RE: virus: MAIDS
Robin Faichney (r.j.faichney@stir.ac.uk)
Wed, 17 Sep 1997 09:54:18 +0100
> From: Tadeusz Niwinski[SMTP:tad@teta.ai]
>
> Robin wrote:
> >I think the problem is most usefully seen as neuroses.
>
> Good point. Neurosis may be a symptom of the MAIDS virus. What is a
> definition of neurosis? One definition I heard is: a neurotic person
> keeps
> performing the same actions and hopes to get different results. Like
> if the
> universe was not rational and A one day will not be A (if you persist
> long
> enough).
>
I don't like your example because it takes identification forgranted,
as if it were not a problem, but otherwise I agree. Neurotics don't
learn -- or not in the contexts in which their neurosis is operational.
I recently came across what looks like a very useful way of viewing
it: the neurotic is in a trance state, which in turn means that he/she
has certain cognitive functions disabled. Neurosis is a certain type
of trance, where one of the main distinguishing factors between
different trance types is exactly which cognitive functions are
disabled. See The Trance Domain, http://www.trance.ch/trance/
> [...]
> >And, IMHO, though it's often
> >said that Buddhism is not so much a religion as a
> >philosophy, what it *really* is, is psychotherapy. And that
> >is probably the best account I've ever given to anyone of
> >why I'm into Buddhism. Cool!
>
> Are you sure Buddhism is a cure or just a relief?
>
On the basis that there's no difference between complete,
permanent relief and a cure, it's a cure. (Actually, it may
well be possible to make a better case for it than that, but
I can't do so here and now.)
Robin