Raffaello Cortina Editore
Il problema economico del narcisismo
rivista: La Rivista di Psicoanalisi
di Roberto Musella
L’autore, parafrasando il titolo del saggio di Freud Il problema economico del masochismo, ha voluto occuparsi del narcisismo alla luce dell’ultima teoria pulsionale freudiana. Nel saggio, con il contributo di un caso clinico, si mettono a confronto, dal punto di vista economico, due diverse e spesso contrapposte accezioni di narcisismo: da una parte il narcisismo inteso come ideale condizione primitiva anogettuale, priva di stimoli perturbanti, e dall’altra il narcisismo inteso come investimento libidico dell’Io. Alla luce delle considerazioni fatte sui destini del narcisismo viene affrontata la relazione del narcisismo con il sessuale discutendo la sequenza non sempre lineare tra autoerotismo, narcisismo e amore oggettuale. Infine, sempre in una prospettiva economica, si prende in considerazione la relazione tra narcisismo, masochismo e sadismo.
Parole chiave: Autoerotismo, Ideale dell’Io, Io, masochismo, narcisismo, sadismo, sessualità.
The Economic Problem of Narcissism. The author, in taking up the title of Freud’s essay The Economic Problem of Masochism, deals with narcissism in the light of the last Freudian instinctual theory. From an economic point of view, drawing on a clinical case, he compares two different and often conflicting meanings of narcissism: narcissism as a primitive, ideal, non-objectival condition, without disturbing stimuli, and narcissism as libidinal cathexis of the ego. Considering different outcomes of narcissism, he tackles the relationship between narcissism and sexuality. He discusses the sequence, which is not always clear, between auto-erotism, narcissism, and object love. Finally, again according to an economic perspective, he considers the relationship between narcissism, masochism, and sadism.
Keywords: Auto-erotism, Ego, Ego ideal, masochism, narcissism, sadism, sexuality.
Le problème économique du narcissisme. L’auteur, en paraphrasant le titre de l’essai de Freud Le problème économique du masochisme, a voulu s’occuper du narcissisme à la lumière de la dernière théorie pulsionnelle freudienne. Dans l’essai, avec la contribution d’un cas clinique, sont comparés, d’un point de vue économique, deux significations du narcissisme différentes et souvent opposées: d’un côté, le narcissisme compris comme idéale condition primitive anobjectuelle, privée de stimulations troublantes, de l’autre, le narcissisme entendu comme investissement libidinal du Moi. A la lumière des considérations faites sur les destinations du narcissisme, on traite la relation du narcissisme avec le sexuel, en discutant de la séquence, pas toujours linéaire, entre auto-érotisme, narcissisme et amour objectuel. Enfin, également du point de vue économique, on considère la relation entre narcissisme, masochisme et sadisme.
Mots-clés: Auto-érotisme, Idéal du Moi, Moi, masochisme, narcissisme, sadisme, sexualité.
El problema económico del narcisismo. El Autor, parafraseando el título del ensayo de Freud «El problema económico del masoquismo» ha querido ocuparse del narcisismo, teniendo en cuenta la última teoría pulsional de Freud. En este ensayo, con la ilustración de un caso clínico, se comparan desde el punto de vista económico, dos distintas acepciones del narcisismo que suelen contraponerse: por un lado el narcisismo esta concebido como una condición ideal primitiva a-objetual, libre de estímulos perturbadores, y por otro lado el narcisismo esta concebido como carga libídica del Yo. A la luz de lo expuesto sobre el destino del narcisismo, se aborda la relación entre el narcisismo y lo sexual, y se examina la secuencia no siempre lineal entre el autoerotismo, el narcisismo y el amor objetual. Por último se considera, siempre desde la perspectiva económica, la relación entre narcisismo, masoquismo y sadismo.
Palabras clave: Autoerotismo, Ideal del Yo, Yo, masoquismo, narcisismo, sadismo, sexualidad.
