Cultural Application: Civilization and Its Discontents
Freud applied his new theoretical construct in Civilization and Its Discontents (1930) to the difficulties inherent in Western civilization - indeed, in civilization and in social life as a whole. In particular, given that "a portion of the instinct is diverted towards the external world and comes to light as an instinct of aggressiveness', he saw 'the inclination to aggression... the greatest impediment to civilization". The need to overcome such aggression entailed the formation of the superego: "We have even been guilty of the heresy of attributing the origin of conscience to this diversion inwards of aggressiveness". The presence thereafter in the individual of the superego and a related sense of guilt - "Civilization, therefore, obtains mastery over the individual's dangerous desire for aggression by...setting up an agency within him to watch over it" - leaves an abiding sense of uneasiness inherent in civilized life, thereby providing a structural explanation for 'the suffering of civilized man'.
Freud made a further connection between group life and innate aggression, where the former comes together more closely by directing aggression to other groups, an idea later picked up by group analysts like Wilfred Bion.
Read more about this topic: Death Drive
Famous quotes containing the word cultural:
“If in the earlier part of the century, middle-class children suffered from overattentive mothers, from being “mother’s only accomplishment,” today’s children may suffer from an underestimation of their needs. Our idea of what a child needs in each case reflects what parents need. The child’s needs are thus a cultural football in an economic and marital game.”
—Arlie Hochschild (20th century)