Page:The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis II 1921 3-4.djvu/124

 378 AUGUST STARCKE

(sects, war, sleep). On the other hand, the regressive solitary type of individual is suppressed at once by society {as far as he does not know how to use society for his own purpose!). If it breaks through regardless of this resistance, then this proves a stronger energy of the regressive or progressive occurrence, a condition which psycho-analysis traces back to early acquired fixations in definite stages (dififerent for each syndrome) of development of the impulses. Psycho-analysis, in considering this quantitative diffe- rence, interests itself in the analogous phenomena exhibited by normal people. The mental life of the normal person is a symphony of single performances of the various stages of development. Some of the stages, like sleep, are extremely deep regressions, surpassing the severest psychoses in depth and, strange to say, often absent in these latter, "-"i? <-m M^t'r-'H'.i^ ••■- ---i-- -(■■•■■ ■•' ;' ■ ■ '

III

METAPHRENIA "^.^'

Since there exists a state of conflict between mental patients and society it behoves science to subject society to an investigation in order to facilitate an impartial study. --:» S/'H'

What is this society that we find as the co-ordinating axis when we attempt to arrive at the concept of 'mental disease'.? Here the matter is obviously different from the neuroses. There we found as object of comparison the picture of the ideal normal human being composed of the various ideal aspects of reality. An ideal society has not yet been created, on tlie contrary all are agreed that much of society is valueless. Many thinkers — I need only mention Carpenter and Ruskin— were not afraid to compare present- day civilisation with a disease. Actually at the present time it is easy to hold this opinion. The civihsation of the white race is a morbid one.

The gains won by civilisation are of course very important: ■^an improved defence against enemies from other realms of nature, and a more intensive utilisation of the natural sources of life, these together leading to a considerable extension of the duration of life. Many people, however, will not look upon material advantages as the most important gain, but upon the feelings of security and superiority which permit the civilised human being