Varia

Psychoanalysis and the Psychoanalyst.—In an article criticizing the methods of Freud and Jung, Dr. T. W. Mitchell concludes with the following sentence concerning psychoanalysis: “The claims of its supporters as to its bearings on philosophy, æsthetics, ethics and religion, amount to little less than a claim to a new revelation of the meaning of life.”

All earnest psychoanalysts will be willing to endorse this statement, for it sums up the whole situation. Indeed it would be well to frequently ponder these words, so that the tremendous import of the psychoanalytic movement may be realized.

Psychoanalysis is becoming popular and now is the moment to utter a word of warning to all those who are aware of the value of Freud's scientific contributions. He stood alone, or with only a very small band of supporters, and upheld his theories. It takes courage to do that, but it requires subtler virtues to listen unmoved to the applause of the multitude.

It demands far greater detachment, greater singleness of purpose and utter devotion to Truth.

Psychoanalysts will now spring up like mushrooms and psychoanalysis will become a fashionable cult.

This means that much surface work will be accomplished and many failures registered and perhaps the movement may eventually fall into disfavor, because amongst psychoanalysts “many are called, but few are chosen.”

I was surprised the other day to hear someone say to me: “Your psychoanalysis is all the rage now; of course it has always been known, only under other names. ‘So and so’ has known of it for years.” My heart sank at these words, for popularity is harder to survive than unpopularity.

Has any great movement ever survived approval? Few people are great enough to acknowledge—in their own field—one greater than themselves. They belittle him, they patronize him and finally “damn him with faint praise.” It takes greatness to acknowledge greatness and many people are petty.

I tremble for the future of psychoanalysis, but we must have faith.

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