Das ökonomische Problem des Narzissmus. Der Autor hat sich, in Anspielung auf das Essay von Freud Die ökonomische Problematik des Masochismus mit dem Narzissmus aus der Perspektive der letzten freudschen Triebtheorie beschäftigen wollen. In dem Aufsatz, der den Beitrag eines klinischen Falls enthält, vergleicht er, von einem ökonomischen Standpunkt aus zwei unterschiedliche und oft gegensätzliche Bedeutungen von Narzissmus: Auf der einen Seite wird der Narzissmus als objektloser idealer Urzustand verstanden, ohne unheimliche Reize, und auf der anderen Seite wird der Narzissmus als libidinöse Besetzung des Ichs verstanden. Im Lichte der Überlegungen über das Schicksal des Narzissmus wird sich mit der Beziehung des Narzissmus zum Sexuellen auseinandergesetzt und man diskutiert über die nicht immer eindeutige Reihenfolge von Autoerotismus, Narzissmus und Objektliebe. Schließlich, immer aus einer ökonomischen Sicht heraus, betrachtet man die Beziehung zwischen Narzissmus, Masochismus und Sadismus.
Schlüsselwörter : Autoerotismus, Ich, Ichideal, Masochismus, Narzissmus, Sadismus, Sexualität.
Narciso: dal mito all'analisi
rivista: La Rivista di Psicoanalisi
di Giuseppe Fiorentini
Assumendo il mito come una narrazione che trova la propria eco nelle strutture patologiche individuali e che può aiutarci a comprenderle, l’Autore si avvale della storia di Narciso per discutere del narcisismo patologico e considerare le difficoltà che incontriamo nel trattare analiticamente persone con tali problematiche. Viene riportato del materiale di un’analisi di un paziente con estesi tratti narcisistici ed angosciato dall’idea dell’invecchiamento e della morte. Successivamente vengono trattate alcune tematiche di carattere clinico teorico sul narcisismo, incluso quello dell’analista. Sono inoltre esplorate alcune prospettive che possano aiutarci a riflettere sugli impasse o i rischi d’interminabilità non infrequenti in questi casi. È infine discusso il ruolo svolto dall’analista nella cura, cui sarebbe richiesto, secondo l’Autore, un processo di compartecipazione trasformativa.
Parole Chiave: Analisi interminabile, immortalità, invecchiamento, limiti, mito, morte, narcisismo dell’analista, Narciso, perfezione, trasformazioni.
Narcissus: From Mith To Analysis. Referring to myth as a tale that echoes individual pathological structures and can help us understand them, the author utilizes the story of Narcissus to discuss pathological narcissism and to consider the difficulties encountered in treating patients affected by such problems. Clinical material is presented from the analysis of a patient with extensive narcissistic traits and anxieties about ageing and death. Clinical and theoretical issues related to narcissism are discussed subsequently, including the analyst’s narcissism. In conclusion, the author deals with the analyst’s role in the cure and stresses the importance, in his view, of the shared transformations that analyst and patient should undergo.
Keywords: Ageing, analyst’s narcissismus, death, immortality, interminable analysis, limits, myth, Narcissus, perfection, transformations.
Narcisse: du mythe à l’analyse. En assumant que le mythe soit un récit qui trouve son écho dans les structures pathologiques individuelles, et qui peut nous aider à les comprendre, l’auteur utilise l’histoire de Narcisse pour discuter du narcissisme pathologique et examiner les difficultés que nous rencontrons dans le traitement analytique des personnes avec de tels problèmes. On rapporte du matériel d’une analyse d’un patient avec des traits narcissiques prolongés et bouleversé par l’idée du vieillissement et de la mort. Ensuite, on discute des questions théoriques et cliniques sur le narcissisme, y comprises celles de l’analyste. D’autres perspectives sont également explorées qui peuvent nous aider à réfléchir sur l’impasse ou les risques d’interminabilité pas du tout rares dans ces cas. Enfin, l’Auteur discute du rôle joué par l’analyste dans le traitement, auquel il faudrait demander un processus de participation transformative.
