Origins and Mysticism of the Death Drive in Psychoanalysis & the Philosophy of Transgression

The Death Drive is the most controversial theory to arise out of Freudian Psychoanalysis. That all life has an inner drive towards self-destruction and aggression which emerges most clearly in our own compulsion to repeat our traumas brought the Freudian theory of the psyche to the brink of collapse by 1920. In "Beyond the Pleasure Principle" Freud would introduce the Death Drive as a solution to this riddle but it also opened the door to a unique and powerfully frightening theory of mysticism. It would be Georges Bataille that would center the Death Drive in his own theory of the Erotic, Sacrifice and Religious Mysticism.
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‪@SeekersofUnity‬ 's episode - • The Mystic that Challe...
#freud #psychoanalysis #bataille #deathdrive #lacan #mysticism
Recommended Readings:
Spielrein - "Destruction as the Cause of Coming Into Being" - web.archive.or...
Freud - Beyond the Pleasure Principle - 978-0393007695
Freud - Civilization and Its Discontents - 978-0393617092
Freud - The Freud Reader - 978-0393314038
Bataille - Erotism: Death and Sensuality - 978-0872861909
Bataille - The Accursed Share - 978-0942299113
Bataille - Theory of Religion - 978-0942299090
Barker - The Hellbound Heart - 978-0061452888

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Make Sure to Subscribe & Consider supporting Esoterica by becoming a monthly Patron - www.patreon.com/esotericachannel a one time donation - www.paypal.me/esotericachannel or the Super Thanks - Your support is profoundly appreciated!

[@yuriination]

"Zeal for death" connection?

[@aminrodriguez4707]

So, for Bataille, the whole blood sacrifice mysticism of aztecs and Mayas was excess accursed share management?

[@timothymatlock4583]

I love how automatic and yet casual the "may her blood be avenged" comes out.

[@mellie4174]

I love that! So tired of everyone just saying to turn the other cheek and get along. Nope. Time to fight for what is right.

[@invisiblechurch3855]

I thought it was creepy

[@Svevsky]

The implications are creepy. The nazis are all long death, who would be the target of that "revenge" in their stead?

[@samanthabirdx]

spent the year reading Freud, this video planted the seed. thank you.

[@c1rcl3s]

Your last video on Bataille has me spiraling down a rabbit hole. I've now read several essays and Story of the Eye. His complicated relationship with the literal sun has me fascinated.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Yeah, he was a sus as he was smart

[@junkiejesus5594]

A lot of mystic practices are as well- ie: Hoover damn, solar plexus, blacksun

[@c1rcl3s]

@@wormwoodcocktail I am the Sun is a great song by Swans. There's also a song called "story of the eye" by the sludge metal band eyehategod

[@Zajcooo]

the contrast between the intro, the content, the very host's appearance AND the subtle memery with the pictures is the best cherry on top of the cake I've seen God bless

[@QUIRK1019]

The way you narrate to your audience sounds like the way someone speaks to a friend. So pleasant to listen to

[@SeekersofUnity]

Superb work Dr. J. It’s a pleasure to be creating alongside you. Papa Freud would be proud ;)

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

I'm going to go with Abba Freud!

[@cagedweller6223]

Wow. Thanks so much for all these new ideas!

[@TheLordofsummerisle]

My personal favorite video you've done so far, great work! Please make more videos on connections between psychoanalysis and the occult

[@heartonfire583]

Wow. This is probably the most interesting topic you’ve covered so far. Dude never stop making videos really appreciate what you do man

[@Owlkisses88]

Thanks!

[@anitaearl3413]

Thanks

[@justincovert6943]

Freud would love today with our obsession with trauma and reliving and discussing it.

[@mcurtisallen]

@TheEsotericaChannel As a working philosopher (mostly on Deleuze and Wittgenstein) just wanted to say I love your content on esotericism and the history of philosophy. Always good to remind ourselves of the parts of philosophical history that, downstream of the Enlightenment, contemporary philosophy tries to prune from its own rational reconstructions of the narrative, even if I have an ambivalent relationship to esotericism untethered from rational recuperations of insight. One comment here about Deleuze and Freud: I don't see Deleuze (at least on his own) as rejecting the death drive at all. In _Difference and Repetition_ it even gets associated with the third synthesis of time ('the pure and empty form of time') in the chapter "Repetition for Itself". Although Deleuze criticizes Freud relentlessly for his ego psychology there, he thinks Freud was understood something very deep about repetition in _Beyond the Pleasure_ precisely in relation to the taking the death drive as primary in relation to the other drives and the pleasure and reality principles. Perhaps you were referring to other texts, though... ( _Anti-Oedipus_ probably has somewhat differing views, but I honestly don't remember much about the critique of Freud in that book, it's the least interesting part of that book for me). Anyhow, keep up the good work!

