A radical reinterpretation of the origin of religion through a psychoanalytic theorization of the unknown
Renowned psychoanalytic philosopher Richard Boothby puts forward a novel theory of religion inspired by Jacques Lacan’s theory of das Ding, the disquieting, inaccessible dimension of fellow human beings. This notion of an unfathomable excess, originally encountered in the figure of the mother, led Lacan to break with Freud’s formulation of the Oedipus complex and underlies Lacan’s distinctive conception of unconscious dynamics. Leaning on this account, Boothby shows how our sense of the sacred arises from our relation to what we do not know.
Embracing the Void lays out the range of Freud’s attempts at a psychoanalytic theory of religion and then sketches the rough contours of Lacan’s contrasting approach. From there, Boothby offers the theoretical tools for interpreting the religious impulse and analyzes key religious traditions, from ancient Greek polytheism to Judaism and Christianity, and from Hinduism and Buddhism to Islam, finally turning to modern capitalist culture and the seductive deity that dominates it—money. Lucid, accessible, and compelling, the book provides a cogent intervention in one of the psychoanalytic tradition’s most contentious topics and offers a new approach to our understanding of religion.
What are the drivers of creative writing:: passion, drive, and fear of rejection? What is the cardinal rule: honesty (to a vision, a voice)? Armbrust, an editor and creative-writing instructor, argues that the struggle to write is reflective of the deeper spiritual consciousness of the writer.
He challenges writers to address their inner demons, being honest to their truest selves, and to wrestle their eepest doubts in their quest to produce the best literature.
“One semester, my creative mentor William Packard asked me to teach his poetry-writing course at New York University’s School of Continuing Education and Professional Studies. He did so because I had taken the course, he considered me a good poet, and knew I was teaching a professional-writing course of my own at NYU. Each time I’d walk in to instruct his poetry-writing class, I’d scratch on the chalkboard two brief sentences: Go Deep. Take Chances. These two suggestions represent, I believe, the keys to creativity.” Many nutsand- bolts pointers (gleaned from decades of writing and advising others) benefit writers of all experience levels.
This book leads writers to better understand and execute the extremely focused work of creative writing, while at the same time enjoying a fuller sense of self, serenity and fulfillment.
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