InForm:Podcast

In this episode of the InForm:Podcast, I speak with Peter Rollins, the man behind pyro-theology, the Wake festival, the Spark retreat, Atheism for Lent, and many more things that can provoke all sorts of interesting experiences and elaborations. I first became aware of Pete's work many years back as I was attempting to build up my own understanding of Lacan. I don't remember exactly how it happened, but I found a video of him talking about Lacanian ideas, where he explained them in ways I found intelligible and useful. This led to me watching more of his videos, listening to his podcast, and then reading his books.  Today, what interests me about Pete's work is the way that he goes about building engaged communities that work and struggle together to acknowledge, experience, and communicate about the lacks and antagonisms that are at the center of human subjectivity (or the human condition if you prefer that language), which is the main thing I speak with him about in this informal but hopefully informative conversation. We do, of course, go in other directions as well; we even tell a few jokes, which I hope you all find ammusing. One last thing: near the end of the interview. REFERENCED: 1. Pete's Patreon & his Website 2. Todd McGowan's YouTube 3. Analysis Laid Bear 3. The Aims of Analysis

On this episode of InForm:Podcast, I speak with practicing Lacanian psychoanalyst Isolda Alverez about the wya the aims of the psychoanalytic clinic have changed from Freud's time, through Lacans, and into the present day. Recommendations: 1. Band: Yo La Tango (Spotify, Apple Music) Album: "And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out" (Spotify, Apple Music) 2. Lucifer (TV Show on Netflix, Comic) 3. The Unbearable Lightness of Being (Amazon) 

This episode of InForm:Podcast is a re-release and crosspost of an interview I did as part of From78 (another interview podcast). It was originally released in 2020. At that time, I was still figuring out aspects of podcasting, so the audio is not as good as I make it today. Be that as it may, the audio is OK, and the interview is (I think) good. 

On this episode of InForm: Podcast, I interview Rob Bell about his newest book, "Where'd You Park Your Spaceship." We talk about psychoanalysis, dreams, talking to people who work in stores, surfing, and lots of other stuff too. Referenced: The RobCast (Rob Bell's podcast) Peter Rollins Helene Voglesinger The Outlaws (Amazon Prime video) Tao te Ching Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond (Netflix) Station 11 (Max) 

This episode is the first episode in season 5 of InForm: Podcast. It is short because it's just me giving some updates, announcements, info on what I want to do with the podcast in the future, etc. Because this episode is what it is, I'm also releasing episode 38 --which I think is a very interesting interview-- at the same time. Go listen to episode 38! 

In today's episode of the InForm: Podcast Neil covers chapter two of the book Psychoanalytic Politics by Sherry Turkle with Chris & Jason from the Regretable Century... I recorded this a long time ago. Sorry it took me so damn long to put it up. 

On this episode of InForm: Podcast, Neil talks with Nathan Gorelick about psychoanalysis, psychedelics, psychosis, delusions, science, & mysticism. The result is a long, hopefully informative conversation. Nathan is Term Assistant Professor of English at Barnard College in New York. He holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and he has completed the six-year cycle of the Training Seminar in Lacanian Psychoanalysis with Gifric in Quebec City, Canada. He has published widely on the theoretical and historical intersections of psychoanalysis with diverse topics including ecocide and catastrophe fetishism, psychedelic drugs, Continental philosophy, the Haitian Revolution, Islam and Islamophobia, and the theory of the novel. His first book, The Unwritten Enlightenment, sets out a new theory of the relation between literature, ideology, and the unconscious, and is forthcoming early in 2024 from Northwestern University Press. REFERENCED DURING THE EPISODE: 1. Žizek video on ideology 2. Freud's -- Future of an Illisuion, Civilization & its Discontents, Moses & Monotheism, Analysis Terminable & Interminable. 3. Otto Rank -- The Trauma of Birth 4. Éric Laurent -- Guiding Principles for Any Psychoanalytic Act 5. The Lacanian Review #7 "Get Real" 

WARNING: I drop the F-bomb in this episode, and we talk about sex. There is an explicit tag for a reason! INTRO: In this episode of the InForm Podcast, I talk with Jared Elwart about how reading science fiction makes him think about psychoanalysis and how thinking about psychoanalysis influences how he reads Science Fiction. CONTENT: We discuss two books and one film.   The book The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (We also reference The Dispossessed and The Lethe of Heaven)  The book Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis  The film Everything Everywhere All At Once We also mention:  The Rebel by Albert Camus  The Human Crisis by Albert Camus  Jared and I have a free-flowing conversation about how these three works might intersect with each of our thinking in and through psychoanalysis.

