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(as of Nov 21, 2024 22:22:32 UTC – Details)
Civilization and Its Discontents was written in the decade leading up to Freud’s death and originally published in German in 1929. In it, he expresses his thoughts on the larger topic of man’s place in the world, which Freud characterises as a constant struggle between the individual’s need for freedom and society’s demand for conformity.
The basic concept of Freud’s work is that what works for civilization does not always work for man. Man is aggressive and selfish by nature, and he seeks self-satisfaction. However, his innate desires are stifled by civilisation. As a result, there is a pervasive and familiar sense of guilt.
ASIN : B0BH956HLT
Publisher : Grapevine India (September 30, 2022)
Publication date : September 30, 2022
Language : English
File size : 1956 KB
Text-to-Speech : Enabled
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Not Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 114 pages
Customers say
Customers find the book thought-provoking, life-changing, and interesting. They say the worldview presented is powerful and important. Opinions are mixed on readability, with some finding it good and great for independent reading, while others say it’s hard to read and derail their focus.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
A Reader –
Can’t get around this book.
This is arguably Freud’s best work, in the sense that it covers issues that are absolutely timeless in the most straightforward manner possible. Not inflected with Freud’s theories on trauma, gender, or hysteria, this book is a pure distillation of the un-get-around-able question: How do we balance our our visceral desires with out need to get along? How do the sacrifices we make in order to live in society affect our primal selves? And are they worth it?Written in the wake of a devastating war, this book contains a streak of intelligent, wary pessimism that’s hard to counter.In the lineage of lasting works that address the question of balancing desires with responsibilities, urges with laws, this book comes after Euripides’ “The Bacchae” and Nietzsche’s “The Birth of Tragedy” for me. It’s a compelling read and re-read.
Yehezkel Dror –
CRUCIAL TEXT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Leaving aside the second short text included in this volume and the introduction and rereading âCivilization and Its Discontentsâ after more than 20 years, I am more impressed than ever. The details of psychological depth processes are secondary to Freudâs deep understanding of THE fundamental problems of modern civilization — which are increasingly of fatal potential. As put by Freud âMuch of mankindâs struggle is taken up with the task of finding a suitable, that is to say a happy accommodation, between the claims of the individual and the mass claims of civilization. One of the problems affecting the fate of mankind is whether such an accommodation can be achieved through a particular moulding of civilization or whether the conflict is irreconcilable (p. 42). Freud continues and states frankly âI can no longer understand how we could have ignored the ubiquity of non-erotic aggression and destruction and failed to accord it its due place in the interpretation of life. (p 72); and âI take the view that the tendency to aggression is an original, autonomous disposition in man, and I return to my earlier contention that it represents the greatest obstacle to civilizationâ¦to gather together individuals, then families and finally tribes, peoples and nations in one great unit â humanity⦠These multitudes of human beings are to be libidinally bound to one another; necessity alone, the advantages of shared work, will not hold them together. However, this programme of civilization is opposed by manâs natural aggressive drive, the hostility of each against all and all against each. This aggressive drive is the descendant and principal representative of the death drive, which we have found beside Eros and which rules the world jointly with him. And now, I think, the meaning of the development of civilization is no longer obscure to us. This development must show us the struggle between Eros and death, between the life drive and the drive for destruction, as it is played out in the human race. This struggle is the essential content of all life; hence, the development of civilization may be described simply as humanityâs struggle for existence (p. 75). towards the end comes the most crucial insight of all: âHuman beings have made such strides in controlling the forces of nature that, with the help of these forces, they will have no difficulty in exterminating one another, down to the last man. They know this, and it is this knowledge that accounts for much of their present disquiet, unhappiness and anxietyâ (p. 106). Given nuclear weapons, climate change, gene editing and emerging nano technologies, Freudâs mind foresaw the fateful choices increasingly faces the human species and the inherent difficulties and perhaps impossibilities to cope with them. This is what makes âCivilization and Discontentâ into a crucial text for the 21st century.Professor Yehezkel Dror
Thalia Johnson –
Civilization and its Discontents
I had to read this for a philosophy lecture and found it interesting. Not a great fan of Freud after reading this and Interpretation of Dreams but this is an important essay. Take your time and think about it. Remember that he wrote it after WWI and the collapse of his world and just as the Nazis were coming to power. A few years later, his country, Austria, was taken over and he had to leave his homeland. A few years later, his homeland-Austria, as absorbed into Germany and he became a refugee. This essay is a meditation and foreshadowing of what happens when civilization begins to dissolve.
jsantana2418 –
The trade-off of individuals happiness for society
“Men have brought their powers of subduing the forces of nature to such a pitch that by using them they could now very easily exterminate one another to the last man. They know this â hence arises a great part of their current unrest, their dejection, their mood of apprehension. And now it may be expected that the other of the two heavenly forces, eternal Eros, will put forth his strength so as to maintain himself alongside of his equally immortal adversary.” Sigmund FreudCivilization the super-ego stamps down the individual instinctual desires (id). Sigmund pretty much describes Western societies sense of guilt to sacrifice some of us libido energy: aggression, sex for the communal good and in many ways is good compared the violent polygamous past of our ancestors. However, in our modern times with the example of the rise of sexless young men playing out their aggression or resigning from life and little contributions to societies. As much as we tout that we’re more than our animalistic parts it doesn’t change the fact our instinctual drive is rooted in our nature and if it’s not not channeled and fulfilled in the right places: work (art, creating something of value in reality) and love (sex, intimacy, procreation) that energy will find its way out and hopefully not in a destructive manner if we don’t address malaise that’s taking place in societies these days.
S Cox –
Interesting
Interesting. I read this for a philosophy class I took a few months ago. It’s a bit difficult to read on one’s own, but it’s wildly interesting. However, also wildly inaccurate and at times offensive. Just rudely offensive. However, I would say give it a shot if you’re got some extra time and feel like going on a wild ride of finding out what psychologists used to think 80 years ago.
Oliver Win –
Out of 100 or so books I’ve read so far, this one does not compare.Brings you through reality like a ride you cannot but accept it has passed, a view you cannot but crave to re-feel, a high you cannot but wish it were your first time again. Not the easiest digestion but undoubtedly the most satiating; most rewarding; most enlightening; most freeing. I promise!ActivityåCreateFacebook
Jarious Rickian –
Interesting stuff.
Harleen Kaur –
How the hell can they spell Freud as Frued on the cover .ð¡
Jacobo moure Portas –
Great Knowledge to apply… on how to improve your biology.
nima –
The contradiction between culture and nature