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Time to break out the 🍿 and watch all the transference in the comments

[@genghisgalahad8465]

I had a comment on here that's disappeared in reply. In any case, I do respect your Intelligences my previous rant in community notwithstanding which I can take down if needed. Something I typed here though in reply so as not to overshadow kudos and right praise for your rigorous intellectual work on all things esoteric. Something I typed in the moment about appreciating sincerely your rigorous thoughts through the unique Esoterica channel LENS. Anyway, I'd forgotten the kudos overall that I typed and it's disappeared so hopefully that sticks that I respect and admire this channel and your overall content and work. For what my comment's worth even if not much. I'll just shut up about it. And hop on when it's appropriate here on out.

[@nowhereman6019]

WOOHOO! Freud AND Bataille in one episode! What a late birthday present.

[@Chris_M_Romero]

I love that in the background, amongst curious artifacts and mysterious books, there's the youtube play button just hanging out. Not being out of place at all 😅

[@WolfoxBR]

This was sublime. Great research and fantastic exposition! I liked how you weaved so naturally through Freud to Schopenhauer to Lacan to Bataille while deepening the conceptual connections and expanding on them. Brilliant stuff. Also loved all the little digs here and there (though never in an unfair way). Your work is astounding and I'm really happy I found your channel. Keep up the good work! Thanks!

[@moongirl786]

I was absolutely thinking of Hellraiser before you brought up the book! These themes are exactly what that series, and most horror in general, explore. I am also reminded of German Expressionism arising out of the first World War, which led to some of the earliest horror films as we might recognize them today. A lot of Expressionist film is what deeply influenced artists such as Rolly Crump and Tim Burton. And of course the Nazis, in their pro-war zeal, took anything that detailed the horrors of war and labeled it "degenerate art", which they had an exhibit of in 1937

[@reaganwiles_art]

That Bataille spin is fascinating. I had forgotten how much I was exhilarated by his ideas when I confronted them in my twenties.

[@chaosdream21]

I tried to make this connection in an essay during grad school in 2001 and my professor called it drivel. I still remember being a bit traumatized by her response. But there is, like he says, something true in it. It's weird. I was just thinking about that the other day. Popped into my head though it's been 21 years. Interesting timing for this video to show up in my feed.

[@snava360z334]

Do you still have the essay paper ?

[@jamiehaenisch8190]

Would be interested to take a look too

[@matthewmaguire3554]

The good professor has obviously never had a biblical hangover.🥨

[@nietzschebietzsche]

Sometimes the difference between drivel and gold is the way it's articulated and your core argument may have not gotten thru. Doesn't mean your thesis is worthless if you just failed to articulate or one professor failed to give your essay a proper reading.

[@RadioBagpipe]

Remarkable

[@fallingdream]

this thing I always say about Freud is that cocaine doesn't necessarily make you have bad ideas but it does make you think they're really really good

[@Selanium]

🤣 You can also get a TON of house work done 🤣🤣🤣

[@nionashborn7626]

The same can be said of Stephen King's IT

[@christinapomponio6452]

@@Selanium 🤣🤣🤣 big facts

[@mikewilson858]

Nothing like writing 50 pages and then soberly realizing you just needed 5

[@e.s.l.1083]

... and 'other' stuff (too)

[@MecdiAn]

I need to rewatch this 2 times more, quite the subjects you are choosing these days we love your work here, love from Istanbul

[@MecdiAn]

quite the opening line by the way, I did laugh

[@LadyCoyKoi]

I would have never connected The Hell-raiser series into academia of philosophy, muchless add that into the same video about Freud, Schopenhauer and the traumas of war. 🤔 Amazing video as always, professor. This one really has a little of bit of everything.

[@moongirl786]

That's exactly what I was thinking of before he brought it up! I am incredibly into horror, and always trying to understand why

[@LadyCoyKoi]

@@moongirl786 I always say them (horror movies) as a commentary of how oblivious most people are about how messed up our society truly is. I would've never connected Freud and Schopenhauer philosophy/theories into them.

[@everythingstories]

Wow!!! Dear Dr Justin. Just one word comes to my mind after watching, listening to this essay, Wow!

