Reality Principle

Reality principle (principe de rÈalitÈ) According to Freud, the

psyche is at first regulated entirely by the PLEASURE PRINCIPLE, Which seeks to

experience satisfaction via a hallucinatory cathexis of a memory of prior

satisfaction. However, the subject soon discovers that hallucinating does not

relieve his needs, and is thus forced 'to form a conception of the Real

circumstances in the external world' (Freud, 1911b: SE XII, 219). A new

'principle of mental functioning' is thus introduced (the 'Reality principle'),

which modifies the pleasure principle and forces the subject to take more

circuitous routes to satisfaction. Since, however, the ultimate aim of the

Reality principle is still the satisfaction of the drives, it can be said that 'the

substitution of the Reality principle for the pleasure principle implies no

deposing of the pleasure principle, but only a safeguarding of it' (Freud,

1911b: SE XII, 223).

     From early on, Lacan is opposed to what he calls 'a naive conception of the

Reality principle' (1951b: ll). That is, he rejects any account of human

development based on an unproblematic notion of 'Reality' as an objective

and self-evident given. He emphasises Freud's position that the Reality prin-

ciple is still ultimately in the service of the pleasure principle; 'the Reality

principle is a delayed action pleasure principle' (S2, 60). Lacan thus chal-

lenges the idea that the subject has access to an infallible means of distinguish-

ing between Reality and Fantasy. '[R]eality isn't just there so that we bump our

heads up against the false paths along which the functioning of the pleasure

principle leads us. In truth, we make Reality out of pleasure' (S7, 225).

def

Respectively, the desire for immediate gratification vs. the deferral of that gratification. Quite simply, the pleasure-principle drives one to seek pleasure and to avoid pain. However, as one grows up, one begins to learn the need sometimes to endure pain and to defer gratification because of the exigencies and obstacles of reality: "An ego thus educated has become 'reasonable'; it no longer lets itself be governed by the pleasure principle, but obeys the reality principle, which also at bottom seeks to obtain pleasure, but pleasure which is assured through taking account of reality, even though it is pleasure postponed and diminished" (Introductory Lectures 16.357).