Wilhelm Reich: People in armour

Abstract

The article introduces the translation into Russian of some excerpts from The Emotional Plague of Mankind by Wilhelm Reich, psychiatrist and one of the leaders of classical psychoanalysis, that are presented bellow (the book itself is to be published in the nearest future). The message of Reich’s work is that the modern culture represses joys of the body. That is why he takes the side of hedonism, which is first of all associated with the fullness of love experiences. In his opinion, man long ago got into the trap of sexual taboos that strongly enslaved people. One should get out of this trap in order to feel the joy of life and regain deep love experiences. Man, W. Reich believes, has lost his freedom. But he was born free. How did man find himself in bondage? There is no doubt that certain social forces are interested in his unfreedom and prevent him from getting a true answer to the question where the source of slavery is. In canonic traditions of the philosophy of life, Reich speaks in the name of Life and criticizes those who profess avoidance of it. Reich calls this opposition to life, to its richest manifestations, the emotional plaque of mankind.