Iain Banks: The Crow Road

 

Kenneth had never given Freud much credence; maybe because he had looked as honestly into himself as he could, found much that was not to his taste, found a little that was even just plain bad, but nothing much that fitted with what Freud’s teachings said he ought to find.

 

Of course, I only have the popular knowledge of ‘according to Freud, deep down it’s all about sex’, which I found grossly exaggerated.

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You might imagine supporting them [people], talking with them when they needed to talk, trying to help, but you didn’t imagine that you would be the one desperate to talk (or the one too embarrased to talk, too ashamed or too proud to talk); you didn’t imagine you would be the one who needed help.

(of Fiona Urvill) 

For most of my life I was always ready to be ‘the shoulder to cry on’ for others, and needed none myself, but as I grow old I more and more often miss having one.

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Shit, original sin? What sick fuckwit thought that one up?

(Kenneth McHoan)

I never gave the concept much thought, it seemed so blatantly stupid, but considering that people were beguiled into believing it does make it quite repulsive as well.

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In Glasgow I had taken to sitting in churches. It was mostly just for the atmosphere.

(Prentice McHoan) 

I had occasionally sat in a church to ‘meditate’ before (never outwith Scotland though), but only after settling for some time in Glasgow did I begin doing this with any frequency.

(originally posted on WordPress)