Today we have a unique opportunity to have a conversation with the founder of the psychoanalytic thought, the most frequently cited psychologist of the 20th century, and one of the great geniuses in human history whose name stands in a raw with those of Darwin and Einstein - Sigmund Freud. This Great Master of psychoanalysis revolutionized the thought and imagination of his age, and opened a new era with his epochal discoveries. .
Many years have passed since the formulation of Freud's theories on human development and structure of psychical apparatus. Today we can look at them from the perspective of the decades passed and evaluate Freud's ideas after they have been tested by time, the harshest judge of all. .
Q: Mr. Freud, since you have this extraordinary opportunity to look at your work from the "height" of the time elapsed, do you recognize that to some extent your descriptions of human personality reflect your own character and life experiences? There is a saying that " what we see in others reflects how we see ourselves". For example, many believe that Alfred Adler developed his theory of striving for superiority because he was lacking power and superiority in his own life. Do you think it is possible that your theory of Oedipus complex was so attractive to you because of the specific dynamics of your family, such as the young beautiful mother, aloof and hostile father, etc. .
A: It is true that I had a special connection with my mother and a problematic relationship with my father. I actually arrived late at his funeral, which I believe was unconsciously motivated behavior. In formulation of my theories I relied on the experiences of the patients I had been studying, and the material gathered by me showed at-one-time presence of hostile tendencies toward the father in a large number of individuals. I admit that the idea of Oedipus complex may not be universally applicable and need some revision, but in the big picture, early childhood experiences are still considered as playing a very important role in the development of human personality and sexuality.