Record of a Friendship

me a dictator. Suffice it to say that I have to carryon a heJi of a battIe,
in addition to my main work, to keep out people who try to get to fame
and riches on MY broad, powerful shoulders with their own cock -eyed
ideas about what they think orgonomy should be. I let everyone do what
he pleases. But this is not sufficient to them. They want me to con­
firm and support with my authority what I cannot possibly consider as
a part of or as in agreement with my work. You ask why my basic at­
titude of loving people being in the field and yet being completely
independent applies to you but not to others. This is so because you,
when you realize that you cannot make a decent go of orgone therapy
with children, will say so and stop doing it, while the [others] will not
realize that they harm patients and work by doing what they call
therapy. Because when I stop supporting them or warn them against
the consequences they slander me.
Neill, this work of mine is the most devilish task a man has ever
encountered in the history of human knowledge. I had to destroy one
organisation after another which grew the wrong way and with the
wrong objectives. I had to restrict what you call the organisation to
a very few well-trained, responsible men and women who are my as­
sistants and help me to carry on the terribly dangerous and emaciating
tasks. You yourself warned me against organisations with pupils and you
were right. I had to give up the pleasure of public acclaim, of empty
friendships, of what is called "recognition," in order to keep clear of
the pitfalls of human interrelations, and this against my basically social
nature which thirsts for human contacts.
Philipson wanted me to open my publishing organ for him to pro­
claim nonsense. I asked him several times to write down what he has
to say. He never did. I am still ready to publish his viewpoint if he
restricts himself to factual argument and withholds personal attack.
What the Scandinavians don't understand is that I have moved ahead
over these 12 years at a fast rate and that I am far out in space and no
longer in the realm of a restricted psychology of technique. It was they
who failed to keep contact and to move on. Should I too have remained
sitting in order to retain a few doubtful friendships? I still like them
and think of them much, maybe more than they do of me. There is no
reason for animosity, as long as they do not try to make me bad because
THEY did not develop with me.
I am afraid Neill that we all, including myself, are afraid to touch
upon the true nature of human nature, the sitting on the spot, the