Art: a means to regain the laughter of infancy

[coberst]

Art: a means to regain the laughter of infancy

Civilization has become an uncritical style of life that sacrifices the free energies of the citizen to a self-absorbed and largely fictional pattern of social meaning. Free energies can lead us back to the laughter of play provided we gain a comprehension of the possibility inherent in art.

In his book “Wit and the Unconscious” Freud affirms a “connection between art and the pleasure-principle, but the pursuit, through art, of pleasure incompatible with the reality-principle is not despised but glorified.”

Freud recognizes an important connection between art and the pleasure-principle—art makes fun with the reality-principle—art is wit in humor’s clothing—wit recovers our childish behavior and places that playfulness into a form that the reality-principle will accept—the purpose of art is to “regain the lost laughter of infancy”.

When the psyche is not organized for acquiring our essential needs and instinctual demands for mere survival we can let that psyche work for our pleasure just from the mere fact that humans find pleasure in pure passionate activity. Art knows how to rediscover our childishness, our need for play, and our need for disinterested activity pursued merely for the pleasure such activity might bring.

We strive, through play, to reach the euphoria that Carl Sagan express when he said “Understanding is a kind of ecstasy”.

Freud uses the metaphor “art is wit”; we use wit as a means to find our way back to the pleasure-principle that has been hidden from us by our grinding capitulation to the reality-principle, which we have made education to be. We seek through art to regain “the laughter of infancy”.

Quotes from “Life Against Death: The Psychoanalytical Meaning of History” by Norman O. Brown.

[Epsilon=One]

...a means to regain the laughter of infancyWhere has the laughter of American children gone?

I have closely observed, in many countries, for over fifty years, the behavior of young children, in groups, on their way to school. My impression is that spontaneous laughter and shreiks of joy are less common, and replaced with a group sullenness, more so with American children than with children of most underprivilged and war-torn countries.

I contend that much of this behavior, and worse, of American children is the result of the psychological abandonment of our children as many Americans pursue goals beyond the concerns of their children. Thus, I can agree with your comment:"Civilization has become an uncritical style of life that sacrifices the free energies of the citizen to a self-absorbed and largely fictional pattern of social meaning."Free energies can lead us back to the laughter of play provided we gain a comprehension of the possibility inherent in art.I hadn't considered "art" in general as a link to children's laughter; though, the concept interests me. I certainly consider its appreciation to be beneficial for the system-ravaged parent.

When I went to school, art classes were required for six years; now, I understand they are greatly reduced because of funding and increased time spent on rote "teaching to the test." And, also, many more hours of physical training and music were required. In those days of little homework and testing it seems the basic skills were better acquired.

Those born with an inherent ability and appreciation for any art seem, to me, now that you mention it, to be quite humanistic in all manners. I can think of no reason that an acquired appreciation of the arts should not be beneficial in humanizing mankind. I doubt if any life form other than humans can appreciate art.

Freud recognizes an important connection between art and the pleasure-principle...I suspect that this aspect of art depends upon the definition of art. I define art as something that relates to Natural organization and resonating "oscillations"; thus, defined, art and humans have much in common that should manifest as pleasure.

[coberst]

Freud uses the metaphor “art is wit”; we use wit as a means to find our way back to the pleasure-principle that has been hidden from us by our grinding capitulation to the reality-principle, which we have made education to be. We seek through art to regain “the laughter of infancy”.

I have become interested in this idea of art because I think that understanding is a form of art. Undestanding is the creation of meaning. I have been reading several authors and I am begining to find the connections I am seraching for. Understanding is a kind of ecstasy says Carl Sagan. I have experienced this kind of ecstasy and am trying to pin it down.

[Epsilon=One]

Freud uses the metaphor “art is wit”; we use wit as a means to find our way back to the pleasure-principle that has been hidden from us by our grinding capitulation to the reality-principle, which we have made education to be. We seek through art to regain “the laughter of infancy”.

I have become interested in this idea of art because I think that understanding is a form of art.I agree. I believe they are both related to our relation to the manifestations of Nature.

Understanding is a kind of ecstasy says Carl Sagan. I have experienced this kind of ecstasy and am trying to pin it down.I would think that we are hard-wired to find pleasure in understanding our total environment, because of placement of neurons in the brain, etc., through evolution, that creates the ecstatic euphoria, that increases survival and pleasure, which has elevated the human being to the known height of brain-developed evolution.

Note: I realize that I too must admire Carl Sagan's work; seven of his books rest a few feet from where I am now typing.

[coberst]

I agree. I believe they are both related to our relation to the manifestations of Nature.

I would think that we are hard-wired to find pleasure in understanding our total environment, because of placement of neurons in the brain, etc., through evolution, that creates the ecstatic euphoria, that increases survival and pleasure, which has elevated the human being to the known height of brain-developed evolution.

Note: I realize that I too must admire Carl Sagan's work; seven of his books rest a few feet from where I am now typing.


All animals, except humans, live in a total state of nature. All animals, except humans, are guided totally by instinct. Civilization is a mark of this transition from instinct to ego domination of behavior.