ABSTRACT
By introducing paradox into the dry sobriety of psychoanalysis, Winnicott made room for spontaneity, ambiguity, illusion, and creativity as features that are essential to real living, despite the lack of a proper place for them in standard metapsychology. In this chapter, by juxtaposing paradox with process, the author suggests that there is yet another level of paradox to be enjoyed: a paradox may (paradoxically) both be and not be; and, following Winnicott, asks that this level of paradox also be respected and not resolved. In present-day psychoanalysis, a tension exists between those analysts whose focus is on internal conflict and the analysis of defense, as against those like Balint, Winnicott, Bollas, and, from a different point of view, the self psychologists, whose approach is also more centrally informed by developmental considerations. The issue of surrender as against submission has been of great interest to me; perhaps it has bearing here.