[@TheTimeshadows]

One of your very best episodes: very well paced and structured. I was hanging on your next word.

[@cynthiadawn5806]

I think I'm in love with your mind! The connection to esoteric exploration readily intersects with psychoanalysis and art history for me personally. But at least in my life, It's not every day I meet other people exploring these things in this way. I know I'm late to the game when it comes to your channel, but it is giving me life right now! Thank you.

[@gamejew38]

Wow, I am loving getting new content weekly... Please keep coming Doc. Shkoyach!

[@buicktothemoon]

Hi. This is a great channel. I wrote a book on Lacan and John of the Cross called Direction of Desire by Palgrave, so it’s wonderful to see this!

[@apothecaryjames7968]

The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa is a beautiful sculpture. It's perfect for this video.

[@boldbearings]

Good screencap. I saw a photo of that statue when I was at school and have always been enchanted by it.

[@michellegates7083]

Yes! Hellraiser has always impressed me as a non dualistic view of experience “angels to some demons to others” I was thinking about it as you mentioned Hellraiser 🤗 very intriguing subject matter! Thanks so much!

[@michaelchevalier9777]

You had me at "death", Dr. Sledge. Thanks for wading into Vastness and Sorrow for samhain.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

my man with the WITTR reference :)

[@michaelchevalier9777]

When I'm in the mood, they're a good way to scratch the itch. The genre can be such an NSBM cesspool that I've got a few go-to bands.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

ditto - blackbraid has been my recent cvlt jam

[@Dravoth]

@@TheEsotericaChannel he's a black metal fan too. This is my favorite channel.

[@Alarconian]

Fantastic episode! Illuminating and inspiring to further reading on related topics 👏🏼🔥❤️

[@SentientSoy]

"Finite, grinning marionettes driven by an infinite will" - poetic line for real! I think you'd be interested in Ligotti if you haven't read him. Very pessimistic however, just so ya know.

[@kagitsune]

So far, I see the "Death Drive" and other repeated compulsions towards agony as the brain's self-training module gone haywire. Lots of us relive or imagine terrible experiences as a way to "prepare" (poorly) for a similar situation in the future, to avoid harm. But in some minds, with some truly shattering experiences, it becomes all the mind can focus on. 😔

[@HyperBlissMilker]

Just finished Story of the Eye, perfect timing. Thanks for this.

[@nyrdybyrd1702]

Reeaally digging the depth here; although not my new favorite channel, it is my favorite new channel (new to me obviously; subjects are duly predicated). ⛵

[@alexanderporto9310]

Amazing! Would love to see you review other books on psycho analysis and religion such as “Aion” by Carl Jung. Great Video justin!!!!

[@pacmanfantastic]

Esoterica Recommendation: The Garuda Purana - an ancient Hindu text usually recited and read as part funerary services given its focus on the afterlife. Would be interested to see your perspective on it. Great videos as usual! (The Tantraloka would also be interesting).

[@nc5809]

This is a surprise. My favorite of your videos!

[@RatQueen1313]

Absolutely fascinating concepts and immaculately presented as always! I cannot overstate how much I appreciate and learn from your work. Time to get to work on that reading list. 😁

[@heyguysinternet]

Thank you for re-exploring this subject. Your video on Bataille is actually what got me into his work, and I read much of his book, Eroticism, this summer. It helped me to form some connections between those ideas and some of the themes in the videogame series Dark Souls. I’ve also been exploring Schopenhauer’s work, and I actually don’t understand why it’s commonly characterized as pessimistic, given its proximity to Buddhist thought (which I’ve never heard described as pessimistic). Anyway, great video!

[@skinheadoconnor8721]

I'm curious about the Dark Souls connection. I've been making Solaire jokes since i started reading Bataille but i didn't know it went deeper

[@Urliamo]

@@skinheadoconnor8721 I would assume the sacrifice is the players' patience and attention, which they have excess of due to the very fact the they could afford to play this game, both in terms of free time and money. you sacrifice Essence (your reward for defeating challenges in the game) in order to enhance your avatar to allow yourself to face even greater challenges (and gain more Essence). if you complete the game, you can complete it AGAIN only with a harder difficulty to continue this cycle endlessly (NewGame+). I think most "Souls" game comment in lore on the players' avatar being husks, desperately trying to beat the game in order to get a sense of completion.

