Der Ödipuskomplex des Untergangs

The present text starts off by discussing the conditions of psychoanalytic approach to culture and society. It explores how a transfer of the method to nonclinical fields can take place and the role theory plays in this process. Engaging with Freud’s “The dissolution of the Oedipus complex” three elements are emphasized: dealing with sexual difference, the après coup in the threat of castration and the undiscovered nature of the female genitals. This is used to underscore the significance of recognizing that which is not familiar when dealing with ideas of decline and existential crises. In an “Oedipus complex of apocalypse” it is crucial to consider how difference and negativity can be dealt with.