Freud was Wrong: A Dream is not Always Wish Fullfillment

In Sigmund Freud's book on dreams he says that "the dream is wish fullfillment." He also says something about how a dream can be reverse wish fullfillment, but that made no sense to me when I read his book. Actually, I have read it twice. Last night I had a dream that definitely was not a case of wish fullfillment. I dreamed that I was working for the company I worked for from 1966-1996. My company transferred me to another location. Actually I was going to be working for a small oil company in the town I grew up in. This small company has never been owned by the company I used to work for, but my dreams are full of such inconsistencies.

I dreaded having to go to work for that little oil company. After talking to the people who ran it, I really hated having to go to work there. Why did I have this crazy little dream? None of the people who worked there were my friends and I have no desire to ever seen any of them again, and I have no desire to ever move back to my old hometown. Another strange thing about that dream was that the owners, a man and his wife, magically morphed into another couple who used to live in the small town where I grew up. In my dreams this happens all the time.

I am supposed to move to another campus of the college where I work in a few months, but I am looking forward to that move. Is that why I had this weird dream last night? I wish I knew!!