[@michaelhason5310]

Buddhism is pessimistic in that it argues for an escape from “worldly existence.” What we don’t know easily is if that escape is into a withdrawn world or nothing vs a transcendent and protected blissful wisdom existence. Or even a latter state from which we can still influence the world if we so choose.

[@txikitofandango]

Congrats on two hundred and.... eight! thousand! subscribers!

[@benjones1452]

What a fascinating discussion, I am enjoying you content, sifting through the thought of the past it's really eye opening, this is riveting thanks

[@kylesty6728]

Bataille’s analysis has greatly aided my understanding of animal or human sacrifice. The self-annihilation by proxy thanks to the psychological power of well executed ritual beautifully integrates ancient sacrificial ritual with later mystical practices that aim at self-annihilation through meditative and prayer practices. It also makes perfect sense of the identification of advanced Hindu, Buddhist and Christian mystics of their practices as “interior sacrifice”. I don’t want to make these end goals seem too terribly similar because I don’t think they are, but I think his analysis illuminates one aspect of apparent similarity.

[@markdpricemusic1574]

You might like to look at Huxley's ''Affable Savages'' - a deep anthropological dive into the life and mysticism of the urubu and Temve Indians - wonderfully well written and a great searchlight into sacrificail religion. M.D.P. '

[@matthewmaguire3554]

The general public me thinks answers these questions with common sense, practical action, good natured energy, loyalty to tribe and reality dogma and a mix of just enough excitement and happiness and security of a few bucks in the bank…Not worried about the why but what are you doing to make yourself useful.🥨

[@bamxire8845]

This for me was a timely find, thank you.

[@grumpyschnauzer]

So true. Freud is a truth teller.

[@EternalBooda]

Wow, I was thinking Hellraiser just before it was brought up. Something else I thought of is entropy. All these philosophers seem to be trying to describe a dichotomy similar to existence of life: life is an ordered system, and therefore an area of lower entropy. However, entropy must always increase. So for any organism to maintain the order that is its existence, it must increase the entropy of its environment. When you think about that in the context of the heat death of the universe, the ultimate state of entropy, it really makes you wonder what the hell we’re doing by being alive.

[@michaelhason5310]

I don’t see it that way, as a biological system maintains order via the generation of the appropriate molecules, often ultimately requiring the use of generated ATP.

[@gabrielacosta7956]

Love your channel ❤❤❤❤

[@ARsuffix]

Fasignating. I'll have to return to this after reading more Freud. But I really appreciate your delivery and dialectic emphasis on subject so cutting to the the human psyche.

[@garethsmith3036]

this is such a cool video

[@sewellparanormal6351]

Bravo! Excellent video Dr. Thank you.

[@ashleydewing1420]

Makes me think of the memes that are basically "lol why can't i be dead".

[@bettschwere]

the entire time i was listening to this i kept thinking about clive barker's works so at the end when you recommended the hellbound heart i audibly said "YES!" out loud. scared the shit out of my poor dog. i need to read some of bataille's work, i'm surprised i've never heard of him! that whole dynamic of sex and violence and pleasure and death is extremely fascinating to me. i love all kinds of horror but thats the motif i always find myself returning to. edit: turns out, i have heard of him. i've read the story of the eye, i just had no idea it was him!

[@mercyshaver5264]

Thank you Dr. Sledge

[@markdpricemusic1574]

Wonderful! You do a great job of making sense of an important and peculiar thinker... he's got one foot in Hegel and Catholicism, and the other foot in Nietzsche and the dark atheist tradition, so Bataille is always a heady and paradoxical signal to unscramble. His links forwards to contemporary thought - including magic(k) - are as heterodox as his philosophical ''parentage'' but I can heartily recommend Nick Land's books ''The Thirst For Annihilation'' and ''FAnged Noumenon''. And once again, a zillion thanks for your work! M.D.P.

[@logo2462]

I can’t wait for the Schopenhauer episode! Sadboi magic, let’s go.

[@jameshenderson8873]

Brilliant. This is the fana and baqa of the Sufi, the jivanmukta of the Vedantic, the immolation of the medicine king in the lotus sutra etc etc etc. As Gibran writes "... these things move within you as lights and shadows in pairs that cling...". Know acception. Peace...

[@gunkwretch3697]

Maybe a video on Wilhelm Reich? He had a lot to say on the death wish, and was also a mystic

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Yeah, I'll get around to that wonderful crank

[@gunkwretch3697]

@@TheEsotericaChannel haha excellent, lets get people busting clouds and calling UFOs!