INTRO: On this episode of the InForm: Podcast I talk with psychoanalyst Michael McAndrews who practices out in Colorado. Michael's practice is unique for several reasons. The first is that he provides psychoanalysis to people who normally would not have the ability to afford mental health services. The second is that he provides services to people who have lost a baby, child, or pregnancy. The conversation was very informal, and hopefully very informative.    REFERENCES: Lacanian Compass Freud's Free Clinic by Elizabeth Danto Winnicott's Primary Maternal Preoccupation CPCT Surplus Jouissance Projects [S][J][P]

In this episode of Inform: Podcast I interview Why Theory's Ryan Engley about psychoanalysis in the classroom. (Tod McGowan, the other half of Why theory was interviewed about this same topic on an earlier episode of InForm.)  Our conversation ranges all over the place, but one of the consistent themes is the idea of sustaining the analysand's/student's desire/curiosity. Some of our references include:  Lacan's Seminar 17  T.R. Johnson's book The Other Side of Pedagogy  The Pedagogy of the Oppressed  The TV Show: Peep Show, and (of course) Mad Men

In today's episode of the InForm: Podcast Neil covers chapter one of the book Psychoanalytic Politics by Sherry Turkle with Chris & Jason from the Regretable Century... And lots of other stuff too. We recorded the episode late at night, and we were all tired. I hope you all enjoy the result. 

InForm Podcast: 052 The episode you're about to listen to is a conversation with Peter Rollins, a thinker, writer, podcaster, and community organizer who works at the intersections of psychoanalysis, theology, and philosophy. Before getting started I'd like to say the following: Getting to do this was something that was very exciting for me because I've been reading Pete's books, listening to his podcast, and watching his YouTube videos for many years, and his work has had a significant influence on me.  The conversation was long and we talked about lots of different things including,  Pete's own analysis Attempts to hysteriasize liturgical structures   Productively mal-adaptive symptoms (or sinthomes)  The importance of lack or absence  The impact of Hegel on philosophy, religion, and psychoanalysis  Community organizing Psychoanalytic schools The pass  And much more 

Psychoanalytic Politics (by Sherry Turkle) w/ The Regrettable Century | Pt. 1  In this episode, Neil, Jason, & Chris discuss the introduction to the text. 

Silly intro 0:00 - 1:00  We decided that Jared will do The Psychoanalysis of Everyday Life The Psychoanalysis of Everyday Life 1:00 - 20:45 Useless things I have & adore  Preslava Robert Surplus Jouissance  The TV show Hoarders  Investing & Retirement v. Adolescent Spending Peter Rollins  Streaming music, films v. Having the media  Main segment 20:45 - 56:05  How psychoanalytic thinking and practices can be used (or can't be used) in institutions  The episode with Todd McGowan  "getting better" is a by-product, a bonus Analysts don't have a "vested interest" nor do they make demands of patients/analysands  Jared's work in a hospital setting  Assessments v. therapy  Soaking up the symbolic order (the Other, the Name-of-the-Father)  Hospital's don't engage with the unconscious, they aim at getting people "back on their feet"  Psychoanalytic v. Behavioral health folks  The Extra Segment 56:05 -1:06:05 Talking about the usefulness or non-usefulness of meds  Various Sundry Things 1:06:05 - 1:22:45 Surplus Jouissance Projects [S][J][P] Craig Mod's Special Projects  The iterative process of thinking & writing  [S][J][P] ◎ Drafts [S][J][P] Podcast lectures  [S][J][P] Weekly Newsletter

This episode of the InForm: Podcast was a free wheeling conversation, which lasted a little over an hour, between Neil and Duke Novak.  In the conversation we discuss the work Psychoanalysts Donald Winnicott, and the impact that has had on how Duke and Neil Think about their own work with children and teens. Some of the ideas that we talk about the episodes are: Deprivation and institutions in group homes. The holding environment.  Fear of being dropped. not becoming callous as one does clinical work. The true self and the false self. And when it cuts somewhat famous quote, “ it is a joy to be hidden, and a disaster to not be found.“

In this Episode of InForm Neil interviews Winnie about her experience starting psychoanalysis. The hope here is that this interview will be interesting and useful to others who might be considering starting an analysis. Intro:  We want to make psychoanalysis available to more people, even though it is not for everyone.    Helping people who are your friends enter into analysis when you're an analyst.   Content:  Winnie combines psychoanalysis and social work.  Finding an analyst.  The process of analysis can unsettle you. It might be better to expect that.  Going to Omaha.  Finding yourself making slips  "But that's not what I meant!"  Yes, but it is what you said...  What if we paid social workers & teachers better?

