Civilization and Its Discontents

Civilization and Its Discontents

[Austria] Sigmund Freud

Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House

2019-09-01

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Summary

At the beginning of the 20th century, the unprecedented First World War broke out between highly developed and civilized countries. Civilized people, with the help of the achievements of industrialization, launched extremely primitive killings. Freud, who witnessed the tragedy of the world, could not help but reflect: Why is there a war...

Highlights

Of course, I would be happy to select wonderful sentences or paragraphs from Freud's Civilization and Its Discontents for you. Due to space limitations, I will try to simplify each selection while maintaining its original profound meaning, unique perspective, beautiful language, wisdom or creativity. " This sentence reveals the tension between civilization and individual freedom, which is one of the core ideas in Freud's theory. 2. "Our civilization is based on forced labor, which is a fundamental negation of human nature." Freud criticized modern civilization's restrictions on individual labor freedom and believed that this is a suppression of human nature. 3. "Love is the answer to the problem of human existence, which is more important than love itself." This sentence emphasizes the importance of love as the meaning of human existence and is a reflection of Freud's profound understanding of love. 4. "Religion is a neurosis of mankind." Freud looked at religion from the perspective of a doctor and compared it to a mental illness. This view was very subversive at the time. 5. "What we call culture is just a veil we use to cover up primitive desires. ” This sentence reveals the primitive desires of human beings hidden under the surface of culture and is a criticism of the hypocrisy of civilization. 6. "The history of mankind is a history of repression." Freud interpreted history from a psychological perspective and believed that the development of history is a process of constantly repressing human nature. 7. "Art is a satisfaction of desires that are repressed in reality." This sentence explains the motivation and function of art creation, that is, as a compensation mechanism for the repression of reality. 8. "The knowledge that science gives us cannot help us find the meaning of life." Freud questioned the limitations of science and believed that science could not solve the ultimate problems of life. 9. "Dreams are a subconscious activity, because people's psychological defense mechanisms suppress people's ego desires." This sentence is the essence of Freud's dream theory, revealing the close connection between dreams and the subconscious. 10. "Our moral concepts are nothing more than the sublimation of our fear and disgust of sex. ” Freud analyzed the origin of moral concepts from a psychological perspective, a view that caused great controversy at the time. 11. "All human behavior, whether good or bad, is based on satisfying one's own needs." This sentence reveals the motivation of human behavior and is Freud's profound insight into human nature. 12. "Life is like a game of chess. We are all chess pieces, and fate is the chess player." Freud used the chess game to illustrate the impermanence of life and the irresistibility of fate, showing his unique insights into the philosophy of life. 13. "Death is the inevitable destination of life, but our fear of death is unnecessary." This sentence expresses Freud's view on death. He believes that people should face death rationally rather than blindly fear it. 14. "Happiness is an elusive feeling that always slips away in our pursuit of it. ” Freud’s description of happiness is full of philosophy and poetry, revealing the elusiveness and fleetingness of happiness. 15. “Human suffering stems from our inability to accept reality and our inability to control the future.” This sentence summarizes the root of human suffering and is Freud’s profound reflection on the suffering of life. 16. “We always waver between love and hate, because both are the power deep in our hearts.” Freud reveals the complex interweaving of love and hate in the human heart, which is a profound understanding of the complexity of human nature. 17. “Human progress comes at the expense of individual happiness.” This sentence is a pessimistic evaluation of the progress of civilization, reflecting Freud’s profound criticism of modern civilization. 18. “True freedom is not to do whatever you want, but to be able to control your own desires.” Freud’s definition of freedom is full of wisdom, pointing out that true freedom lies in self-control rather than indulgence. 19. “Humor is a kind of ridicule and transcendence of the suffering of life. ” Freud believed that humor can help people face the hardships of life in a more relaxed manner and is a positive attitude towards life. 20. “Life is a process of constant pursuit and constant loss.”** This sentence summarizes the ups and downs of life and is Freud’s profound summary of the journey of life.

About the Author

Title: Sigmund Freud: The Founder of Psychoanalysis and the Enlightenment of Civilization and Its Discontents Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), an Austrian psychologist, is known as the founder of psychoanalysis.< His theories and works have had a profound impact on psychology, literature, philosophy, art and other fields.

This article will introduce the life trajectory and works of this great thinker from multiple perspectives.<

Personal Basic Information Freud was born in Freiburg, Moravia, Austria.

His family background was relatively ordinary, but his talent and thirst for knowledge made him one of the most important thinkers of the 20th century.<

Education and Career Background Freud was educated at the University of Vienna, specializing in medicine.

His academic career was mainly spent in Vienna, where he established his own clinic and began his psychoanalytic practice.< His research focused on the deep structure of the human psyche, especially unconscious psychological processes.

Writing Career Freud's writing career spanned several decades, and his works include "The Interpretation of Dreams", "Psychopathology of Everyday Life", "Totem and Taboo", etc.

< His works have had a revolutionary impact on the field of psychology, especially the study of human sexual psychology and unconscious psychology.

Style and themes of works Freud's works are unique in style, and he is good at using clinical cases to illustrate his theories.

< His themes usually involve deep-seated problems in human psychology, such as sexual desire, aggression, and the relationship between the ego and the superego.

In Civilization and Its Discontents, he explores the impact of civilized society on individual psychology and how this impact leads to widespread dissatisfaction and neurosis.<

Personal life Freud's personal life is relatively low-key.

He married his wife Martha Bernays and had six children.< His family life had a certain impact on his work, especially his thinking on family and parent-child relationships.

Social influence Freud's theories have caused widespread controversy and discussion in academia and society.

< His views have been criticized by some as oversimplified and sexist, but many people also believe that he provides a new perspective for understanding the human mind.

His influence goes far beyond the field of psychology and has a profound impact on literature, art, philosophy, etc.<

Quotes and Reviews The New York Times once described Freud as "one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century".

Although the famous psychologist Carl Jung had differences with Freud, he also admitted that Freud's work has made an indelible contribution to psychology.<

Latest News Although Freud has been dead for many years, his theories are still being re-evaluated and interpreted.

The development of modern psychology and neuroscience has provided new evidence for some of Freud's theories, but also raised new challenges.< Freud's "Civilization and Its Discontents" is a profound reflection on modern society, reminding us that although civilization has brought many advances, it can also cause individual dissatisfaction and conflict.

This book is still of great value in understanding human psychology and social behavior.