[@MrKoalaburger]

Oh man you should reach out to Prof. Kent Brintnal at Unc-Charlotte, head of the religious studies dept. He and I had a really great discussion on the intersection of Batailles and Christian mysticism and asceticism. He's an expert on Batailles, dedicated his career on the guy.

[@00muinamir]

God dammit. *adds Bataille's books to the already daunting to-read pile* (Seriously, an excellent video as always!)

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Sorry but the book pile will only continue to grow as you hang around here ;)

[@theeccentrictripper3863]

@@TheEsotericaChannel Any chance you've already or could at some point compile a reading list of all texts covered and/or referenced throughout your catalog? They wouldn't even require any excessive organization, but a raw list of texts one could go through to get totally up to speed with where you're at yourself would be a magical thing to have. It'd definitely still be tedious so I wouldn't fault you for telling me to kick rocks lol

[@williamwhalen9735]

Wonderful work, as usual. Dr. Sledge. Kind, sir. Or anyone else who might have insight. Could you steer me a little closer (book, chapter, citation) to where I can go deeper into Bataille’s ontology. This notion you discuss of subjectivity extending to the inorganic via an extension into tools and objects? My ability to discuss the role of technology and tools in embodied mystical meditation practice is perpetually lacking, and I believe this would be of much assistance. Many thanks.

[@gunkwretch3697]

I am reminded of ancient Pagan "sacred kingship" in which a king could be sacrificed after a vote of non confidence.... ending this lead to permanent monarchies, which in turn, through the religion of Jeebus, created Catholicism as the ultimate slave morality, teaching slaves to treat their masters as Jeebus, and the king as his chosen ruler. This eventually lead to capitalism, which further allowed the ruling class to "justify" their excess, and displace all the sacrifice on indigenous people during colonization. In this way capitalism is the ultimate death cult, and also a kind of pyramid scheme, not only in monetary terms, but in terms of "social capital," the mechanism of the "meritocracy" which decides who gets sacrificed to Mammon. So capitalism will end life on this planet via environmental collapse, or MAD war because the excess is never dealt with, and indeed, excess is considered sacred now, it is "freedom" for rich people to rule with limitless greed. Now that the ruling class is running out of scapegoats, (though Russia and China are being resurrected in that role) without someone to project the shadow out onto, the U S is turning on itself. The far right has a powerful death wish, (see "Mass Psychology of Fascism" by Willhelm Reich which goes into excruciating detail) because going along with full on fascism is easier than facing the reality of capitalism as a death cult. If capitalists were suddenly made aware of how they have treated others, most would kill themselves, and so the narcissistic denial of the shadow is only repressed more deeply, as the more horrors are committed for capitalism. Denial is literally the only way many people can live with themselves in this society, and so maintaining that narcissistic self image is literally a matter of life and death for them, and they get defensive when told the truth. As you can guess, if you know anything about history, truth tellers make up the majority of scapegoats. Plato's Cave refers to this, as also his "Ship of Fools" but since he had no intention in giving up his own excess, and he believed the ends justify the means in terms of defending the state (as explained in "Laws") his solution was to create the "noble lie" that would allow the ruling class to maintain their excess. (Plato was a great inspiration to x tians and fascists) This evolution of hierarchical memes then is a kind of cultural feedback loop leading to exponential death, the more organized a war machine, the more it can spread its empire, which escalates conflict with other empires, who also take inspiration, becoming the devil they fight via shadow projection, creating a memetic and also military arms race. Ultimately x tians hope this eternal warfare against "Satan" will one day cause the apocalypse. Displacement is hard wired into popular culture via X tians, who use the image of Jeebus to justify it, as anyone who is different is Satanic by their definition, and so a prime target to use as a scapegoat. This is particularly evident in the "prosperity gospel" in which the capitalist meritocracy is directed by god, as with their messiah, Trump. (literally there are people claiming he is the messiah, or that he is fulfilling prophecy etc) Jeebus is the ultimate scapegoat in that he gives forgiveness, ie maximum political expediency, forgiveness for the rich to have excess, and for any sins involved in spreading the x tian empires, without any problems actually being solved, or anyone actually learning anything positive. (any repentance is typically narcissistic and a means of repressing the shadow further) Gnostics seem to have been aware of this, and a variety of texts like "On the Origin of the World" deal with this Death personified, as well as "envy"... They were rather pessimistic themselves, and seeing the imperialist warlords of the world, concluded it was already to late to save society, that the archons will eventually destroy each other and all life on this plaent... For many Gnostics the solution seems to be to stop having children, until humanity is gone, which is its own kind of death drive? Buddhists seem to have the best solution, as the root of all excess, is excess egotism, but the end of ego, is considered worse than death to the x tian, who believes their ego is part of the eternal soul. So the X tian narcissist (or atheist capitalists who share much the same morality due to popular culture) would rather die than face their shadow, (such a thing could also risk eternal damnation) and they would certainly rather kill others, because their ego is more real to them than life itself, never mind actual rational justice. Narcissist cultures, mired in decadence and excess, need war and death also to help remind them of their superiority, and for the cannon fodder veterans with PTSD, they learn to appreciate the crumbs from the ruling class's table more. That is the peasants dont mind their servitude so much when they are reminded how much worse it can get for them, what happens to "Satanic" non capitalists, hence also homeless people exist to remind the workers of this, if they ever start to question the faults of the system

