Civilization and Its Discontents Summary. In the introductory paragraphs, Freud attempts to understand the spiritual phenomenon of a so- called . Churches and religious institutions are adept at channeling this sentiment into particular belief systems, but they do not themselves create it. In general, the ego perceives itself as maintaining . This distinction between inside and outside is a crucial part of the process of psychological development, allowing the ego to recognize a . After summarizing his previous research, Freud returns to the question of . Instead, according to Freud, it is a longing for paternal protection in childhood that continues into adult life as a sustained . The idea of placating a supposedly higher being for future recompense seems utterly infantile and absurd. The reality is, however, that masses of men persist in this illusion for the duration of their lives. According to Freud, men exhibit three main coping mechanisms to counter their experience of suffering in the world: 1) deflection of pain and disappointment (through planned distractions); 2) substitutive satisfactions (mainly through the replacement of reality by art); 3) intoxicating substances. Freud concludes that religion cannot be clearly categorized within this schema. What does man wish for and aim to achieve in life? Religious belief hinges on this central question. ![]() In Civilization and Its Discontents Freud extends and clarifies his analysis of religion; analyzes human unhappiness in contemporary civilization. Civilization and Its Discontents is a book by Sigmund Freud. Life and civilization, then. Civilization and Its Discontents in PDF format. 43 quotes from Civilization and Its Discontents. What a potent obstacle to civilization aggressiveness must be, if the defence against it can cause as much unhappiness as aggressiveness itself! Description : In Civilization and Its Discontents Freud extends and clarifies his analysis of religion; analyzes human unhappiness in contemporary civilization; ratifies the critical importance of the death drive theory; and. Most immediately, men strive to be happy, and their behavior in the outside world is determined by this . We employ various strategies to avoid displeasure: by isolating ourselves voluntarily, becoming a member of the human community (i. Religion dictates a simple path to happiness. It thereby spares the masses of their individual neuroses, but Freud sees few other benefits in religion. After looking specifically at religion, Freud broadens his inquiry into the relationship between civilization and misery. One of his main contentions is that civilization is responsible for our misery: we organize ourselves into civilized society to escape suffering, only to inflict it back upon ourselves. Freud identifies three key historical events that produced this disillusionment with human civilization: 1) the victory of Christendom over pagan religions (and consequently the low value placed on earthly life in Christian doctrine); 2) the discovery and conquest of primitive tribes and peoples, who appeared to Europeans to be living more happily in a state of nature; 3) scientific identification of the mechanism of neuroses, which are caused by the frustrating demands put on the individual by modern society. An antagonism toward civilization developed when people concluded that only a reduction of those demands - . This substitution henceforth restricts the possibilities of individual satisfaction in the collective interests of law and order. Here Freud draws an analogy between the evolution of civilization and the libidinal development of the individual, identifying three parallel stages in which each occurs: 1) character- formation (acquisition of an identity); 2) sublimation (channeling of primal energy into other physical or psychological activities); 3) non- satisfaction/renunciation of instincts (burying of aggressive impulses in the individual; imposition of the rule of law in society). Even if one of the main purposes of civilization is to bind each man's libidinal impulses to those of others, love and civilization eventually come into conflict with one another. Freud identifies several different reasons for this later antagonism. For one, family units tend to isolate themselves and prevent individuals from detaching and maturing on their own. Civilization also saps sexual energy by diverting it into cultural endeavors. It also restricts love object choices and mutilates our erotic lives. Taboos (namely, against incest), laws, and customs impose further restrictions. Freud reasons that civilization's antagonism toward sexuality arises from the necessity to build a communal bond based on relations of friendship. Civilization And Its Discontents Pdf Summary![]() Civilization and Its Discontents may be Sigmund Freud's best-known work. Originally published in 1930, it seeks to answer ultimate questions. What influences led to the creation of civilization? How did it come to be? If the activity of the libido were allowed to run rampant, it would likely destroy the monogamous love- relationship of the couple that society has endorsed as the most stable. Freud next objects to the commandment . It invests great energy in restraining these death instincts, and achieves this goal by installing within the individual a sort of watchdog agency, which Freud calls the super- ego, to master our desire for aggression. For Freud, the entire evolution of civilization can be summed up as a struggle between Eros and the death drive, overseen by the super- ego. With the establishment of the super- ego comes a sense of bad conscience. Because it is internalized, the super- ego omnisciently regulates both our thoughts and deeds, whereas prior to its installation, individuals only had to submit themselves to a higher authority for punishment (such as parents) in the case of fully accomplished acts. There are two sources of guilt: 1) fear of authority and 2) fear of the super- ego. In the latter case, instinct renunciation no longer liberates the individual from the sense of internal guilt that the super- ego continues to perpetuate. By extension, civilization reinforces the sense of guilt to regulate and accommodate the ever- increasing numbers of relationships between men. It becomes a more repressive force that individuals find increasingly difficult to tolerate. Freud considers this increasing sense of guilt to be . It can be felt prior to the execution of the guilty act, whereas . Finally, Freud re- emphasizes the instinct of aggression and self- destruction as the single greatest problem facing civilization, as manifested in .
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