Comments on: Grave New World: Introduction, Part 2 http://www.ballardian.com/grave-new-world-introduction-part-2 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:59:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Rick McGrath http://www.ballardian.com/grave-new-world-introduction-part-2/comment-page-1#comment-1197 Rick McGrath Tue, 27 Nov 2007 20:44:51 +0000 http://www.ballardian.com/grave-new-world-introduction-part-2#comment-1197 Bosse... whether Freud is "right" or "wrong" is probably immaterial to JGB's writing. As Dominika says, "Ballard alludes to Freud very many times and seems to accept his theories concerning the death instinct, the way civilization breeds neuroses and the repetition-compulsion mechanisms, but he cannot be called an orthodox Freudian even in the first period of his career when he was under the spell of psychoanalysis. Freudian ideas are mingled in his books with allusions to Freud's arch-enemy C.G. Jung, and they do not form any unified theory." JGB also references R.D. Laing, and the surrealists, whom he sees as uncovering glimpses of the unconscious. Freud is pervasive in much of Ballard, but it's often not "obvious"... for example, JG's unique use of landscape dominated by character is based on the Freudian ideas of Projection and the "latent/manifest". If Freud is wrong, and we actually don't "project", would it make any difference to the story? If you'd like to read a very philosophical critique of Freud, I'd recommend you check out, "Life Against Death: The Psychoanalytical Meaning Of History", by Norman O. Brown. Bosse… whether Freud is “right” or “wrong” is probably immaterial to JGB’s writing. As Dominika says, “Ballard alludes to Freud very many times and seems to accept his theories concerning the death instinct, the way civilization breeds neuroses and the repetition-compulsion mechanisms, but he cannot be called an orthodox Freudian even in the first period of his career when he was under the spell of psychoanalysis. Freudian ideas are mingled in his books with allusions to Freud’s arch-enemy C.G. Jung, and they do not form any unified theory.” JGB also references R.D. Laing, and the surrealists, whom he sees as uncovering glimpses of the unconscious. Freud is pervasive in much of Ballard, but it’s often not “obvious”… for example, JG’s unique use of landscape dominated by character is based on the Freudian ideas of Projection and the “latent/manifest”. If Freud is wrong, and we actually don’t “project”, would it make any difference to the story?

If you’d like to read a very philosophical critique of Freud, I’d recommend you check out, “Life Against Death: The Psychoanalytical Meaning Of History”, by Norman O. Brown.

]]> By: Bosse de Nage http://www.ballardian.com/grave-new-world-introduction-part-2/comment-page-1#comment-1195 Bosse de Nage Sat, 17 Nov 2007 12:52:14 +0000 http://www.ballardian.com/grave-new-world-introduction-part-2#comment-1195 From the review posted here some time ago, the most striking feature of the book seems to be the Freudian aspects. I'm reading "Why Freud was wrong" (Richard Webster) at the moment -- it'd be interesting to review Ballard's debt through that lens. I'd pay for PDFs, damn it. From the review posted here some time ago, the most striking feature of the book seems to be the Freudian aspects. I’m reading “Why Freud was wrong” (Richard Webster) at the moment — it’d be interesting to review Ballard’s debt through that lens.

I’d pay for PDFs, damn it.

]]> By: Simon Sellars http://www.ballardian.com/grave-new-world-introduction-part-2/comment-page-1#comment-1196 Simon Sellars Sat, 17 Nov 2007 03:06:54 +0000 http://www.ballardian.com/grave-new-world-introduction-part-2#comment-1196 I'm not sure if Dominika intends posting any more chapters, but I'd be more than happy to accommodate her if so. I'm fortunate enough to have a copy of the book and I have learnt a lot from her analysis. I’m not sure if Dominika intends posting any more chapters, but I’d be more than happy to accommodate her if so. I’m fortunate enough to have a copy of the book and I have learnt a lot from her analysis.

]]> By: Esa Mäkijärvi http://www.ballardian.com/grave-new-world-introduction-part-2/comment-page-1#comment-1194 Esa Mäkijärvi Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:00:33 +0000 http://www.ballardian.com/grave-new-world-introduction-part-2#comment-1194 Great stuff. I hope that this website informs if / when this book comes on sale. Great stuff. I hope that this website informs if / when this book comes on sale.

]]> By: Bosse de Nage http://www.ballardian.com/grave-new-world-introduction-part-2/comment-page-1#comment-1193 Bosse de Nage Tue, 13 Nov 2007 07:33:22 +0000 http://www.ballardian.com/grave-new-world-introduction-part-2#comment-1193 Thank you. Are you going to be adding any more chapters...? Thank you. Are you going to be adding any more chapters…?

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