INTRO: This is a strange episode of InForm: Podcast where Neil does what he did way back in 2018 when he started the podcast -he just talks into a microphone about something in an informal way that is hopefully informative. 0:00 - 5:00   Going old school InForm for today.  Calling it Super Informal  5:00 - 8:00  Some of the differences between psychoanalysis & psychotherapy  One big difference is time  8:00 - 19:50  Psychoanalysis takes time, you can't microwave it.  There is a three-act structure  Act I - Feel safe enough to start free-associating  Why have you come?  What brings you in today?  Lots of highlighting  Act II - Say something unexpected, but honest and important (allowing the unconscious to speak) In Act II there is this process of "making sense" of things Unexpected patterns emerge  New connections are made  Some interpreting & constructing  Act III - When the person (analysand) comes into contact with something that "does not make sense"  A reorientation  A significant reorganziation Possibly putting the thing that you can't get past into the rearview mirror. (It's still there, but now it is behind you!) 

INTRO: In this episode of the InForm Podcast, Neil & Jared explore why people enjoy hating Freud so much. Our arguments are that the education system does a horrible job of presenting Freud's work, an abundance of myths about Freud, Anti-Semitism, and the friend/enemy distinction. We sort of wandering all over the place talking about a few reasons we believe people dislike Freud so much, but we still have a lot more that we want to say. Ergo, this episode is the first in a series, which we needed to cut short when a child interrupted the recording.  The Psychoanalysis of Everyday Life:  Surplus Jouissance of getting good grades in grad school. We reference...  InForm 045 with Todd McGowan Seminar 16 on Lacan in Irland  Surplus Jouissance  Six Paradigm of Jouissance (Summary)  Why Do People Enjoy Hating On Freud:  Lack of any real knowledge, and an abundance of myths. Bad exposure in the education system. Being actually unsettled by what Freud says (Oedipal complex, unconscious, sexuality etc.  The friend/enemy distinction. Carl Schmitt - The Friend/Enemy Distinction.  Giorgio Agamben & Homo Sacer.  The Episode of The Daily where they talk about China as the enemy Various Sundry Things:  Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, by Carlo Rovelli.  The Lacanian Review #7 

Intro: Psychoanalytic superstar Todd McGowan makes his second appearance on the InForm: Podcast. In this episode (after Neil makes an error), we talk about psychoanalysis in the classroom.  Longer Show Notes: At the top of the show, you hear Neil realizing he has forgotten to hit record after we have all been talking for 25 min. But after that, you can hear Neil, Jared, and Todd discuss:  How Todd started to get interested in psychoanalysis as a graduate student and the impact of reading Žizek's The Sublime Object of Ideology had on his formation as a psychoanalytic thinker and teacher.  Does psychoanalysis need to be marginal in the classroom?  Staying with the 99 & letting the one go.  What it is like to motivate students, and one's own children... or not motivate them.  Trying to teach from the discourse of the analyst.  Teaching fro the discourse of the hysteric (or perhaps the obsessional).  Grading practices.  D&G's Anti-Oedipus as a text that might be more in line with Lacan than people think.  Transference to institutions.  And other stuff that I can't remember. 

In this episode of InForm: Podcast Neil & Jared ramble a lot (seriously, it\'s a lot). When they don\'t ramble they talk about if it is possible to do psychoanalysis with people who are too accepting of psychoanalysis. \nSome blah, blah, blah 0:00 - 0:07 \r\n\nIntro 0:07 - 2:42\r\n\nPsychoanalysis of Everyday Life 2:42 - 17:05\nMusic & psychoanalysis \r\n\nThe unconscious as an apature \r\n\n\n\r\n\nMain segment 17:15 - 1:06:18 \nCan you do psychoanalysis with people who are too accepting of it \r\n\nPsychoanalytic politics \r\n\nThe Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis \r\n\nMad Men \r\n\n\n\r\n\nVarious Sundry Things 1:06:18 - 1:14:22 The Expanse \r\n\n\r\n\n