Note on Civilization and its Discontents
Civilization and its Discontents
This document is an excerpt from “Civilization and its Discontents”, a book by Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, published in 1930.
Main Theme
The main theme of the book is the irremediable conflict between the demands of instinct and the restrictions of civilization, which leads to human suffering and guilt.
Religion
The book also explores the origins and functions of religion, which Freud regards as an illusion based on the infantile need for a father figure and a cosmic order.
Criticism
The book criticizes the oceanic feeling of being one with the universe, which some people claim to be the source of religious sentiments. Freud traces this feeling back to an early phase of ego development, when the ego does not yet distinguish itself from the external world.
Preservation of the Past
The book discusses the preservation of the past in mental life, and argues that nothing that has once been formed can perish in the mind. Freud compares this phenomenon to the history of a city like Rome, where the earlier stages of development are not destroyed but overlaid by the later ones.
Excerpt
- The role of instincts in human life and civilization. The document explores how the primal instincts of Eros (life) and death (destruction) shape the development of individuals and societies, and how they are often in conflict with each other. It also examines how civilization imposes restrictions on the satisfaction of instincts, leading to repression, guilt, and neurosis.
- The sources and limits of human happiness. The document analyzes the various methods that people use to seek happiness and avoid suffering, such as intoxication, art, love, work, religion, and sublimation. It argues that none of these methods can provide lasting or complete happiness, and that happiness is always relative and dependent on external factors.
- The challenges and prospects of civilization. The document discusses the difficulties and dangers that civilization faces, such as the hostility of nature, the aggression of human beings, and the fragility of cultural values. It also suggests some possible ways of improving civilization, such as reducing inequality, fostering tolerance, and promoting education.