Psychoanalysis in the technoculture era

Psychoanalysis in the Technoculture Era (edited by Alessandra Lemma and Luigi Caparrotta) will no doubt become an influential text for theorists and practitioners alike who are interested in, concerned by, and engaged with the intersection of psychoanalysis and the significant changes taking place in the development and use of technology in our everyday lives. These changes are not only profoundly influencing how we communicate and relate, but also significantly shaping the very nature of communication and relationships. At the beginning of his foreword, Peter Fonagy questions whether ‘the technological revolution of information technology [has] brought about an irreversible shift in our psychological world’ (p. xv). He goes on to trace the epistemological shifts in the instinctual models of psychoanalysis from those originating with ‘sex and aggression’, to attachment theory and now to the instinct related to the ‘transfer of knowledge’ (p. xviii). And, he appears to answer his original question, by saying that it is this last instinct that is ‘altered in its essence, not just in its expression or its manifestations’ (p. xviii).

Lemma and Caparrotta respond by bringing together a collection of writers, each with their own voice and perspective, yet lightly linked together. The resulting offerings in this slim volume are thought-provoking and emotionally engaging, which made it both a pleasure and a challenge to read. Not at first, but as I read more of the chapters, I found myself involved in a conversation with the authors and myself. What did I really think about the issues under discussion? What had I not considered? What did I need to know? I particularly appreciated the fact that a number of writers expressed ideas that were in contradiction, which added to the richness and internal conversation, and showed the freedom given by the editors to write about what they were truly interested in and engaged by. This has made for an engaging book.

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