"Absence" as desire and "presence" as foreclosure: A psychoanalytic exploration of clinical phenomena, contemporary culture, and science fiction films.
Item
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Title
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"Absence" as desire and "presence" as foreclosure: A psychoanalytic exploration of clinical phenomena, contemporary culture, and science fiction films.
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Identifier
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AAI3245063
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identifier
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3245063
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Creator
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Seckin, Banu Kevser.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Elliot Jurist
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Date
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2007
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Clinical | Cinema
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Abstract
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This dissertation argues that one can witness a trend, both in clinical work and in contemporary culture, which can be characterized as an intolerance of absence and an insistence on presence. The term absence is used to refer to a mental state that is difficult to bear in and of itself, for it implies a real or an imagined lack, loss; an imperfection. One can transform absence into a creative space out of which new meanings and links emerge, or one can deny experiences of absence to ensure its immediate concrete replacement, thus can constantly restore presence. In psychoanalytic theory, the former is seen as an act of meaning making, symbolization, and the latter as the destruction of meaning, an instance of de-symbolization. Through a review of classical and contemporary psychoanalytic theorizing on symbolization, it is first argued that tolerance for experiences of absence is critical for the creation of a symbolizing mind. Then, it is demonstrated how de-symbolization is not only a clinical phenomenon, but a current thread running through the clinical, social, and cultural realms. It is then pointed out how temporal, spatial, and phenomenological experiences of absence are shrinking in the contemporary Western world, which is captured by the characteristics of Postmodernism. The interaction between this ethos and psyche is commented on in an attempt to state the confluence of the primeval unconscious wishes and the demands of current way of life. The vortex of this interaction, recent dramatic changes in technology, especially in terms of how they affect the human body and subjectivity is underlined. Through the discussion of three science fiction films, Blade Runner, Total Recall, and The Matrix, it is posited that characteristics of Postmodernism and the cultural trend of doing away with experiences of absence persist in these fantasized futures as well. Finally, the implications for psychoanalytic theory and practice are discussed.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
