The Unconsciuos: The Unknown That We Do Not Want To See.

The unconscious, that enormous unknown, intersects with a large part of what happens at the social level, and yet we rarely take it into account when we try to understand the human being.

With the exception of certain societies—such as the Argentinian society, for example—where people talk about the unconscious even with the fruit seller, most societies do not really want to approach it. The term is often used superficially, as a synonym for an unintended automatic act.

But the real question is: what is the importance of being aware of the existence of the unconscious in the first place?

And why, if we have remained distant from this concept for so long, do we need to bring it back today?

The human being is physically composed largely of water, then psychologically—symbolically speaking—he is governed to a great extent by the unconscious. A large part of our actions does not arise from conscious awareness.

And yet, what is striking is that when we try to understand the behavior of others, we always resort to the most superficial tools we have: consciousness and will power.

How do we misunderstand others?

This disregard for the unconscious leads us to harsh and reductive interpretations of others.

For example, when someone close to us, who seems to live a stable life, tells us they are depressed, we do not understand it. We often hear comments such as: "He is complaining for no reason," "He hasn’t suffered in life" "He just doesn’t want to work, he is lazy."

When a student who used to be committed stops attending, it is immediately assumed that they "don’t want to" even if it costs them their academic year. As if everything we do not understand must be a conscious decision or a bad intention.

We live within a very simple logic: "If you want to, you can." As if the human being could be entirely shaped by will power, like a simple project to which we add what we want: a bit of self-confidence, some success, and that’s it.

But this view leads to superficial solutions to deep problems: "Go out more" (when they cannot), "Socialize" (when they are afraid), "Make an effort" (when they have no energy).

The illusion of total self-control

This discourse aligns with a common belief of our time: that the human being is fully responsible for themselves, and that everything they do is the result of their will power alone.

But if that were the case, every incomprehensible behavior would automatically become a matter of lying, contradiction, or "love of suffering."

In other words, the logic becomes extremely simple:If you own yourself, then you always do what you want—and if you do not do something, it is because you do not want to.

Even suicide is then reduced to a "clear voluntary decision."

But human reality is far more complex.

Why do we sometimes fail to understand those we love?

How do we explain that someone we know as a good father and a faithful husband can be unfaithful? How do we explain that a successful manager who cares deeply about their work can suddenly explode in anger in simple situations? Why does a very intelligent person enter relationships that hurt them? And why does someone we deeply respect suffer from profound inner fragility?

Something does not make sense—and we lack the tools to explain it.

If we love them, we find justifications. If we do not, our judgments become harsh and reductive.

The unconscious and its own logic

For this reason, it is important to recognize the existence of the unconscious—not as a vague concept, but as a real structure that influences our behavior and that of others.

When will is not enough to stop doing what harms us,when we fail again and again without a clear reason,

we must ask whether there is "something else" operating behind what we see.

What everyday logic cannot explain, the unconscious can.

But there is a common problem: the confusion between understanding and justifying.

In a highly moralistic time, even attempting to understand another’s behavior can be seen as a form of justification.

But understanding does not mean accepting, nor does it mean justifying behavior. It simply means recognizing that the human being is not as transparent as we imagine.

A simple example from everyday life

Let us take a common example today: a person who strongly wants to be thin and tries every possible method—diets, exercise, specialists, extensive knowledge about nutrition—and yet fails repeatedly.

The easy explanation: lack of willpower.

But what if there is something deeper?

Perhaps this person lives with an internal tension related to relationships, fear of loss, fear of social judgment, or a past experience in which bodily change became associated with emotional danger.

They may not be consciously aware of this connection, but it operates internally.

Thus, every time they approach their goal, anxiety appears and pushes them back toward old behaviors.

In the end, they explain it to themselves simply: "I have no willpower." And this belief is reinforced because it is socially dominant.

While in reality, things are far more complex.

Is the solution always to psychoanalyse?

No.

Try habits, try willpower, try knowledge. But if you notice that you always return to the same point despite all your efforts, it may be useful to speak with a psychoanalyst.

Finally

This text is not a call to analyze everything or to interpret every behavior psychologically. It is an invitation to stop rushing into ready-made judgments about what we do not understand.

If a person does not fully understand what is happening to them, then we should be even more cautious before explaining their behavior.

Understanding does not mean justifying. Understanding does not mean accepting.

It simply means recognizing that the human being is far more complex than we tend to believe.