Marks of original masochism and passivity considering Laplanche's theory of generalized seduction

Abstract

The theory of generalized seduction proposed by Laplanche addresses the constitution of the psyche, taking as its starting point the priority of the other adult who, in the management of self-preservation, in changing diapers, bathing, putting the baby to sleep and giving milk, immerses the human child in his or her unconscious sexuality through enigmatic verbal or non-verbal messages. The enigmatic messages may have an implantation quality that enables the process of translation, symbolization and construction of meaning in the baby's psyche and/or intrusion, characterized by violence, rigidity, imposition and submission. The incipience of the baby's psyche when receiving the sexuality of the other adult places the human child in a position of passivity and original masochism, universal to all and constitutive. The objective of this work is to interconnect and develop the theoretical concepts and illustrate them through vignettes of a clinical case to promote debate and clinical theoretical exercise. Furthermore, this writing aims to consider how the psychic constitution occurs in cases of borderline masochistic currents, how untranslated messages circulate within the psyche and, finally, how they present themselves in the present day of adult life. It is understood that a psyche invaded by enigmatic sexual messages soaked in violence, aggression and trauma will have obstacles in translating these messages and symbolizing them, promoting impoverishment of the Self and a psychic apparatus contaminated by the untranslatable and the disconnected, with a greater possibility of repetition than creation.