Subject and Fiction: Positive Disintegration in Contemporary Culture from the Perspective of Kazimierz Dąbrowski’s Theory

Abstract

The article examines Kazimierz Dąbrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration (TPD), which posits that psychological crises and internal conflicts can lead to higher levels of subjective integration. The aim of the article is to demonstrate that, both in fiction—as a reflection of reality—and in the real-life experiences of individuals, the disintegration of psychological structure is not merely a manifestation of pathological states but constitutes a necessary stage in the individual’s developmental process. It promotes deeper self-reflection, integration, and the advancement of the existing personality structure. The fictional character Travis Bickle from the film Taxi Driver is used to highlight parallels with the processes occurring in the psyches of real individuals. Culture, including its fictional representations, functions as a medium through which the subject engages in self-analysis. Individuals project aspects of their own psyche outward in order to subsequently internalize and better understand them. This creative process fosters development and the expansion of prior identity. In this context, the article also examines key dynamics of the theory of positive disintegration, including the less frequently discussed partial death drive, which has a sublimatory character.