Mots-clés: Interminable, immortalité, vieillissement, limites, mythe, mort, narcissisme de l’analyste, Narcisse, perfection, transformations.
Narciso: del mito al análisis. Se asume el mito como una narración que encuentra su propia eco en las estructuras patológicas individuales y que nos ayuda a comprenderlas. El Autor utiliza la historia de Narciso para debatir sobre el narcisismo patológico y examinar las dificultades que nos encontramos cuando tratamos analíticamente a personas con dichas problemáticas. Se describe el material de análisis de un paciente con amplios rasgos nacisistas y angustiado por la idea de envejecer y por la muerte. A continuación se examinan algunos asuntos clinicos-teóricos sobre el narcisismo, incluido el del analista. Se exploran además algunas perspectivas que pueden ayudarnos a reflexionar sobre el empasse o los riesgos frecuentes de casos interminables. Por ultimo, se discute entorno al papel del analista en el tratamiento, a quien se le exige, según el Autor, un proceso de coparticipación trasformadora.
Palabras clave: Análisis interminable, envejecimiento, inmortalidad, limites, mito, muerte, narcisismo del analista, Narciso, perfección, transformaciones.
Narziss: Vom Mythos bis zur Analyse. Der Mythos wird als eine Narration angenommen, die das eigene Echo in den individuellen pathologischen Strukturen findet und die uns helfen kann, sie zu verstehen. Der Autor verwendet die Geschichte von Narziss, um über den pathologischen Narzissmus zu diskutieren und die Schwierigkeiten zu betrachten, denen wir begegnen, wenn wir Menschen mit solch einer Problematik analytisch behandeln. Es wird Fallmaterial der Analyse eines Patienten mit umfangreichen narzisstischen Zügen dargestellt, der von der Idee des Alterns und des Todes gequält wird. Nachfolgend werden einige theoretisch-klinische, charakteristische Themen über den Narzissmus behandelt, einschließlich des Analytikers selbst. Es werden ferner auch einige Perspektiven erkundet, die uns helfen können, über die mögliche Sackgasse oder die Unendlichkeitsrisiken nachzudenken, die in diesen Fällen nicht selten sind. Schließlich wird die Rolle des Analytikers in der Behandlung erörtert, die, so der Autor, einen Prozess der transformativen Mitbeteiligung erforderlich macht.
Schlüsselwörter : Altern, Grenzen, Mythen, Narziss, Narzissmus des Analytikers, Perfektion, Tod, Transformation, Unendliche Analyse, Unsterblichkeit.
I Know What You Are Doing
The Acting Brain and Mirror Neurons
di Giacomo Rizzolatti, Corrado Sinigaglia
editore: Raffaello Cortina Editore
pagine: 226
In the early 1990’s, while studying the activity of single neurons in the premotor cortex of monkeys, Giacomo Rizzolatti and his coworkers at the University of Parma discovered that some neurons of this area (today known as mirror neurons) had a surprising property. They respond not only when the monkey performed a given action, but also when the animal observed the researcher (or another monkey) performing that same action.
In the following years, many monkey experiments specified the mechanism of mirror neurons and their possible functions. In addition, brain imaging and other non-invasive techniques demonstrated that a mirror neuron system is present also in humans.
These results had a deep impact on cognitive neuroscience. In essay written on the occasion of the beginning of the new millenium, Vilayanur S. Ramachandran predicted that “mirror neurons will do for psychology what DNA did for biology”. The unexpected properties of these neurons have not only attracted the attention of neuroscientists. Many sociologists, anthropologists and even artists have been fascinated by mirror neurons. The great director and playwright Peter Brook stated that mirror neurons throw new light on the mysterious link that is created each time actors take the stage and face their audience.
The present book provides, for the first time, an accessible and systematic overview of the theoretical issues and experimental work behind the extraordinary discovery of mirror neurons.
