Minds Almost Meeting Psychoanalysis (Robin Hanson & Agnes Callard, with Jamieson Webster)
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Nov 9, 2023 
Economist Robin Hanson and philosopher Agnes Callard discuss the complexity of desire and its relationship to societal rules, the impact of psychoanalysis in managing desires, the fragmentation of communities and religious revival, and the concept of freedom and self-knowledge.
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Unexamined Desires
- People often inherit expectations without reflecting on their true desires.
- This lack of reflection can lead to unfulfilling choices, like attending college without genuine interest.
Value of Recognizing Desires
- Recognizing desires, even negative ones, can be part of self-understanding.
- Repressing desires might be a defense mechanism against deeper issues.
Desire to Avoid Self-Knowledge
- A deep-seated desire might be to avoid self-understanding.
- Psychological mechanisms exist to satisfy this desire, creating incoherence.