Freud Civilization And Discontents Essay

Freud has been regarded as one of the most influential neurologist of all time with his works Neurology and psychology, with “Civilization and Its Discontents” being recognized among his famous and brilliant writings. It stressed more on a bewildering theory that argued on civilization as a major source of happiness within majority of the civilized people. He suggested that through inhibiting natural instincts, civilization pushes individuals into a condition of perpetual guilt hence triggering unhappiness. Utilizing themes in his previous works in regard to psychoanalysis, he observes the basis guilt as well as mechanism through which it reins the human instinct. This paper focuses on exploring intellectual thoughts of Freud on sexuality
These individuals are considered to experience a general, intense and indecisive non-sexual love as their fellow humans thus making friendship impossible as stated by Freud that “Women represent the interests of the family and of sexual life. The work of civilization has become increasingly the business of men, it confronts them with ever more difficult tasks and compels them to carry out instinctual sublimations of which women are little capable.” (Strachey et al., 315).
In this case women have remained compassionate to their primitive drivers since they are not able to control them hence focusing on resenting civilization making men feel less attracted to families and sex and becoming more concerned with politics, philosophy, religion, as well as ethics. This was more attributed through acknowledging the intelligence portrayed by women such as Anna his daughter and other women psychoanalysts whom he had
Society disapproves of homosexuality, perversions, sex outside of marriage, and polygamy and in doing this, society cuts off a fair number of people from sexual enjoyment, and so becomes the source of serious injustice." (Strachey et al., 316). This has as well been emphasized in modern civilization since many of young generation have been observed to lack morals in regard to the subject of sexuality making them grow to become irresponsible adults. Freud suggests that the reason behind society putting many restrictions in regard to sexuality is that it has taken sexual vitality and converted it to a broad affection for all beings thus helping in countering the destructive drives though he noted these measures have yielded little success. In civilized society its crucial to prevent internal efforts hence though relating his experience with patients he states that “And now, I think, the meaning of the evolution of civilization is no longer obscure to us. It must present the struggle between Eros and Death, between the instincts of life and the instincts of destruction, as it works itself