From the first pages, the reader will discover how certain areas of the brain – traditionally labelled “motor” areas – have much more complex properties than believed in the past. The motor system – or, as the authors prefer to call it, the acting brain – plays an essential role in perceiving and understanding the objects that surround us. This “sensorimotor understanding” is very different from conceptual and linguistic knowledge. Nevertheless, it plays a fundamental role in cognition and represents the basis for a variety of cognitive skills.
The view that perception, action and cognition cannot be considered as separate entities is clearly shown by the properties of mirror neurons. When we see someone grasping a piece of food and bringing it to his or her mouth, we immediately know what that person is doing. We do not need to resort to reasoning. Our mirror system automatically codes the visual information from the scene in terms of action, and because that action is part of our motor repertoire, we immediately grasp its meaning.
In other terms, we perceive the observed action as if we were doing it. This is also true for actions that require particular motor skills, such as those of a pianist or a dancer. The sight of an artist playing or dancing activates in the brain of the observers the same areas that respond when they themselves carry out the same actions.
Not only actions, however, are immediately shared. We are linked to others also by emotions. Each of us knows how contagious are fear, disgust, as well as joy. In the past, many reasons were given in order to explain our ability for immediate empathy with others. Only now, however, we are beginning to understand that the various forms of emotional “resonance” are determined by specific, anatomically separated, mirror neuron systems. When we see someone moving away from a glass containing some liquid or from a plate with food with a grimace of disgust, we immediately react as if we were experiencing the disgust. This is indeed what occurs: the sight of an emotional reaction of another person activates, in our brain, the same cortical areas that are activated when we ourselves experience that emotion!
Naples
The City of the Soul
editore: Raffaello Cortina Editore
"Naples is a universal metaphor for the human condition and its contradictions, passions, and obsessions, capable of overcoming all linguistic and cultural barriers”
Naples is much more than a city. It is a powerful metaphor for human existence, a place where the soul finds refuge, in a dense network of meditations between the natural and the supernatural, between men and ghosts, between the living and the dead.
The magic of Naples speaks to us all, its streets, faces and traditions becoming symbols of a human experience that goes beyond the physical boundaries of the city. Marino Niola’s story invites us to explore the most intimate side of Naples, a place that speaks to the soul and encourages an authentic confrontation with oneself and the world.
The anatomy of a city that is a living encyclopedia of humanity.
Bad Influence
Bertrand Russell: Dissident, Atheist and Pacfist
editore: Raffaello Cortina Editore
The analysis of a great “immoral” thinker of the twentieth century to address the most thorny issues of our time.
In an era marked by fanaticism and obscurantism, Bertrand Russell stands out as a luminous and provocative figure. His extraordinary vision of free and creative man invites us to refl ect on freedom from power, freedom of worship and the importance of critical thinking. Russell proposes an education reform that encourages young people to form their own judgements independently, to think and feel with their own voices, rather than passively accepting the opinions of others.
Russell still offers us valuable tools to resist groupthink and conformity. A hundred years later, his legacy continues to inspire and guide new generations, confirming him as one of the most original and lucid thinkers of modernity.
Putin's Country
20 Russian Words Used in Propaganda
editore: Raffaello Cortina Editore
What do 20 words stolen from history reveal about Putin's country?
This book is not a cold political analysis, but a glimpse into today's life in Russia.
Once upon a time, there were words that described the identity of a population. Sobornost’, the spiritual union between individuals; prostór, the boundless space that attracted and repelled with its immensity; stabìl’nost’, the stability and reliability of a system of government. For centuries, these concepts shaped Russian literature, philosophy, and collective memory. Today, those words speak another language. Gian Piero Piretto explores twenty key words of Russian culture, highlighting their original meaning and showing how they have been reinterpreted and exploited by Putin's propaganda. He dismantles stereotypes and monolithic narratives, compares past and present, and offers an unprecedented portrait of contemporary Russia, beyond ideological manipulation and established clichés.