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Great comment

[@gunkwretch3697]

@@TheEsotericaChannel thank you sir, I have edited it a bit as I watched, as you provided a new jargon to me which shed light on many things, I kept getting realizations. The topic of this video, dealing with more modern people was new to me, and unexpected from you, (though I did watch your other video with Bataille) but much appreciated. One great thing about the Esoteric, while I have studied and practiced for about 20 years, there is no shortage of new things to learn!

[@ShadaOfAllThings]

Thank you Dr Sledge for expanding my list of youtubers who talk about topics like these seriously and legitimately. Its always good to know that the next occult/mysticism youtuber I'm about to click on is not a nazi or other raging bigot type before I click, and sadly in these topics that is a risk you repeatedly take without the right people giving you recommendations

[@metaexile]

Dr. Sledge, in the section about Freud's acknowledgement of Schopenhauer's philosophy, the views of philosopher Philip Mainländer came to mind. In Mainländer's view, we encounter not of a Will to life, as in Schopenhauer, but a Will to death: the metaphysical ground of all reality seeks to undo itself, very much like a God who decided to fragment itself into tiny bits of material representation in order to commit self-annihilation.

[@MrSelfdestrvct]

Woah...that blew my mind. I had to stop what I was doing and consider what was being said...it kind of rattled me.

[@erichoffmann8515]

Great talk

[@ruperterskin2117]

Cool. Thanks for sharing.

[@dougiescare]

Thanks for "platforming" Freud as the kids would say. He's not always accurate or relevant anymore but learning about his theories is an important step in understanding the mind.

[@DD-nt8uj]

Agreed

[@prognosis8768]

I would actually think that the mind forcing you to relive your worst moment is part of a survival drive, not a death drive. It seems likely to me that the mind is actually replaying the incident to try to imagine possible solutions to the predicament in case you encounter it again. It also seems likely that the mind wants to keep the incident fresh in its consciousness so that it can easily and quickly be recognized if encountered again so that it can be more likely to be avoided.

[@juliaconnell]

as someone with PTSD, for over 10 years now (trauma from someone trying to kill me in my home) I completely agree. reliving - both conscious and subconscious absolutely part of survival drive, not death drive. for ages, oh 6 months, a year, more, lost track would have really disturbing dreams - once I worked out the meaning, stopped having them. plus, as a result of this experience learnt to *trust my instincts* about people (greater survival skills). I was curious, so listened, but agree with you - not the proposition "all life has an inner drive towards self-destruction and aggression" what?? try telling nature that - besides whole purpose of life is to LIVE.

[@joejackson2102]

Agree. It seems that some philosies go through scenario imaging to stabilize attachment.

[@littlehuntingself3374]

@@juliaconnell I hope you're doing well! Freud's concept of the death drive does not refer to the patient's reliving of trauma in the sense of the therapeutic approach (he actually is one of the early developers of this kind of trauma therapy). Instead, he recognized death drive in the phenomena of trauma itself, specifically the way traumatic memories recur in a way that distresses the patient. To a degree, trauma does help us avoid certain dangers in the world. However, and this is key to the concept of the death drive, trauma disorders are of course experienced as debilitating. Freud saw that these painful, uncontrollable memories were prevalent in human life and asked, "why would these people who do everything to rid themselves of these painful memories still be experiencing them?" He then theorized that it was due to an unconscious self-directed aggression, the death drive.

