Werner Herzog on Psychoanalysts: "They are a disease of our time"

Overview

Werner Herzog strongly criticizes psychoanalysis and psychoanalysts. He argues that they harm modern society—calling it “a disease of our time”—and proposes an extreme, satirical solution: isolating psychoanalysts somewhere far away. His reasoning is that they “boldly” act as if their practice were a proven profession or science.

Key Claims

• Overstated knowledge: Herzog suggests psychoanalysts exaggerate their understanding, claiming it is no more advanced than ancient brain surgery practices from the era of Egypt’s pharaohs—an analogy meant to show the approach is outdated or limited.
• One of the worst errors of the 20th century: He calls psychoanalysis one of the greatest “stupidities” and mistakes of the 20th century, implying it is fundamentally wrong.

The “Dark Corners” Argument

Herzog argues that psychoanalysis attempts to explain every “dark little corner” of the human soul. He views this as unhealthy, dangerous, and foolish.

• House/light metaphor: Using a house metaphor, he claims that if every hidden corner of a house is illuminated with strong lights, the house becomes uninhabitable. In a similar way, he argues that exposing humans completely—even their darkest aspects—can make them inhuman and unable to live as themselves.

Presenters / Contributors

• Werner Herzog