An unpublished portrait of contemporary Russia.
The Digital Self
From Mirror Neurons to Technological Mediations
editore: Raffaello Cortina Editore
What is the human self becoming in the age of daily interaction with digital devices?
An unprecedent exploration of the relationship between body, mind and technology in the digital world.
In a world where artificial intelligence generates faces, voices, and presences capable of simulating empathy, the digital self explores an anthropological mutation currently underway. Starting from the neuroscience of embodiment and the now classic theory of embodied simulation, Vittorio Gallese constructs a new paradigm for thinking about contemporary subjectivity. From mirror neurons to algorithmic subjectivity, this book traces an original and multidisciplinary itinerary that crosses neuroscience, philosophy, aesthetics, and media theory to rethink the self as an embodied, relational, and technologically modulated reality.
The theoretical culmination of the volume is the proposal of a radical aesthetics: a politics of feeling that restores intensity, opacity, and unpredictability to relationships in a world dominated by transparent interfaces and predictive algorithms. At a time when otherness risks becoming a function, and retreating into solitude a project, there is an urgent need to return to thinking about the body, not as nostalgia, but as a generative condition of every possible future.
A necessary essay for understanding the metamorphosis of the self in the age of code.
The Courage to Be Shy
editore: Raffaello Cortina Editore
Shyness is not a fl aw to be corrected, but a complex and multifaceted characteristic that can be a source of suffering but also of inner richness.
Shyness, fear, and anxiety are common human experiences, but they can become debilitating obstacles, especially in a society that rewards extroversion and performance.
Through an analysis that ranges from psychoanalysis to neurobiology, from cinema to literature, the book explores the roots of shyness, including genetic factors, childhood experiences, and family dynamics; the different manifestations of anxiety and fear and their impact on daily life; the relational and social difficulties encountered by shy people, especially in adolescence, and strategies for developing self-awareness, self-acceptance, and the ability to manage one's emotions;
the role of parents and educators in supporting shy children and young people. Using the example of famous figures such as Darwin and Gandhi, who turned shyness into a winning weapon, the author finally reflects on the possibility of transforming shyness into a resource, enhancing one's sensitivity, capacity for reflection, and inner world.
The Impossible Computer
How Quantum Computing Will Change the World
editore: Raffaello Cortina Editore
A technology that promises many revolutions, from medicine to finance.The quantum computer of the future could perform calculations in seconds that would take millions of years for the most powerful supercomputer in existence today. But how do these “impossible computers” work? And why are they so extraordinarily efficient?
The first quantum revolution transformed our understanding of the world, forcing us to abandon a deterministic view of the universe. The second revolution, already underway, aims to build real machines: computers that follow quantum logic, an intrinsically secure Internet, and ultra-precise sensors that will change our daily lives, from medicine to cybersecurity. It is true that “God plays dice,” and with those dice we can create the technology of the future.
Written in a clear and accessible style, this book guides the reader from an understanding of the fundamental principles of quantum theory to the new technologies that will transform the world.Praise for THE IMPOSSIBLE COMPUTER"Among the many books seeking to explain quantum physics to nontechnical readers, The Impossible Computer stands out because of its unique and original emphasis: explaining how apparently abstract scientific investigations into the nature of reality are increasingly affecting every detail of our daily lives. To encourage us along this intellectual journey, from philosophy to technology, is far from easy. The authors accomplish it by employing familiar analogies in unfamiliar ways, to make understandable quantum concepts such as superposition and entanglement, and their many and varied applications to fields such as computation, keeping secrets, and diagnostics of unprecedented accuracy." Michael Berry, University of Bristol, UK"Casati and collaborators invite the reader into the strange and fascinating world of quantum computation with clarity, wit, and elegance. It is a compelling introduction to the quantum information revolution—and to the probability that quantum computing will reshape the way we understand the world.” Eric Heller, Harvard University, USA