[@littlehuntingself3374]

Freud thought this, too! However, when we look at patients with certain traumatic disorders, their reliving of memories can actually be debilitating. Not only that, but certain traumatized individuals actually seek out circumstances that remind them of traumatic experiences, even if those experiences are deeply distressing. Due to phenomena like this, Freud saw that our own memories, while they often help us, can terrorize us more than other people can. He wondered why this was and theorized the death drive. I think it's important to mention that Freud also wrote about the life drive, Eros, and how it struggles with the death drive.

[@michaelhason5310]

It is also a complex of horrific energy that gets drawn towards consciousness by any Re stimulation. I doubt that it is so friendly as being a means of avoiding further harmful incidents. The latter is closer to personal experience contributing to wisdom and less like the former-so a spectrum of handling the negative experience.

[@erichoffmann8515]

Norman O. Brown's book "Life against Death" is an interesting book that explores Freud's theory of Eros and Thanatos

[@BlueArcStreaming]

Love me some Bataille

[@biancastrauss464]

Pazuzu jump scare. Also, my own worst enemy comes to mind. Thank you

[@milascave2]

To me, the death drive is really obvious. People everywhere and in all times do so many dangerous things even when there is no little to no material benefit in doing so. There are ways too many examples for m to list. Ask why they do it, and you will get many reasons. But the most common reasons are that it is fun, it is exiting, they get bored when they don't do things like that for a while, and similar reasons. It seems that we are really motivated from something deeply within in us to enjoy dong things that come close to killing us.

[@kerycktotebag8164]

"Ettingerian" post-Freudian psychoanalysis suggests that catastrophic traumas gone unaddressed in childhood (and of course, later traumas are possible) are what warp the "drive towards nonlife within life"-the drive of empathy and cooperation, which requires fragilizing your ego, a kind of "nonlife within life" where you diminish your self-preservation in order to live as if the concerns of others are more paramount or worthy of your vulnerability- into the thanatotic death drive, which itself is to plunge yourself into the unaddressed traumas because it's the closest your body-psyche can get to self-fragilizing. So the thanatotic death-drive is outside the pleasure principle bc it can't find solace of shared vulnerability & cooperation through temporary, situational sacrifice of ego. Because of the post-traumatic reaction, the more primary "nonlife [within life] drive" (which **doesn't** violate pleasure principle, but complements it) loses the solace bc the person is too traumatized to feel safe while vulnerable, but keeps the sacrificial urge which, alone, leads to the thanatotic urge of "sacrifice without solace", not bc the "death drive" is a primary drive itself, but bc it's the traumatized assemblage of (Sacrifice + Solace) minus access to Solace = vulnerability that doesn't lead to solace, but still feels like it could provide it, which is why ppl ruminate & retraumatize & lash out despite it hurting themselves. They continue to sacrifice, but without interpersonal safety and cooperative solace.

[@SeanPalmerLOFI]

Great Video Doc! ❤

[@analogdefector6033]

"Felt cute. Might delete later." 💚💚💚 It is very cute. Thank you.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Schop's with that wolverine hair

[@clockworkgnome]

@@TheEsotericaChannel I think Wolverine copied Schopie to be honest ;)

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Knowing how old Logan is they probably could have had a beer and a smoke together

[@losttreker9449]

Thank you.

[@mackdmara]

Cool dive. As an analytical study, this is an intresting take. The death drive isn't often spoken of. Of course, it is bunk. Sorry for the bluntness, but it wouldn't be interesting if I was less so. A short breakdown if you care. PTSD is your brain trying to prevent future harm, trauma you are holding on to, &/or the stages of grief not fully realized (survivor's guilt). In short, it is an attempt by your brain to avoid future harm. You live there, and loud noises bother you because it was part of survival to react to them. That of course is nothing like OCD or other compulsory behaviors. I am not a doctor, so my knowledge is general. Still, this has nothing to do with your desire for death, but rather is soothing behaviors to avoid death. Much like superstitious behaviors. It is an interesting concept & I had no expectation this would be about modern psychological practice. So I am grateful you covered it. Freudian thought is often more about him and control than about his subjects. It is really a case study on Freud when he interviews a subject, not the other way around. Freud projected his problems on his patients sooooo often. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

[@TheHunterD69]

I never thought I would hear someone using the word "vicissitude" in a sentence that wasn't referencing the Tzimisce. Bravo Doctor Sledge.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

I always think of it in relation to Freud.

