félix Guattariquotes

French philosopher Pierre-Félix Guattari (1930-1992) was a popular anti-psychiatrist during the 60s and 70s, who was, perhaps surprisingly or not, himself a psychiatrist. He was a trained psychoanalyst who worked with the mentally ill and deranged at La Borde, a psychiatric clinic in France. He was known for his cutting-edge therapies like starting a circus at the clinic with his wife, the daughter of Charlie Chaplin, and enlisting catatonic patients as part of the show. Amazingly, it seemed at times to help.

His academic friends were known to come hang out, and formed their own intellectual society at the clinic, all while participating in arts and crafts time with the patients. His time at La Borde gave him the experience he needed to formulate the theory he dubbed “schizoanalysis,” which turned away from the Freudian analysis of individuals as purely ego-driven.

It was with the publication of Anti-Oedipus in 1972, that Guattari’s fame really erupted in France. It took many more years for Americans to appreciate this eccentric, ruffian’s work on schizophrenia and capitalism as a success. He co-authored the book with French philosopher Gilles Deleuze, who considered it a complete failure. Even Guattari was left feeling empty and unsatisfied after its publication, and regretted his participation in it. Yet, he went on to write a second volume, Capitalism and Schizophrenia, and another book titled, What is Philosophy?, with Deleuze.

Guattari is best-known for pushing the limits of societal norms, and challenging fixed thoughts and “truths” within psychology, philosophy and sociology.