Re: W. Reich

[jorn@chinet.chinet.com (Jorn Barger)]

Neal R. Copperman offers, re W. Reich:
> He was a fringe scientist, and hypothesized that all matter (and non-
> matter?) was composed of this stuff he called orgone (somehow different
> than atoms).  The idea behind his cloudbuster was that it redirected 
> orgone from the ground to the clouds, somehow making it rain.  I have 
> seen claims that it was demonstrated and worked, but question their 
> validity. [...]
> Reich dabbled in all sorts of things, including some psychological 
> studies about orgasms too. 

Reich was one of Freud's more radical students (they parted ways pretty early 
on).  His early research explored how sexual repression is associated with 
unconscious muscle tension in different parts of our bodies.  I'd think most 
forms of psychotherapy acknowledge this asssociation now, many (like Rolfing 
or structural-integration therapy) explicitly trace their lineage to Reich.

His two great heresies were to advocate sex as necessary for health, and 
taking as *more-than-metaphorical* the universal experience of "psychic 
energy" as something central the psychological well-being.  (This second 
concept is fairly universal among mystical traditions, in some form or 
other.)  America has a reputation for being one of the most sexually 
repressive nations, and America did not take kindly to heresy one.  And for 
all their claims to objectivity, western scientists consistently react to 
claims about psychic energies with violent, prejudiced scorn (which Reich saw 
as due to their own repressions and denials).

Reich claimed he could see little wriggling blue orgone particles, both under 
the microscope, and under proper conditions with the naked eye.  His theories 
about their behavior have many of the classic hallmarks of bad science, 
though, especially his sense that *everything* could be simply solved by 
appeal to orgone.  And he got really paranoid as he fought his uphill battle, 
comparing his martyrdom to Jesus's, fighting battles with UFOs, etc etc etc.

Reading Peter's memoir, the especially uncanny thing is that Peter 
experienced Reich's "delusions" as vividly as Reich did-- as did indeed many 
intelligent and responsible Reichian collaborators.

> (You could probably ask on sci.skeptic and get a remarkable
> amount of responses.)

For those who don't know sci.skeptic, I *think* this is intended with a 
smilie, because if you show sympathy for Reich, those responses will be 
massive flames.  (Or have things changed over there?)

Aaron offers, re Cloudbusting:
> I think that she is talking about fear in general. If you
> have a talent for something, that other people will try to take away
> from you-- don't be afraid to use it. If you don't use it, then you have
> nothing. What good is a glow in the dark yo yo if it's buried in
> the garden?  None.

This is tricky, because Wilhelm's role re the yoyo was analogous to the 
government's role re Reich.  Is Kate saying Reich was as wong to fear the 
yoyo, as the USA was to fear WR?  I imagine she'd still be comfortable with 
her image even if it was proved that the yoyo *was* dangerous.  (I think at 
that time they really used radioactivity in those things.  Our friend, the 
atom!)

>   I would guess that the end of the song is simply hope that the bad
> things will not happen, or will reverse themselves. Something that isn't
> bad shouldn't have evil associated with it, her father or the yo yo.
> Something good should come of it.

"Don't give up!  (You still have *friends*...)"

Jeff adds:
> I've always seen "Hounds of Love" (ie the 1st side of _Hounds of Love_) as
> a collection of songs, each about a different sort of love.  "Running Up
> That Hill" is the romantic/sexual love between two partners, people
> who want to experience each other to the fullest.  "Hounds of Love" is a 
> young woman, afraid of falling in love.  "The Big Sky" is love of life
> (yeah, I know, that may be pushing it just a tad...;-).  "Mother Stands
> For Comfort" is the unparalleled love of a mother for her son (despite the
> wrongs he has committed!).  And "Cloudbusting" is the love of a boy for
> his father.

That's very nice...  I don't think love-of-life is pushing it at all.  (Reich 
thought the blue of the sky came from orgone.)  "Deal with God" (RUtH), 
though, I would have said was about trying to keep a relationship working 
despite communication problems. ("Is there so much hate for the ones we 
love?")  That would mean that the one kind of love that's missing, cleverly, 
is the banal top-40 kind!

> ... Wilhelm Reich was arrested ostensibly on charges of fraud
> because of the claims Reich made regarding the medical value of his
> orgone energy accumulators.  The government had all sorts of reasons
> for arresting him, or so they would claim.  I'd probably refer to him
> as an intellectual prisoner.  While he was considered a brilliant 
> psychoanalyst/theorist when he was younger, by the time he was 
> arrested, most folks considered him a crackpot.  Was he doing any harm?  
> Geez, I dunno.

He made claims that orgone therapy cured cancer.  That was their sole case 
against him.  There's NO evidence those claims were *tested* before he was 
imprisoned, and his books confiscated and *burned* (in the good ol' free-er-
than-thou USA, just a generation ago).  They were clearly pre-judged 
according to the conventions of the time.  ('Scientists' aren't supposed to 
do this, but they do.)  It makes perfect sense to me that if you 
*psychologically deny* some of your body-organs, especially the erogenous 
ones, as our culture demands we do, every sort of ill-health might follow.  
So any psychotherapy that even asks someone to *visualize* their organs 
streaming healthy energy, ought to do more good than harm!

The AMA is very passionate in advocating a view of disease where the weak 
patient needs the benevolent and powerful doctor to rid the body of invisible 
evil invaders, which lurk in every corner (and need continual chemical 
warfare to be suppressed).  Self-healing, positive thinking, and loving 
acceptance don't fit their paradigm very well at all.  (Neither does that 
healthy dog, Happy Phantom, lapping from a street puddle!)

> (Fwiw, Peter Reich, the little boy in the story, had a glow-in-the-dark
> yo-yo.  His father felt that glow-in-the-dark items such as that emitted
> negative orgone energy and were therefore dangerous.  Peter hid the yo-yo
> so he didn't have to give it up)

I'm not sure if it was supposed to emit DOR, or change good orgone into bad.  
One of the most vivid Orgonon stories is how DOR was discovered when someone 
did the experiment of putting something radioactive into an orgone box, and 
the result, supposedly, was that the vibes got so unbearable they had to 
evacuate the lab for days, weeks, months.

> |Jeffrey C. Burka    |"When I look in the mirror, I see a little clearer/ |
> |SAFH Lite [tm]      | I am what I am and you are you too./  Do you like  |
> |jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu| what you see?  Do you like yourself?"  --N. Cherry |


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