Fear of Breakdown: Psychoanalysis and the Future of Democracy

I recently finished reading "Fear of Breakdown" by Noëlle McAfee, and I must say, it was a captivating journey into the depths of both psychology and politics. McAfee, a professor of philosophy and the director of the Psychoanalytic Studies Program at Emory University, delves into the intricate relationship between our unconscious anxieties and the political turmoil of our times.One of the most compelling aspects of the book is McAfee's exploration of the fear of breakdown, drawing on psychoanalyst D. W. Winnicott's insights. She eloquently connects this fear to the rise of hypernationalism, revealing how it springs from deep-seated anxieties about personal and social identities. It's a powerful revelation, shedding light on the roots of exclusionary ideologies that plague our societies.But what truly struck me was McAfee's call for a politics of working through, rather than succumbing to the politics of splitting and demonization. She advocates for a democrat...