Dreams...
It may be a dream afraid of waking up, or it may be a dream coming to realization in the next morning.

Monday, February 6, 2012

A Dangerous Method

So, to those who are familiar with this movie, must have guessed by now that I'm about to talk about what I think about this movie. And for those who think that, yes, you are right. I can't miss discussing about this movie because it is, if not all, very factual to the history of Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, two very notable psychologists in the history of psychology. I learnt a lot, and this is a list of what I observed (please note that this observation is in response to the movie, so if there is a factual fallacy, then excuse me):

1) Freud's overemphasis on the effect sex had on behavior was more astounding than I thought.
2) Freud and Jung fought "like a sir." They disagreed on so many things but still showed their respect and professionalism toward each other.
3) The motivation to learn in the culture of professionals was so high that even the patients could teach his or her physician a thing or two. They learnt from each other, something I didn't see in modern educational world. Especially in universities, lecturers are seen as the "absolute" educators. Teachers learning from students now seem to be impossible and inappropriate.
4) They still called their clients as "patients."
5) I think this was one of the earliest realizations in the history of psychological services where therapists or counselors should not push their personal opinions into the head of their clients. One of the characters, Otto, was a physician who kept convincing his client that their problem in life had sexual element and basis. As the result, his clients believed it.
6) Apparently, Freud and Jung were more than friends, Freud seemed to have affection (professional or personal) toward his opponent.
7) Sabina was Jung's client, who was very neurotic, but when she began to heal, she became the next notable psychoanalyst, without the prejudice from her colelagues. I don't think this could happen, again, to our modern world. We always believe in the idea of "once a shrink's subject, forever a shrink's subject..."


Some notable quotes:

1) "And you don't find it necessary or desirable to exercise some restraint as a contribution, say, to the smooth functioning of civilization?" Carl Jung on monogamy.
2) "I'll start gently ripping you to shreds..."
3) "...true sexuality demands the destruction of the ego."
4) "In general, I don't care if a man believes in  Rama, Marx, or Aphrodite. As long as he keeps it out of the consulting room..." Sigmund Freud' view on religion in psychological progress.
5) Sigmund Freud's "The world is the way it is" vs. Carl Jung's "We can show you what it is that you might want to become..."
6) "How sweet it must be to die..."
7) "Think about your behavior and then decide which one of us who is neurotic..." The name-calling version of professionals in the early 1900's.
8) "And by the way, please don't feel you have to restrain yourself here. My family are all veterans of the most unsuitable topics of mealtime conversations..." Freud when Jung couldn't stop talking about sexuality while having dinner with the former's family.

I personally think that this movie would be great for those who want to learn about  a part of the history of psychoanalysis in an entertaining way. I'd recommend it.

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