"The Uncanny"
by Sigmund Freud
"I cannot think — and I hope most readers of the story will agree with me
— that the theme of the doll Olympia, who is to all appearances a
living being, is by any means the only, or indeed the most important,
element that must be held responsible for the quite unparalleled
atmosphere of uncanniness evoked by the story."
Summary
Freud focuses on "the idea of being robbed of one's eyes," as the "more striking instance of uncanniness" in the tale. He identifies uncanny effects that result from instances of "repetition of the same thing," including incidents wherein one becomes lost and accidentally retraces one's steps, and instances wherein random numbers recur, seemingly meaningfully. Freud specifically relates an aspect of the Uncanny derived from German etymology. By contrasting the German adjective unheimlich with its base word heimlich ("concealed, hidden, in secret"), he proposes that social taboo often yields an aura not only of pious reverence but even more so of horror and even disgust, as the taboo state of an item gives rise to the commonplace assumption that that which is hidden from public eye (cf. the eye or sight metaphor) must be a dangerous threat and even an abomination - especially if the concealed item is obviously or presumingly sexual in nature. (From Wikipedia)
Freud focuses on "the idea of being robbed of one's eyes," as the "more striking instance of uncanniness" in the tale. He identifies uncanny effects that result from instances of "repetition of the same thing," including incidents wherein one becomes lost and accidentally retraces one's steps, and instances wherein random numbers recur, seemingly meaningfully. Freud specifically relates an aspect of the Uncanny derived from German etymology. By contrasting the German adjective unheimlich with its base word heimlich ("concealed, hidden, in secret"), he proposes that social taboo often yields an aura not only of pious reverence but even more so of horror and even disgust, as the taboo state of an item gives rise to the commonplace assumption that that which is hidden from public eye (cf. the eye or sight metaphor) must be a dangerous threat and even an abomination - especially if the concealed item is obviously or presumingly sexual in nature. (From Wikipedia)
Watch this short video about the "Uncanny Valley"..
Discussion Questions:
- How does the concept of the "Uncanny Valley" make you feel?
- Do you think science and technology will soon surpass the valley and go deeper?
- How does this concept relate to the essay?
