Is
signifier so mighty as to determinate the subject's destiny? In a
certain way, psychoanalysts think so. However, the affair is not so
simple. Between de unconscious determinism and the subjet, there is
the dark and still undeniable mechanism of the subjectiv choice. In
the end, what is destiny for psychoanalysis? The following story may
help us to revisit this problem. Good Luck Mr. Gorsky True story:
When Apollo mission astronaut Neil Armstrong first walked on the
moon, he not only gave his famous “ one step for man, one
giant leap for mankind ” statement but followed it by several
remarks, usual com traffic between him, the other astronauts and
mission control. Just before he re-entered the lander, however, he
made the enigmatic remark “ Good luck Mr. Gorsky ”.
Many people at NASA thought it was a casual remark concerning some
rival soviet cosmonaut. However, upon checking, there was no Gorsky
in either the russian or american space programs. Over the years many
people questioned Armstrong as to what the “ good luck Mr.
Gorsky ” statement meant but Armstrong always just smiled. On
july 5, 1995 (in Tampa Bay Fl.) while answering questions following a
speech, a reporter brought up the 26 year old question to Armstrong.
This time he finally responded. Mr. Gorsky had finally died and so
Neil Armstrong felt he could answer the question. When he was a kid,
he was playing baseball with a friend in the backyard. His friend hit
a fly ball which landed in the front of his neighbor's bedroom
windows. His neighbors were Mr. and Mrs. Gorsky. As he leaned down to
pick up the ball, young Armstrong heard Mrs. Gorsky shouting at Mr.
Gorsky, “Oral sex! You want oral sex?! You'll get oral sex when the
kid next door walks on the moon!”. True story!
Text by Gustavo Dessal
