A brilliant illustration of the theory of emotional deafness, blindness, and "muteness."
The essence of the theory is roughly as follows. Environmental influences cause a person to experience a certain tension, which we can recognize as a physical sensation. Initially, this sensation has no meaning. The person then assigns meaning to it. Depending on the meaning they attribute to their physical sensations, an emotion is identified, which is then expressed accordingly.
Everything would be fine if, from childhood, a person had the experience of assigning meaning and adequately expressing emotions (which is a sign of maturity and mental health).
If such experience is lacking, any physical sensation (tension) is perceived by the person in their own, often inadequate way. For example, as in this film, any tension that could have become an emotion (tenderness, sadness, resentment, anger, fear) is identified as sexual arousal and discharged in accordance with that meaning. Such discharge usually does not bring satisfaction because the wrong emotion was expressed (for example, what grimace did the film’s protagonist make during the threesome?).
Of course, one can only speculate about the life paths that led the main character to such a detachment from their own emotionality. But one thing is certain—it stems from a lack of interested support from adults during childhood.
Therapy for such clients is long and complex.
And the therapist in such therapy will experience all the feelings that we, as viewers, felt toward this character.
