My Mind and Yours by Salama Moussa

“My Mind and Yours” by Salama Moussa: A Journey into the Depths of the Human Psyche

Introduction: About the Author and the Context of the Book

Salama Moussa (1887–1958) was a pioneering Egyptian intellectual, one of the most prominent advocates of enlightenment and socialism in the Arab world. During his years in Europe (1906–1910), he was deeply influenced by Darwin’s theory of evolution and Freud’s psychoanalysis. In London, he joined the Fabian Society, where he became acquainted with George Bernard Shaw.

Historical Context: Published in 1947, the book emerged at a critical moment in Egypt’s history, when traditional ideas dominated public life and superstition was widespread. Moussa positioned his work as a call to adopt a scientific approach to understanding the human mind.

Purpose of the Book: To present psychology in a clear and accessible way for non-specialists, combatting superstition through scientific explanations of human behavior, and highlighting the mind’s central role in achieving both personal happiness and social progress.

The Scientific Foundations of Understanding the Mind

1. Mind and Brain: The Essential Distinction

The Brain as a Physical Organ: Moussa explains that the brain, composed of millions of neurons, is a biological organ open to direct observation. Brain size, he stresses, does not determine intelligence; what matters are its folds and the density of neural connections.
The Mind as a Function: The mind, by contrast, is the “function” of the brain—the product of neuronal activity. It governs consciousness, thought, memory, and emotion. Surgical evidence shows that removing parts of the brain may impair specific abilities without eliminating general intelligence.

2. The Human Mind vs. the Animal Mind

Instinct vs. Rationality: Animals follow fixed instinctual patterns (such as birds building nests), while humans can innovate and transcend instinct.
The Power of Abstraction: Humans alone create abstract concepts—like justice or beauty—and use complex linguistic symbols, enabling knowledge to accumulate across generations.

3. Body and Mind: Mutual Influence

The Body’s Impact on the Mind: Physical illnesses (e.g., thyroid disorders) can cause depression or agitation. Poor nutrition weakens concentration, while physical exercise stimulates the intellect.
The Mind’s Impact on the Body: Psychological stress can lead to ulcers, while belief in recovery (the placebo effect) can trigger real physical healing. Moussa cites historical examples of patients recovering through self-suggestion.

The Subconscious and Its Mechanisms

1. Conscious vs. Unconscious: The Hidden Struggle

Conscious Mind: The center of willpower and logical reasoning—the newest evolutionary development.
Unconscious Mind: The repository of repressed desires and forgotten memories—older and more powerful.
Freud’s School: Sexual drive as the core of the unconscious.
Adler’s School: The “inferiority complex” and the drive to overcome it.
Moussa’s Middle Ground: The unconscious is a mix of primitive urges (sex, aggression) and humanity’s innate striving for moral growth.

2. Psychological Defense Mechanisms

Repression: Pushing unacceptable desires into the unconscious.
Sublimation: Channeling repressed energy into art or intellectual creation.
Dreams: “The royal road to the unconscious” (Freud). A hungry person dreams of food; the sexually deprived dream of intimacy. Nightmares reflect the clash between forbidden desires and the conscious fear of their consequences.

3. Taming the Subconscious: Practical Techniques

Positive Suggestion: Repeating affirmations (“I can succeed”) reprograms the unconscious.
Hypnosis: Unlocks buried trauma by relaxing the conscious mind.
Psychoanalysis: Structured dialogue with a therapist to decode dreams and slips of the tongue.

The Human Psyche in Society

1. Society as a “Collective Patient”
Moussa argues that many psychological disorders stem from social constraints:

Female Hysteria: Rooted in sexual repression due to cultural taboos, leading to physical symptoms.
Suicide: Less a personal choice than a response to the pressures of a “mad society” that sets false goals, like wealth as the sole measure of success.

2. Personality Development: From Childhood to Adulthood

Childhood: “The secret garden of the unconscious,” where values are absorbed through imitation, not preaching.
Adolescence: A formative stage where psychological complexes emerge:
- Inferiority complex—can cause neurosis or drive achievement.
- Guilt complex—may grow into obsessive behavior.
The Family’s Role: Home is the “factory of personality.” Schools transmit knowledge, but moral formation depends on parental example rather than punishment.

3. The Psychology of Women: Bold for Its Time

Moussa rejects the notion of women’s intellectual inferiority, attributing historical disparities to lack of education rather than lack of ability.
He warns against repressing femininity: “A woman treated as a man’s plaything becomes a psychological time bomb.”

Mental Illnesses

Disorder	Causes	Suggested Treatment
Neurosis	Conflict between desire and repression	Psychoanalysis, expressive arts
Psychosis	Detachment from reality	Medication, hypnosis, temporary isolation
Inferiority Complex	Physical disability, poverty, early humiliation	Achievement-based compensation, behavioral therapy
Hysteria	Sexual repression, traumatic shocks	Suggestion therapy, relaxation exercises

Practical Applications for Happiness and Mental Health

1. The Art of Sound Thinking

Obstacles:
- Superstition—attributing failure to envy rather than mistakes.
- Subjectivity—projecting one’s own flaws onto others.
Principles of Clear Thinking:
- Objectivity—separating emotions from analysis.
- Methodical doubt—refusing to accept ideas uncritically.

2. Happiness: A Science and a Practice

Key Insights: Happiness is not the absence of problems but the ability to manage them. Fulfillment requires a “life of leisure” filled with hobbies and art to avoid psychological emptiness.
Practical Exercises:
- Record three small daily achievements to nurture optimism.
- Practice self-suggestion before sleep: “Tomorrow I will be calm.”

3. Raising Children: A Practical Guide

Common Mistakes:
- Silencing difficult questions (“Why was I created?”).
- Punishing tears, which only deepens repression.
Better Alternatives:
- Honest, age-appropriate answers (“You were created to love and learn”).
- Channeling anger into creative outlets like art or sports.

Critique and Legacy of the Book

1. Controversy Around the Ideas

Conservative Criticism: Moussa was accused of materialism for downplaying the soul and for his frank discussions of sexuality, which clashed with social taboos.
Scientific Criticism: Some dream interpretations were seen as oversimplified compared to Jung’s theories, and his reliance on Western psychology was sometimes uncritical.

2. Cultural Impact

Arab Enlightenment: He helped solidify the view that psychology should be free of religious dogma, and that a “sick society produces sick individuals.”
Conflict with Authority: His book The Origin of the Idea of God was banned and branded as atheistic, yet he continued to champion intellectual freedom.

3. Relevance Today

Modern Parallels: Superstition, fortune-telling, and stigma around mental health remain prevalent in many Arab societies.
Lessons Learned: “Superstition cannot be fought with repression but with education.”

Why Read My Mind and Yours Today?

Even more than 75 years after its publication, Moussa’s book remains a compelling reference for several reasons:

Breaking Taboos: It challenged silence around sexuality, repression, and mental illness.
Comprehensiveness: It blended psychology, philosophy, and ethics into a unified vision.
Practicality: It offered concrete tools—such as self-suggestion exercises—rather than abstract theory.
Humanism: Moussa closed the book with a statement that encapsulates his philosophy:

“Let us make life pleasant for our sons and daughters, not a burden that drives them to madness. A society that builds walls of repression and produces insanity is itself insane.”

This book is not merely an introduction to psychology—it is a roadmap for liberating both individual and collective consciousness from the shadows of ignorance.

For the original summary in Arabic