I think there is something not right about [psychotherapy]. It doesn’t do any good to anyone. I have a metaphor: If you illuminate your house with strong lights to the very last corner, the house becomes uninhabitable. And it’s the same thing if you try to illuminate a human being to the last crevices of his or her soul — these human beings become uninhabitable. I do not want to deal with it. It’s a little bit like — of the same magnitude as — the Spanish Inquisition. The Inquisition didn’t do much good, and it was a similar quest. It was a quest to search and to illuminate the last little corner and crevice of your faith — scrutinizing all the depth of your faith, whether you were within the doctrine of faith or not. It didn’t do much good. So I think psychoanalysis is a mistake of the same magnitude.
Werner Herzog, “Mad Bavarian Duke: Werner Herzog” STOPSMILING Issue 25
One very basic think that you learn as a psychologist is a respect for science, and always testing out what you think is a conclusion. You never come to a conclusion until you have full evidence for it. When you’re making a documentary, it’s important you don’t come to a judgment on people, but you go through an open-minded discovery process. People always say, “Are you objective? Are you subjective?” Those two extremes come together with empathy and love. It’s not cold scientific reporting, but there’s an objectivity there. At the same time you’re dealing with human emotions that require that the camera person have heart-to-heart contact. I believe that’s possible.
Albert Maysles, “Shooting From the Heart: Albert Maysles” STOPSMILING Issue 25