Dialect of the Freudian Tribe

Identity and Anxiety, a collection of essays edited by M. Stein, A. J. Vidich and D. M. White (Free Press, $7.50), is a document discussing the situation of the Freudian sect. Following their democratic prejudices, the Freudians prefer to work by committee, avoiding the responsibility inherent in individual initiative, being under the impression that truth emerges from consensus, and that several part men make up a full man. Although the main burden of this book is carried by only two specialties, psychology and sociology, yet, in their introduction, the editors are very much concerned about the question of communication between specialties.

It turns out that, following John Dewey, the authors have abandoned English, thinking to substitute for it a jargon supplemented by subtle psychological symbols of the sort so enthusiastically used by advertising men. But the broken English spoken by Freudians raises grave doubts about the seriousness of their science. A scientific jargon is related to good English as a provincial Chinese dialect is related to Mandarin. However useful a dialect may have been to those who spoke it, nothing that was said or done in the dialect entered into Chinese culture or history. It was only when it was translated into Mandarin that it took on value and significance. Similarly, it is only when a psychologist or a sociologist states his case in good English that his opinions can be taken seriously or that his views become significant. If scientists cannot rise to good English, no doubt they can establish an inferior culture corresponding to their inferior language—in default of any other spiritual movement in the country. But the technical culture and society they set up will not be connected with civilization, nor will their history bear on world history. They will relapse into primitive barbarism.

JW

About the Author

John Wisner

Identity and Anxiety, a collection of essays edited by M. Stein, A. J. Vidich and D. M. White (Free Press, $7.50), is a document discussing the situation of the Freudian sect. Following their democratic prejudices, the Freudians prefer to work by committee, avoiding the responsibility inherent in individual initiative, being under the impression that truth emerges from consensus, and that several part men make up a full man. Although the main burden of this book is carried by only two specialties, psychology and sociology, yet, in their introduction, the editors are very much concerned about the question of communication between specialties.

It turns out that, following John Dewey, the authors have abandoned English, thinking to substitute for it a jargon supplemented by subtle psychological symbols of the sort so enthusiastically used by advertising men. But the broken English spoken by Freudians raises grave doubts about the seriousness of their science. A scientific jargon is related to good English as a provincial Chinese dialect is related to Mandarin. However useful a dialect may have been to those who spoke it, nothing that was said or done in the dialect entered into Chinese culture or history. It was only when it was translated into Mandarin that it took on value and significance. Similarly, it is only when a psychologist or a sociologist states his case in good English that his opinions can be taken seriously or that his views become significant. If scientists cannot rise to good English, no doubt they can establish an inferior culture corresponding to their inferior language—in default of any other spiritual movement in the country. But the technical culture and society they set up will not be connected with civilization, nor will their history bear on world history. They will relapse into primitive barbarism.