R. D. Laing

Born: 7 October 1927 • Died: 23 August 1989

Ronald David Laing (7 October 1927 – 23 August 1989), usually cited as R. D. Laing, was a Scottish psychiatrist who wrote extensively on mental illness. In The Divided Self (1960), Laing contrasts the experience of the "ontologically secure" person with that of a person who "cannot take the realness, aliveness, autonomy and identity of himself and others for granted" and who consequently contrives strategies to avoid "losing his self". In Self and Others (1961), Laing's definition of normality shifted somewhat. Laing also wrote poetry, and his poetry publications include Knots (1970, published by Penguin) and Sonnets (1979, published by Michael Joseph). (Source)

Poems by R. D. Laing

from Knots by R. D. Laing

October 10, 2025

“I am not entitled to what I have / therefore / everything I have is stolen / because I’m not entitled to it” — R. D. Laing