Reviews

Il disagio della civiltà by Sigmund Freud

ckrupiej's review against another edition

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"É difícil escapar à impressão de que em geral as pessoas usam medidas falsas, de que buscam poder, sucesso e riqueza para si mesmas e admiram aqueles que os têm, subestimando os autênticos valores da vida. E no entanto corremos o risco, num julgamento assim genérico, de esquecer a variedade do mundo humano e de sua vida psíquica."

"A vida, tal como nos coube, é muito difícil para nós, traz demasiadas dores, decepções, tarefas insolúveis. Para suportá-la, não podemos dispensar paliativos."

".. grande número de pessoas empreende conjuntamente a tentativa de assegurar a felicidade e proteger-se do sofrimento através de uma delirante modificação da realidade. Devemos caracterizar como tal delírio de massa também as religiões da humanidade."

"Portanto, em tudo o que se segue me atenho ao ponto de vista de que o pendor à agressão é uma disposição de instinto original e autónoma do ser humano, e retorno ao que afirmei antes, que a civilização tem aí o seu mais poderoso obstáculo."

"..questão decisiva para a espécie humana é saber se, e em que medida, a sua evolução cultural poderá controlar as perturbações trazidas à vida em comum pelos instintos humanos de agressão e autodestruição."

"Atualmente os seres humanos atingiram um tal controle das forças da natureza, que não lhes é difícil recorrerem a elas para se exterminarem até ao último homem. Eles sabem disso; daí, em boa parte, o seu actual desassossego, sua infelicidade, seu medo."

" O fato de ocultar ao jovem o papel que a sexualidade terá na sua vida não é a única recriminação que se deve fazer à educação atual. Ela também peca em não prepará-lo para a agressividade, de que ele certamente será objeto. Ao soltar os jovens na vida com uma orientação psicológica tão incorreta, a educação age como quem envia pessoas para uma expedição polar com roupas de verão e mapas de lagos italianos. Torna-se aí evidente um certo abuso das exigências éticas. A severidade destas não prejudicaria muito, caso a educação dissesse: «Assim deveriam ser os homens, para serem felizes e tornarem os outros felizes; mas é preciso ter em conta que eles não são assim.» Em vez disso, fazem o jovem acreditar que todos os demais cumprem as prescrições éticas, que são virtuosos. Nisso é fundamentada a exigência de que ele também o seja."

emilyreadsxo's review against another edition

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3.0

Whilst I read this for uni this was still a captivating yet daunting read: discussing life and society and the many capacities in which helps us form and structure it everyday life. Freud had many interesting theories, some in which I strongly would disagree against but it was interesting to read a historical book which I believe is still valid for today’s world and events

ghost_gab20's review against another edition

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informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

xatsil's review against another edition

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While I admire the attempt at understanding and unearthing the hidden forces at work in the Victorian psyche--in doing so bringing up topic upon distasteful topic to the eyes of a horrified polite society--, I disagree with pretty much everything Freud says in this book.

hydeandseek's review against another edition

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1.0

Wow

uditnair24's review against another edition

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3.0

One of those thinkers who is hated and appreciated equally. But what is more essential is that he cannot be ignored. The fundamental problem with Freud's concepts is that it can be misunderstood and hence just one reading of the text wont suffice.

josh_paul's review against another edition

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3.0

Some of Freud’s analogies meander on for a long time without really leading anywhere, but it’s still an interesting read.

mosalah314's review against another edition

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5.0

I've tasted but the smallest apetizer of this man's annoyingly ardent pessemisim which he arrives at with infuriatingly careful, thoughtful, and well-reasoned steps. Though I can't quite put my finger on what he's actually thinking, I'd say the final flavour is a bit short of the optimism of the Universe I enjoy--- but at the same time, I see how far-back his reasoning and speculation go, and it's something respectable and valuable in itself.

mg2023's review against another edition

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2.0

This book brushes through several themes that revolve around one question: how will civilisation overcome the discontents aroused by communal life? Freud carefully constructs a simple yet potent argument by asking a series of questions and pondering over their responses. It is almost a conversation.
What do people seek? - Happiness.
How can people be happy? - By satisfying their drives.
What are their drives? - Eros (a complex concept that can be translated as lust or urge to procreate) and aggression (an urge to destroy).
Why can't people satisfy their drives? - Because its bad for survival.
So what must people do? - Suppress their drives.
How can people suppress their drives? - Install an authority.
What does an authority that suppresses basic drives do? - Create aggression and anxiety.
How can this be overcome? - By internalising the aggression.
What does internalising aggression cause? - The creation of a super-ego, i.e. conscience.
Does conscience help? - No. It causes further anxiety and aggression due to the creation of the feeling of guilt.
How can guilt be overcome? - By realising that this whole scheme, society and our conception of human nature is flawed and needs to be recognised and reconciled.

Freud thus treats society as if it's a neurotic patient and tries to uncover what its subconscious ills are. He merely uncovers his own bias. In an attempt to provide an alternative spectrum of reality that can replace religion and culture, Freud falls into the misfortune of dwelling in delusional imagination which he masks as psychoanalysis and science. Reading the book, I felt nothing but pity towards the poor man. Thinking that Freud's influenced so many people in their thinking makes me even sadder because it is clear that such an immature explanation of human nature and such lack of purpose and reason can only cause further anxieties as it has in the materialist, consumerist and self-absorbed societies of today.

situationnormal's review against another edition

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3.0

Freud’s ideas are still applicable to society. His writing is a little difficult to understand unless you completely devote your attention to it and don’t do other things at the same time (which is a big problem for a multi-tasker like me). But, a little bit of the language and a lot of the ideas could use some updating. It’s an interesting starting point, since everyone has drawn from Freud, but if you want to be more fully informed something recent might better serve your purposes.