Behind the Bastards: Part One – Bruno Bettelheim: The Worst Psycho-therapist

Hosted by Robert Evans, Behind the Bastards delves deep into the lives of some of history's most notorious figures. In this episode, Robert Evans sits down with Alison Raskin to explore the tumultuous and controversial life of Bruno Bettelheim, a figure both revered and reviled in the field of psychology.

Introduction

Robert Evans opens the episode by welcoming Alison Raskin, a writer, director, comedian, and mental health advocate, to discuss Bruno Bettelheim. Alison briefly shares her background, including her authorship and upcoming projects, setting the stage for an in-depth exploration of Bettelheim's life and legacy.

Early Life and Family Background

[04:03] Robert Evans: “He would later claim, because he, like, makes a lot of statements about his background, again, almost none of which are true, that his paternal grandfather had been an orphan who had been raised and educated as a rabbi...”

Bettelheim hailed from a wealthy Austro-Hungarian Jewish family involved in the lumber business. His upbringing was marked by conflicting narratives about his relationship with his parents. While Bettelheim portrayed his mother as cold and distant, others described her as loving and attentive. This discrepancy raises questions about Bettelheim's reliability as a narrator of his own childhood.

[07:25] Alison Raskin: “It's very cool.”

Robert delves into the origins of the Bettelheim surname, tracing it back to a Slovakian nobleman’s altercation in the 1700s. Bruno's father, Anton, expanded the family fortune through a successful lumber business established in 1907, ensuring the family's continued wealth despite wartime hardships.

Education and Early Career

Bettelheim received a strict education, attending one of Vienna's finest schools. Despite experiencing antisemitic bullying, he excelled academically. During World War I, while many Austrian boys faced the horrors of the front lines, Bruno remained in school, a decision influenced by his family's wealth and status.

[13:08] Robert Evans: “My mom was too nice to me.”

Bettelheim's relationship with his parents was complex. His father's permissiveness contrasted with the stereotypical sternness of Germanic fathers of the era. This dynamic may have influenced Bettelheim’s later theories on authority and personality.

Life During WWII

As political tensions rose in Austria with the rise of the Nazi movement, Bettelheim focused on completing his education. In 1933, Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Germany led to increased Nazi activities in Austria, exacerbating antisemitism and instability.

[17:23] Alison Raskin: “He was asking for it.”

Bettelheim chose to stay and manage his family's business amidst the chaos, prioritizing financial stability over personal safety—a decision that would significantly impact his future. In 1938, following the Anschluss (Nazi annexation of Austria), Bettelheim was arrested and sent to Dachau, one of the first concentration camps established by the Nazis.

[45:38] Alison Raskin: “Isn't a death sentence.”

During his imprisonment at Dachau and later Buchenwald, Bettelheim observed camp life, though his accounts have been heavily criticized for their inaccuracies and biased interpretations. He survived these camps, largely due to what he later attributed to luck and favorable treatment, though survivors and historical evidence suggest otherwise.

Post-war Career and Academic Work

After his release in 1945, facilitated by his wife and a wealthy benefactor, Bettelheim migrated to the United States. Settling in Illinois, he secured an academic position at Rockford College.

[50:42] Robert Evans: “Yes. It is titled Individual and Mass Behavior in Extreme Situations. And it is a work of titanic influence.”

In 1943, Bettelheim published his seminal work, Individual and Mass Behavior in Extreme Situations, which became influential in shaping post-war military and psychological strategies. Dwight D. Eisenhower reportedly deemed it required reading for U.S. military officials in Europe.

Controversies and Criticisms

Bettelheim's post-war contributions are marred by significant ethical and methodological issues.

[56:27] Alison Raskin: “Anti Semitism will do a number on you.”

Bettelheim argued that the traumatic experiences in concentration camps were due to inherent weaknesses in Jewish character rather than the brutality of the Nazi regime. He suggested that Jewish prisoners were more prone to psychological regression, eventually adopting Nazi values to survive. This victim-blaming stance has been widely criticized for perpetuating harmful stereotypes and absolving the perpetrators of their atrocities.

[58:46] Robert Evans: “He is the primary source for the movie Sophie's Choice.”

His flawed analyses influenced popular culture, notably serving as a primary source for the film Sophie's Choice. However, Bettelheim's accounts inaccurately portrayed the concentration camp experience, omitting instances of prisoner resistance and other critical aspects of camp dynamics. Scholars like Richard Pollak and Griffin Epstein have pointed out these discrepancies, highlighting Bettelheim's tendency to manipulate his experiences to fit a predetermined psychoanalytic framework.

[62:17] Alison Raskin: “He's a very unethical, unreliable guy.”

Bettelheim also propagated the idea of "total institutions" as a means to reform children with behavioral issues, drawing parallels to concentration camps. This concept is fundamentally flawed and ethically reprehensible, as it suggests using oppressive methods to shape individual behavior.

Conclusion

Bruno Bettelheim's legacy is a complex tapestry of psychological theory intertwined with personal biases and questionable ethical practices. While he made significant contributions to the field of psychology, his work is overshadowed by his problematic interpretations of traumatic experiences and his perpetuation of harmful stereotypes.

[68:52] Robert Evans: “And that is the tactic he is going to take...”

In the next episode, Evans and Raskin plan to explore how Bettelheim continued to influence child psychiatry in the United States, further unraveling the legacy of one of the most controversial figures in the history of psychology.

Notable Quotes:

• Alison Raskin [07:25]: "It's very cool."

• Robert Evans [13:08]: "My mom was too nice to me."

• Alison Raskin [17:23]: "He was asking for it."

• Robert Evans [50:42]: "Yes. It is titled Individual and Mass Behavior in Extreme Situations. And it is a work of titanic influence."

• Alison Raskin [56:31]: "Oh, Bruno, you got fucked up, buddy. No. Yikes."

• Alison Raskin [62:21]: "He's a very unethical, unreliable guy."

This detailed exploration highlights the multifaceted and often troubling aspects of Bruno Bettelheim’s life and work, offering listeners a comprehensive understanding of why he remains a contentious figure in psychological history.