Cain's Act

From one of Italys most renowned philosophers and psychoanalysts, an urgent and stirring reflection on violence, morality, and our relationship with the OtherWhat lies at the foundation of human history and society? According to Massimo Recalcati, it is not love for ones neighbor, as preached by Jesus in the Gospels, but the brutality, jealousy, and violence depicted in the story of Cain and Abel.As timely as it is brilliant, this essay examines Cains murderous act through the lens of psychoanalysis, showing how delusions of self-sufficiency and individual perfection lie at the deepest roots of fear and violence in our societies.True completeness can only be achieved through othersnot despite them. This, argues Recalcati, is the lesson of Cain, one that resonates powerfully in our time.Recalcati explores the most fundamental of questionsfor Cain, Abel, and every human being: can we believe in love?La Stampa