

Dominique Scarfone - The Time Before Us.
10 snips Apr 6, 2021
In this conversation, Dominique Scarfone, a prominent psychoanalyst and former professor, delves into the relationship between time and artistic expression. He connects psychoanalysis with the works of W.S. Merwin, Virginia Woolf, and Walter Benjamin, highlighting how their writings reflect the nuances of 'actual time.' Scarfone explores how memory and trauma shape our understanding of reality, emphasizing the transformative potential of psychoanalysis in addressing these deep-rooted experiences. A fascinating intersection of literature, philosophy, and psychological insight awaits!
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Time's Elusive Nature
- Time in psychoanalysis, like in other fields, is a complex and elusive concept.
- It plays a crucial, yet often understated, role in understanding the human experience.
The Time Before Us
- The concept of "The Time Before Us" has a dual meaning: a time that came before and a time that stands before us.
- In psychoanalysis, the focus is on addressing the arrested or repetitive time that impacts our present lives.
Actual Time and the Un-Past
- Contrary to Freud's notion of timelessness, Scarfone argues that the unconscious operates in "actual time."
- This "un-past" is not truly past nor present, but actively influences the present through repetition compulsion.