Scan barcode
mrbear's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the beginning of this book, but when he got into a longwinded discussion of guilt at the end he lost both my interest and my support. He started making a lot more hypothetical assertions because he was discussing such an illogical/unstructured subject. Overall the book was interesting but confusing, and I'm not sure he really proved or showed much that I couldn't already infer from day to day life.
j3r3's review against another edition
2.0
Some Interesting bits
I can see where the ideas come from as they appear to continue to be true today. This, i think disproves the theory in itself as promiscuity has greatly increased but the issues discussed still exist if not more so and are more prevalent in those who are more promiscuous.
I can see where the ideas come from as they appear to continue to be true today. This, i think disproves the theory in itself as promiscuity has greatly increased but the issues discussed still exist if not more so and are more prevalent in those who are more promiscuous.
aspiringorakle's review against another edition
dark
reflective
fast-paced
1.0
although he has interesting things to say about the structure of happiness in general, he is ultimately an idiot
katj3x's review against another edition
3.0
I find it hard to rate and review this book because I have very little knowledge of psychology, let alone Freudian psychoanalysis. That being said, besides some concepts that Freud assumes the reader is familiar with (such as his id/ego/superego division of the mind), the book is easy to understand even for a layman like me. My main critique is that Freud seems to postulate some ideas and not care to provide evidence for them; this is particularly troubling with stranger concepts such as his claim that a child defines himself as separate from the world when he's denied something. Other than that, his theories about the formation and workings of civilization are interesting and provide some good food for thought.
berkough's review against another edition
4.0
Deceptively short, incredibly dense... I revisited this book/essay after listening to Brendan O'Neill talk with Daniel McCarthy, the editor of "Modern Age." They were discussing how modern academia has given rise to a new brand of secular guilt that is being subtlety pushed by the liberal intellectual class, which has resulted in the pushback and popularity of Donald Trump and the various aspects of our culture that Trump represents. Interestingly enough, Freud wrote this essay in the years leading up to the Nazis taking power in Germany, and there are definite parallels to what Freud was observing and discussing here and western civilization today, not just the United States and Trump, but the UK with Brexit as well.
The first half of the essay concerns itself with the individual as he relats to his environment and society, whereas the second half of the essay is predominantly concerned with expanding on Freud's own brand of psychoanalysis and how we can be understand ourselves within the context of the society we find ourselves in.
Clearly this is an academic text, so it's hard for me to review and recommend... I think it's interesting how the prevailing theme of guilt is used by Freud to describe how the individual interacts with society and also how conservative intellectuals are defining the way in which intersectionality is being thrust onto the public's consciousness by the liberal intellectual elite.
The first half of the essay concerns itself with the individual as he relats to his environment and society, whereas the second half of the essay is predominantly concerned with expanding on Freud's own brand of psychoanalysis and how we can be understand ourselves within the context of the society we find ourselves in.
Clearly this is an academic text, so it's hard for me to review and recommend... I think it's interesting how the prevailing theme of guilt is used by Freud to describe how the individual interacts with society and also how conservative intellectuals are defining the way in which intersectionality is being thrust onto the public's consciousness by the liberal intellectual elite.