We begin by positioning anxiety not just as a feeling or a symptom, but as a phenomenon intricately woven into the "net of signifiers" that structure our reality. It's presented as a signal of the real, fundamentally tied to our relationship with the Other. This isn't a simple mapping of affects, but an attempt to develop a true "orography" of anxiety, identifying the privileged points where it emerges. The relationship between inhibition, symptom, and anxiety is re-examined, revealing them as a staggered, heteroclite series rather than terms on the same level.A core concept explored is the radical idea that man's desire is the desire of the Other. We unpack this, showing how it differs significantly from previous philosophical understandings, moving beyond the imaginary identification to confront the real. This uncertainty regarding the desire of the Other is a crucial source point.

Central to this entire discussion is the concept of the object a. This is not a typical object of desire, but a unique, often elusive, element described as an irreducible remainder or a "spare part." The object a is posited as the cause of desire, the element that prompts the subject's engagement with the symbolic world. Crucially, it is identified as the object without which there would be no anxiety. We touch upon its diverse forms, including the oral (breast), the anal (excrement), the scopic (gaze/eye), the invocatory (voice), and the phallic (understood as an evanescent function), emphasizing that these are not merely developmental stages but distinct positions of this essential object.

Examples from clinical experience, like the significance of excrement in obsessional neurosis or the function of the voice (evoked through objects like the shofar), illustrate the tangible reality of the object a.We draw a crucial distinction between the symptom and acting-out. Unlike the symptom, which is characterized as a form of jouissance (often involving displeasure) that is self-sufficient and does not necessarily address the Other, acting-out is framed as a direct intervention towards the Other, a form of "wild transference." It's a dramatic move, a stepping out from the symbolic "stage" into the real, distinct from the even more radical "passage à l'acte." Understanding this difference is vital for analysts navigating the dynamics of transference in practice. Clinical vignettes and literary references illuminate these distinctions, showing how acting-out attempts to present something that remains untouched by standard interpretation.The exploration also turns to the position of the analyst. This isn't a "psycho-logy," but an "erotology," a disquisition on the praxis of desire. The challenge of teaching and applying these complex ideas requires a specific "key" – an orientation guided by experience and a critical approach. The analyst's own response to the patient, often discussed under the challenging concept of countertransference, is shown to be fundamentally intertwined with the analyst's desire – an element that can either obstruct or facilitate the work. Effectively handling transference, particularly "wild transference" like acting-out, requires confronting this difficult terrain.

By providing a precise framework for understanding anxiety, the desire of the Other, and the crucial role of the object a, this episode offers a powerful lens for interpreting subjective experience and the complexities of clinical work. It moves beyond simplistic models to grasp what truly structures our reality and drives our deepest, often paradoxical, desires. Tune in to gain a profound understanding of these essential psychoanalytic concepts.