Papers on "Sigmund Freud's Civilization and its Discontents" and similar term paper topics
Paper #106758 ::
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A review of Sigmund Freud's book - "Civilization and its Discontents".
Written in 2008; 1,877 words; 1 source; MLA;
$ 60.95
Paper Summary:
This paper discusses the work of Sigmund Freud, one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century. In particular, the paper provides an overview of his famous book, "Civilization and its Discontents" in which Freud makes a pertinent and crucial analysis of the development of civilization and its relationship with the individual.
From the Paper:
"Freud's argument thus begins with a review of the man's essential purpose in life: every human being pursues what the author had called in his earlier work 'the pleasure principle'. That is to say, every individual strives for his or her personal happiness in life: "What decides the purpose of life is simply the program of the pleasure principle. This principle dominates the operation of the mental apparatus from the start."(Freud, 23) The pleasure principle is as an essential structural aspect of human existence. Nevertheless, the tragedy of human life is precisely the fact that man's happiness does not seem to be a part of the plan of Creation. In fact, it is obvious that full happiness as such cannot be attained; therefore man has to content himself with either merely avoiding unhappiness or with focusing on gaining pleasure in every possible way. Freud then proceeds to enumerate the variegated ways in which the individual strives to divert sufferance. Depending on his typology, the individual will seek alleviation in very different ways. The weaker person will seek seclusion from the world by fending off any relationships she or he might have with other human beings: "Against the suffering which may come upon one from human relationships the readiest safeguard is voluntary isolation, keeping oneself aloof from other people."(Freud, 24) The narcissist will take refuge in the creation of another world, therefore by interesting himself in higher intellectual pleasure such as fantasy and art. Still other individuals will completely reject reality and close themselves in their inner selves, becoming madmen. Another way in which the crude reality is kept at a distance is religion. According to Freud, the latter is probably the most absurd and the least effective way of numbing the sufferance produced by reality. Throughout the book, Freud makes a strong critique of religion as one of the first ideas that has forced civilization on and put a great number of restrictions on the individual."
Tags:
psychoanalysis individual happiness
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