[@GiantSquid0fAnger]

Hey would you ever make a video about Nietzsche's critique of Schopenhauer? Or bataille's interpretation of Nietzsche? I feel like Nietzsche's mysticism is really underappreciated/misunderstood, especially considering how much it influenced Freud, and Jung, and modern music

[@sinshamsh11]

I know Lovecraft read Schopenhauer. Makes sense when you read about Azathoth, "the blind idiot god" at the center of the world.

[@billyoldman9209]

Sándor Ferenczi's Thalassa would be a great follow-up episode.

[@oldpondfrog788]

Lou Reed's Tribute to Edgar Allan Poe: "The Raven" has a lovely little track entitled "The Pit and the Pendulum:- I Wanna Know". I thoroughly recommend the album.

[@EdT.-xt6yv]

12:00 Sabina 16:45 🦇-AILLE eroticA & theo/MYSTIC 22:45 sac/RIFICE

[@mattdavis4937]

Just few minutes in to this Clive Barker sprang to mind!

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Gets a mention!

[@MrDFlexer]

This reminds me of the double portion of the sixth day. Six being the phallic number. In this schema, the rest of shabbat would be a practical usage of the excess rather than a destruction.

[@tym7267]

16:17 didn't anticipate that jumpscare lol

[@87alamo]

I believe that the only way to truly give justice to the notion of the death drive is through the elaborations of Jacques Lacan

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Agree

[@ClaimedParadise]

amazing cover and title

[@Sandvich18]

thank you!

[@ashlycornelis3706]

thank you.

[@mojoeye]

Great admirer of what you are attempting to accomplish here via KZbin, Dr. Sledge. Although my question may not be 'solved' in the comments section: Is Todestrieb reconciable with Heidgegger's Being-towards-Death? You appear to be here in some parts noticing similarities towards death-drive and what? the apparent Egoless nature of mysticism? Freud is he getting at the full range of basically, suicide? Still, more common, perhaps is an Equilibrium to be found in death. ~ from an Admirer, perhaps two deg away from the Studies.

[@leygermain8323]

Please read Berserk by Kentaro Miura. Plenty of these themes are present in there, especially in the sacrifice scene.

[@skinheadoconnor8721]

Great video. I'm impressed by your ability to condense his ideas, i'm currently 2 volumes deep into The Accursed Share, and i've yet to run into some of this stuff. Thinking i'll try Theory of Religion next. I'm impressed, but a bit perplexed, that this is the second video on Bataille but yet there has been little to no mention of, y'know, that time he tried to make a religion and started a secret society. Is that just low hanging fruit for a channel like this? Will there be a future video perhaps?

[@theeccentrictripper3863]

It's interesting it's acknowledged outright as I can smell the Vedic philosophy all over this, which seems to be a constant influence on Western thought since the days of Alexander and comes in every few centuries like the tides. Not to get all perennialist but they seem to all be smelling the same thing and inferring the same notion, some manner of animate pre-conscious unity the individual, by virtue of having been assembled of pre-conscious parts, spiritual or material (or both), was once a part of and seeks to return to. What that is, and every other conceivable question that arises from the assumption, is the up for grabs stuff that can be more or less superficial depending on the quality of the philosophical query. But that does seem to be a core thread that does still today in our materialistic quantum understanding of reality have weight and truth in it. I think the bedeviling part that really vexes me is the notion at all, to have said nostalgia does in some way imply there's an active force separate from the self with its own quality and desires arising from it, but this all feels rather anthropocentric. For my part the easiest answer seems to lie in nature, there may be some transcendent emergent phenomenon as a result of the dance of reality but that totality lacks any form until we conceptualize it at all, leaving it firmly fixed within the human mind and the collective understanding of the species and totally out of the realm of its own organic transcendence.

[@chrisrosenkreuz23]

Pain is echo-location, a kind of metaphysical sonar if you will. Pinch yourself, and your attention will be brought to it, and you will know exactly where it was. Our suffering is either food for demons or food for our own soul. They say reality is a simulation but people take this in a much more pedantic way than it was originally intended. Not a computer simulation but a sort of error correction based on our own subjective experience stemming precisely from our will, which is more akin to NEED than WANT. Have you ever achieved something only after you stopped wanting it? That's how you know. Will is nothing more than the need for experiential understanding, and the death drive is the resultant from that. We either learn from our suffering, thus making use of it, error-correcting along the way, or it festers becoming the death drive, since the simulation is no longer of use. And I want ALL my garmonbozia.

[@clockworkgnome]

15:37 Please do! That’s always been a very interesting position of Schopenhauer’s, for me at least!

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Oh yeah, in the hopper!