The School's Role in Promoting Sublimation

Over the years a number of studies have re-examined the concept of sublimation. These, and particularly the panel discussion (1955), have greatly clarified the theoretical aspects of sublimation. My own interest is far more limited and I shall confine myself to some practical implications of our knowledge of sublimation for education.

With the term sublimation Freud originally referred to the process by which the primary aims of instinctual drives are given up for certain cultural or otherwise highly valued achievements. Repeatedly he points to the gratification, the discharge of tension which sublimation provides. Today, we would add that in sublimation primary and secondary processes interact, with secondary processes prevailing. Activities based on sublimations are, at least to a large extent, communicable, not idiomatic, not part of a person's private world. They may yield pleasure of high intensity as well as lasting contentment.

Bernfeld (1922) at one point suggested to redefine the concept of sublimation in such a way as to eliminate the implied value judgments and to speak of ego-syntonic aims instead. However, there is behavior which has ego-syntonic aims, yet offers no gratification. If we accept Bernfeld's suggestion, then all behavior which comes under the reality principle might be based on sublimation. In my opinion, the term sublimation should be restricted to processes leading to ego-syntonic actions which retain a libidinal investment and have a discharge value. In this study our attention will be focused on those ego interests and attitudes which are highly invested.

Sublimation may serve defense, but is hardly a "mechanism" in the usual sense. Pleasure is yielded also by other defense reactions but is seldom of comparable intensity, or not so securely anchored in reality. In sublimation the pleasure is inherent in the process itself, not only in the attainment of the goal. Already en route to it, tension may be discharged and gratificati