Saturday, March 04, 2017
Advice to Students of Orgonomy Aiming for the Universities
Advice to Students of Orgonomy Aiming for the Universities
In response to a discussion on facebook, I wrote the following, which may be of wider interest.
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Working with Reich's ideas in the universities is not an easy thing. But it is possible. I was the first young scientist to earn a graduate degree (Master's and Doctorate, 1979 and 1986) while openly investigating Reich's work at a mainstream university, where I produced two major studies that proved the accuracy of his findings. I was able to do this only with the support of interested faculty. That is critical, to have that support from an interested faculty member, or the young student cannot do much in the Academy. I served as professor for around 10 years, always being very open about my interests in Reich, continuing with serious and productive orgonomic research, before the attacks by the "skeptic clubs" eventually made it impossible to continue. So it is not impossible to make an inroad within the Academy with an open interest in Reich, though the risks can be substantial.
On the other hand, openly pursuing a study or research into Reich's orgonomic work, and obtaining tenure, nobody has so far been successful in doing that. I know several professors who hold deep interests in Reich, several with very good research on Reich and bions or orgone energy, but they kept their interests in Reich quiet, and did not make open expression of their interests until after gaining tenure, a lengthy process. I wasn't willing to do that, to wait so long. It was my choice, and made for some rough times, as well as providing substantial rewards.
After eventually bailing out of the academic system, I went on to form my own research and educational institute, the Orgone Biophysical Research Lab. Since doing so, I got more support for my research and more invitations to lecture in universities and do field work, than I had ever got during my years as professor. Based on my experience, the young student today who has not yet any family burdens but has a passion for orgonomic science, should be encouraged to take some risks in the universities. They can always fall back upon more conventional research. Firstly of course to study hard and learn-understand the conventional science, but especially during graduate work, to openly seek a department where they could follow their interests and openly bring Reich's work into serious scientific investigation.
Only the young can do this, I am convinced. Waiting for existing professors to show an interest in Reich, who rose to high positions by decades of bowing to mainstream authority, or constructing bibliographies of basically anti-orgonomic claims, waiting for the high-ups in the National Academy to suddenly read Reich and declare him to be a genius and undertake unbiased investigation... that is surely unrealistic, rather like Waiting for Godot, or for the Second Coming of Christ, to "save us". The hope for the future, in all things, is with the brave and clear-minded genital youth. I am reminded here of Reich's statue of "Man Leaping the Gap". Of course today, it is men and women.
Cheers, J.D.
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"The further a society drifts from truth the more it will hate those who speak it."
- George Orwell
In Defense of Wilhelm Reich:
Opposing the 80-year's War of Mainstream Defamatory Slander
Against One of the 20th Century's Most Brilliant Physicians and Natural Scientists
http://www.amazon.com/Defense-Wilhelm-Reich-Mainstream-Defamatory/dp/0980231671/
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