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ABSTRACT
Using Winnicott’s theory, this article produces an account of the individual’s relation to a given conceptual framework. Whereas Winnicott’s ideas have been almost exclusively discussed in developmental and psychopathological contexts, the present article extends Winnicott’s theory and applies it to the problem of interpersonal understanding. Taking a lead from one of Winnicott’s letters to Klein, the article investigates the problem of expressing one’s idiosyncratic insights in the confines of a given conceptual framework. The article examines Winnicott’s theory of compliance and creativity, discusses the plea that Winnicott makes to Klein, analyses the encounter with a “dead language”, and investigates the asymmetrical structure of interpersonal understanding. Cashing out the latter in terms of an “illusion of contact”, the article enhances our interpretation of the successes and shortcomings of interpersonal encounters – in everyday life, in clinical settings, and in the historical community of researchers. By focusing on the last mentioned in particular, the article brings forth neglected aspects of Winnicott’s thinking and uses these to assess the conditions of an open dialogue within the psychoanalytic community.
L'illusion du contact : les insights qu'on peut tirer de la lettre de Winnicott (1952) à Klein
L'auteur de cet article rend compte de la relation d'un individu à un cadre conceptuel donné en se fondant sur la théorie de Winnicott. Tandis que les idées de Winnicott ont été quasi exclusivement discutées selon des contextes développementaux et psychopathologiques, l'auteur étend la théorie de Winnicott et l'applique à la question de la compréhension interpersonnelle. En partant d'une des lettres de Winnicott à Klein, l'auteur explore la question de l'expression d'insights idiosyncratiques dans les limites d'un cadre conceptuel donné. Il examine la théorie winnicottienne de la conformité et de la créativité, discute de l'appel que Winnicott lance à Klein, analyse la rencontre avec une « langue morte » et étudie la structure asymétrique de la compréhension interpersonnelle. Balayant cette dernière en termes d'une « illusion de contact », l'auteur enrichit notre interprétation des succès et défauts des rencontres interpersonnelles – que ce soit dans la vie quotidienne, les situations cliniques et la communauté historique des chercheurs. En mettant particulièrement l'accent sur cette dernière catégorie, l'auteur met en lumière des aspects délaissés de la pensée de Winnicott et utilise ceux-ci pour évaluer les conditions d'un dialogue ouvert au sein de la communauté psychanalytique.
Die Illusion von Kontakt: Erkenntnisse aus dem Brief, den Winnicott 1952 an Klein schrieb
Ausgehend von Winnicotts Theorie schildert der Beitrag die Beziehung des Einzelnen zu einem konzeptuellen Rahmen. Während Winnicotts Gedankengut bisher nahezu ausschließlich in Entwicklungskontexten und psychopathologischen Kontexten diskutiert worden ist, erweitert der vorliegende Artikel Winnicotts Theorie und wendet sie auf das Problem zwischenmenschlichen Verstehens an. Der Artikel orientiert sich an einem von Winnicotts Briefen an Klein und untersucht das Problem, die spezifisch eigenen Erkenntnisse innerhalb der Grenzen eines vorgegebenen konzeptuellen Rahmens auszudrücken. Der Beitrag untersucht Winnicotts Theorie von Anpassung und Kreativität, diskutiert den Appell, den Winnicott an Klein richtet, analysiert die Begegnung mit einer „toten Sprache“ und untersucht die asymmetrische Struktur zwischenmenschlichen Verstehens. Indem er Letzteres im Sinne einer „Illusion von Kontakt“ auslegt, erweitert der Beitrag unsere Interpretation von Erfolgen und Defiziten zwischenmenschlicher Begegnungen – sowohl im Alltagsleben als auch in klinischen Settings und der historisch gewachsenen Community der Forschenden. Indem sich der Artikel hauptsächlich auf die zuletzt genannte Gruppe konzentriert, fördert er vernachlässigte Aspekte in Winnicotts Denken zutage und nutzt diese zur Einschätzung der Bedingungen für einen offenen Dialog innerhalb der psychoanalytischen Community.
