quote from Marx?

[Chris Burford]

At 13:34 09/02/00 -0600, you wrote:
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Chris Burford <cburford at gn.apc.org>
>Subject: quote from Marx?
>
>
>
>>"The only antidote to mental suffering is physical pain."
>
>
>If Marx actually said that, he was revealing a great deal of insight into
>mental illness.  When disturbed individuals intentionally hurt themselves
>(known as "scarification") it's because, unlike mental anguish, pain in the
>body is limited.  Yes, it hurts, but at least it's definite and bounded and
>you can see it.  It seems to be outside of you.
>
>There's a very good definition of evil, put forth by a political scientist
>named C. Fred Alford, that starts with this principle.  What makes people
>evil is that, in order to contain their anguish, they're willing to expell
>it onto others.  Evil is powered by dread, and what distinguishes it from
>mental illness (where the two categories don't overlap) is the absence of
>empathy.
>
>--Ted

Yes I could hardly believe that Marx had said something so psychologically
insightful. Perhaps it was an aside to Engels about his wretched carbuncles. 

Concerning what is called evil, I agree your suggestion is interesting.
There is a plausible study that Hitler engaged in sexual masochism. 

Your approach is compatible with psychological mechanisms of projection and
introjection, which are important in going beyond individual psychology to
social psychology.

There are certainly strong tendencies in human beings to accept or even
enjoy suffering. Sometimes this is associated with mental peace as in
religious duties. Sometimes the acceptance of suffering confirms the safety
of a subordinate relationship. Some of these relationships are erotic, but
not all. 

Socialism did not allow for all these complexities. Perhaps there was some
masochistic zeal as well as class ruthlessness behind the Stakhanovite
zeal. Perhaps the victims of the purges were not just broken by torture and
interrogation, but a need to relieve mental suffering?

Chris Burford

London