Final answer:
According to Freud's psychodynamic theory, we cannot consciously think of things in the unconscious because they are repressed to protect us from psychological conflict. These unconscious elements are a vast reserve of repressed desires and memories influencing our conscious mind without our awareness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea of why we cannot consciously think of things found in the unconscious according to Freud is rooted deeply in his psychodynamic theory. In this theory, the unconscious level includes repressed memories and desires that are not directly accessible to the conscious mind because they are kept out of consciousness through a process known as repression. Unacceptable urges and desires that could be at odds with societal norms or personal morals are stored in the unconscious in order to protect the individual from psychological conflict and distress.
According to Freud, our daily conscious experience is just the tip of the iceberg, and most of our mind is made up of these unconscious elements. This vast unconscious plays a role in influencing conscious thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, often in ways that we are not aware of. This lack of awareness and access is primarily due to the defense mechanisms that protect an individual by keeping these potentially troubling memories and desires out of conscious thought.
Psychoanalytic therapy, therefore, aimed to bring these unconscious thoughts to the surface through techniques like dream analysis and free association, thereby allowing the individual to deal with them in a conscious and healthier way.