And it allows us to forge close bonds with other humans that extend from the family, to the tribe, to the nation-state.Īccording to Freud, the reason why civilization fills us with discontent is because it restricts our individual freedom. After all, civilized society provides us with many of the things we value, including beauty, order, and cleanliness. In what follows, I summarize the most important points I took from the book.Īs the title of the book suggests, Freud addresses the question of why civilization seems to make us so unhappy. Yet, at least in Civilization and Its Discontents, Freud develops what might best be described as a social contract theory with a psychoanalytic twist. Considered to be the father of psychoanalysis, much of the popular discussion of Freud focuses on his ideas about the individual. What also struck me was the way that this particular book speaks to some of the foundational themes of philosophy and political theory. The “ego/id/superego,” the “narcissism of small differences,” are all familiar, even to someone (like me) only vaguely acquainted with Freud’s work. This has partly to do with Freud’s lucid prose, and partly to do with the fact that so many of his concepts have seeped into popular culture. What struck me most about this book is its accessibility.
And so this week seemed like an opportune time to finally read Civilization and Its Discontents. Being on strike for the USS pensions dispute, I haven’t had much motivation to do research-related reading. For years now, at least since watching Adam Curtis’s documentary Century of the Self over a decade ago, I have been meaning to delve into the work of Sigmund Freud. Reading outside of one’s field can be bad for the academic career, but great for the soul.
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