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"Wonders are many
And none is more wonderful than man …"
Antigone
IT IS WELL THAT THE INVITATION to participate in this panel came along when it did; that is before I forgot my own descent or ascent into this profession. When we are young we don't know how ignorant we are, and when we are old we forget. But I have never forgotten my first interview. That interview and its subsequent developments still seem fantastic and incredible to me today.
In the 35 years that have elapsed since I became an analyst I have never come across a patient or candidate in analysis who was as naive as I was at the time when I started. I wish I had. My personal analysis exerted an enormous influence on my life. It was an adventure in self-discovery: a painful and very exacting undertaking, perhaps among the hardest things I have gone through in my life. Because of the impact the analytic experience had on me, I have said many times, and still say: that if you've had this experience you will never forget it, and if you have never had it you will never believe it.
I don't think that it is a good idea to use this occasion for a biographical account of our struggle to become psychoanalysts. But I think that much will be gained if we allow ourselves to be somewhat personal in sharing our views, since we've all had experience both as trainees and as teachers. It might lead to a more fruitful discussion, as we continue to learn from our experience.
I found the title "Education or Experience" intriguing; and in addressing myself to the topic I was puzzled by the "or". It seemed an unnecessary distinction. But I thought I would give it a trial and see if distinguishing between the two terms will help in understanding