Literary notes about Anesthesia (AI summary)
In literature, the word "anesthesia" has been used to capture both literal and metaphorical states of numbness or inhibition. Henri Bergson, for example, speaks of a "momentary anesthesia of the heart" to explain how the comic effect can temporarily suspend emotional reactivity, allowing one to appreciate the absurdity of certain situations [1]. In a more literal, albeit unconventional, application, Kornbluth portrays anesthesia in a dystopian context by describing a dental mishap involving Levantman shock anesthesia, which hints at the unforeseen control exerted over human sensation [2]. Meanwhile, Freud’s discussion of "sexual anesthesia" in women underscores a paradox where physical sensitivity persists despite an overall dampening of sexual responsiveness, inviting reflections on the complex interplay between physiological and psychological experiences [3].
- To produce the whole of its effect, then, the comic demands something like a momentary anesthesia of the heart.
— from Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic by Henri Bergson - The dentist accidentally gave you a dose of what we call Levantman shock anesthesia.
— from The Marching Morons by C. M. Kornbluth - In cases of so-called sexual anesthesia of women the clitoris has obstinately retained its excitability.
— from A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis by Sigmund Freud
