like what you called the libido’s pleasure seeking energy is focused on different part of one’s body. Malcom (1994) asserts that if a conflict may remain unresolved at any particular stage an individual may remain stuck at that particular part of development. The four main phases of sexual development you indentified remains undisputable. They include; the oral phase. Here the focus of individual is providing satisfaction for the mouth. Then on the sadistic c- anal phase, satisfaction is usually sought aggressively and in the excretory function (Malcom, 1994). The next one is the phallic phase where boys do fear their fathers and simultaneously fantasize sexual relationship with their mothers while girls experiences penis envy that is culminated by her turning away from sexual life. Finally, during the genital phase, sexual function becomes completely organized. Here, what remains unclear is what may happen if an error occurs at a given phase (Malcom, 1994) The Basic Structure of Development My next issue of concern to Freud is about your concept of personality. As a student, I have come across this work where you argued that the mind of an individual develops a kind of tripartite structure. These parts include the Id, Ego and Super-Ego. Other experts who have come after you some are in total agreement that the Id is present at birth. I appreciate the way you have put it. The part show earlier ways on how we relate with the world. In other words, our unselfconscious desires that we have for in order to fulfill our basic needs. Nevertheless, I do not really think that it has to be animalistic, as you have strongly argued. While psychoanalysis may thus be said to be scientifically alive, But it have to be totally illogical and emotional as you have put it. Recent works have shown that the stage can be regarded as the most primitive part of one’s personality and a basic part of most of one’s urges (Delamate, 2006). It is agreeable that as the child grows, there is likelihood that he/she will become more aware of himself or herself as separate and even distinct from other human beings. This equally happen to objects that do satisfy his or her desires (Delamate, 2006). However, this may true, I really do not grasp the connections how the Ego comes in order to maintain and control the Id. Is it a reality principle? In addition, how does it make a person to portray rational and realistic thoughts and especially when interacting with the others? Mr. Freud, I wish you clearly showed the shift in focus in an individual from what one wants and the existing limitations to the formulation of strategies for overcoming the limitations. Also am of the opinion that the said limitations can be socially imposed. Finally, I am partly convinced that the Super-Ego as part of personality holds all our internalized morals and even standards acquired from our parents and society. However, am left questioning your value and legitimacy of this psychoanalysis. Whether it is indeed a science or not, my other part of contention with you is the value of data in which you based your research. Psychoanalytic therapist will definitely find Freud’s opinions in his theories very valuable. Though emerging works suggest your work lacks evidence, and the validity of your data, I feel it should not be ignored. Cancer really robbed us a hero. References Delamate, H. (2006). Undestanding Human Personality. New York: Mcgraw Hill Press. Malcom, B. (1994). Psychoanalysis and the Future of the Theory. Cambridge: MA;B.Blackwell Press, Read More