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desire and satisfaction

There are two great tragedies in life: One is not getting what one wants; the other is getting it. Oscar Wilde

I've been thinking quite a bit about desire in the last few weeks (related, as it is, to disappointment) and Freud's dictum that desire is in excess of an object's capacity to satisfy and then I came across this interesting thread on Crooked Timber about wanting not to get what you want. Lots of interesting material here about wanting and satisfaction for example

I always want my football team to win, but if they were to win all the time it would be rather boring and I would lose interest in football. It is a condition for me to live the life of a happy football fan that they win, but not too much.

If desire is sated - does that we are undesirable or undesiring?

Hat tip to Chris

Comments (3)

1. Yes, as a fan of Newcastle United I can really relate to this - though I must add that so far I have never been at risk of excessive satisfaction due to constant wins...

   Posted by Ferdinand von Prondzynski | August 11, 2008 4:58 PM

2. I think that's what Freud had in mind!

   Posted by annette | August 11, 2008 5:47 PM

3. Opportunity is often inconvenient

   Posted by kare anderson | August 14, 2008 4:18 AM