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Dr. S. Ferenczi
vii., Nagydiofa-Utca 3.
Budapest, January 15, 19281
Dear Professor,
The personal Rundbrief2 (directed to me), as well as the one sent afterward, have arrived in a timely fashion. Many thanks for both. Yesterday, in the Society meeting, I lectured on the “Elasticity of Technique.” You yourself figured in as the first of the discussants; you see, presupposing your assent after the fact, I read aloud the sentences from your letter which pertain to the paper. As a reply to your comments, I endeavored (and it didn't cost me much effort to do so) to prove that there is essentially no difference between your conception and mine. I know that you occasionally told me that I strive all too much to produce complete identity between your views and mine. But I believe that this time I am in the right. “Tact,” as I view it, does not intend to be a concession to the arbitrariness of the subjective factor, still less [does it intend] to favor “the influence of one's own unrestrained complexes.” On the contrary, I demand the strictest control of the latter. I only think that one should put oneself first and foremost into the patient's position, one must “empathize” [einfühlen], but I am completely of your opinion regarding the topography of this psychic process. The empathy of the analyst must not take place in the unconscious, but [must take place] in the preconscious. The analyst's properly being analyzed is the same thing that you call “normality.” If this condition is present, then one can correctly weigh out the various reactions (and, in fact, one's own, as well as the patient's) and make the pertinent decision. In conclusion, I also agreed with the assertion that, despite all precautions, a misuse can occur, even with these technical recommendations. I prophesied directly (after the sadistic “active”) the possibility of a “masochistic” period of analysis, of which I warned our members.
Now, I request your express consent for me to append the pertinent sentences in