L'illusione del contatto. Insight da una lettera di Winnicott alla Klein del 1952
Utilizzando le teorie di Winnicott, il presente articolo prende in esame la relazione tra l'individuo e una data cornice concettuale. Se finora le idee di Winnicott sono state discusse quasi esclusivamente in contesti incentrati sullo sviluppo e sulla psicopatologia, questo lavoro si propone di estendere la teoria winnicottiana applicandola al problema della comprensione interpersonale. Prendendo spunto da una delle lettere di Winnicott alla Klein, l'articolo affronta il problema posto dall'esprimere i propri insight idiosincratici entro i confini di un dato framework concettuale. A tale proposito verrà esaminata la teoria winnicottiana dell'obbedienza e della creatività e saranno altresì discussi e analizzati l'appello fatto da Winnicott alla Klein, l'incontro con una “lingua morta” e la struttura asimmetrica della comprensione interpersonale. Inquadrando quest'ultima come un' “illusione di contatto”, l'articolo accresce la nostra capacità di interpretare successi e difetti insiti negli incontri interpersonali - tanto nella vita quotidiana quanto nel setting clinico e all'interno della comunità storica dei ricercatori. Concentrandosi in particolare su quest'ultimo contesto, l'articolo mette in rilievo degli aspetti finora trascurati del pensiero di Winnicott e li utilizza per valutare le condizioni necessarie perché possa darsi un dialogo aperto all'interno della comunità psicoanalitica.
La ilusión de contacto: Percepciones a partir de la carta que envía Winnicott a Klein en 1952
A partir de la teoría de Winnicott, se describe la relación del individuo con un marco conceptual determinado. Mientras que las ideas de Winnicott se han discutido casi exclusivamente en el contexto de la psicopatología y del desarrollo, el presente trabajo las extiende y las aplica al problema de la comprensión interpersonal. Inspirándose en una de las cartas de Winnicott a Klein, se investiga el problema de la expresión de las percepciones idiosincrásicas propias dentro de los límites de un marco conceptual determinado. Se examina la teoría de la complacencia y la creatividad de Winnicott, se analiza el ruego que este le hace a Klein, se estudia el encuentro con un “lenguaje muerto” y se investiga la estructura asimétrica de la comprensión interpersonal. Entendiendo esto último como una “ilusión de contacto”, enriquece la interpretación de los éxitos y fracasos de los encuentros interpersonales en la vida cotidiana, en contextos clínicos y en la comunidad histórica de investigadores. Centrándose en esta última, presenta los aspectos desatendidos del pensamiento de Winnicott y los utiliza para evaluar los términos de un diálogo abierto dentro de la comunidad psicoanalítica
Acknowledgement
I want to thank Henrik Enckell who carefully read an earlier draft of the article and generously commented on the contents. I am also grateful to Jussi Saarinen and Tiia-Mari Hovila for their comments, and to Jane Milton for her valuable help at the Klein archives. Moreover, I wish to thank the instances that have financially and morally supported this research: the Kone Foundation, the Academy of Finland and my academic home, the University of Jyväskylä. Last but not least, I am grateful to my anonymous reviewers, whose comments significantly enhanced the article.
Correction Statement
This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.
Notes
1 In Winnicott’s thinking, the subjectively perceived environment is not “in here”, in contrast to external reality “out there”. To avoid this confusion, I will in this context avoid using the concept of “inner”, and favour the term “idiosyncratic” instead.
2 Whereas problems related to the heightened role of psychic reality have been traditionally acknowledged, Winnicott equally underlines problems of the opposite end:
To balance this one would have to state that there are others who are so firmly anchored in objectively perceived reality that they are ill in the opposite direction of being out of touch with the subjective world and with the creative approach to fact. … These two groups of people come to us for psychotherapy because in the one case they do not want to spend their lives irrevocably out of touch with the facts of life, and in the other case because they feel estranged from dream. (Winnicott Citation1971, 90; cf. 119–120)
3 The play of German words relates to the Freudian concepts; Winnicott, of course, wrote in English.
4 For purposes of clarity, when referring to this particular letter, I will use the abbreviation “Letter to Klein”. In contrast, in referring to other letters (Winnicott Citation1987b), I will provide a standard reference and insert the date [year] of the letter in square brackets. References to Winnicott’s other publications will not include square brackets.
5 In a latter to David Rapaport, Winnicott expresses this in the following manner:
I am one of those people who feel compelled to work in my own way and to express myself in my own language first; by a struggle I sometimes come around to rewording what I am saying to bring it in line with other work, in which case I usually find that my own “original” ideas were not so original as I had to think they were when they were emerging. I suppose other people are like this too. (Winnicott Citation[1953] 1987b, 53–54)
6 Personal communication with Jane Milton, Klein Archives, May 2020.