ABSTRACT
Deniers can be emotional knowers, cognitive knowers, even balanced knowers. But they are united in a desire to avoid other minds for fear of what they will find in them. To understand others one has to undo the denial: to read other minds, one needs to think about other minds. Often when people see others performing something expertly, they comment to themselves that they wish they had the talent to perform in that way. It takes effort and time to become expert at most things; but most people could do it if they were motivated; talent seems to be of little consequence. In the clinical setting, psychoanalysts have long recognized that some people derive little intrinsic satisfaction from their accomplishments, and seem always in search of recognition and praise. No amount of praise, however, feels like enough, and even minor criticism causes great hurt. Success does not bring lasting satisfaction and feeling fraudulent and empty is common.
