Arnon Grunberg meets Adam Phillips: what if giving up isn’t a failure, but a form of resistance?

What if giving up isn’t a failure, but a form of resistance? Arnon Grunberg meets the British writer and psychoanalyst Adam Phillips. Together they talk about letting go of control, ambition and certainty.

Determination is often lauded as a virtue. But determined to do what? Adam Phillips and Arnon Grunberg explore how stepping away from expectations can bring freedom. In a world that prizes success and perseverance, can letting go open the door to new forms of autonomy and creativity — and, with it, challenge power?

About: Adam Philips (1954) is a renowned psychoanalyst and essayist. He is the author of numerous books, including Missing Out: In Praise of the Unlived Life, On Wanting to Change, and Attention Seeking. His works are known for bringing psychoanalysis into conversations about literature, art, and everyday life. In his latest book, On Giving Up, Phillips continues to explore the intricacies of human emotion and self-awareness.

Arnon Grunberg meets is a series of conversations in De Balie in which Arnon Grunberg speaks with prominent thinkers, writers, artists, and politicians. Grunberg previously spoke with Marlene Dumas, Zadie Smith, Tomas Sedlacek, Ulrich Seidl, Deborah Feldman, and Damiaan Denys.

This programme is a part of Forum on European Culture 2025.

Programme maker: Ianthe Mosselman

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