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mikuthemuso's review against another edition
4.0
I preferred Civilization and Its Discontents. This book is good as well, but I find where Freud gets things wrong is his faith in reason. That humans somehow will get things right if they follow reason and science, whereas religion is somehow immature and delusional. I think he needs to psychoanalyse his own views on how the belief in reason and science as somehow leading to a potential cultural utopia of progress and rationality is equally dubious as his criticisms lodged against a so called religious father complex, in which a divine personal deity named God uses his divine intellect in order to help humans head to the utopia of a spiritual heaven. Both psychologies of either religion or reason, require projecting one’s own internal idea of divine reason or of natural reason onto the external world. The psychoanalysis of religion is to project one’s own desire for a loving father figure and a divine intellect onto an external personal deity, whilst the psychoanalysis of reason is to project one’s own sense of order and rationality to the physical universe and other humans as something predictable with laws. Its interesting how he thinks religious believers must “grow up”. Its indeed religious people who take responsibility, and use their theistic beliefs as a way to make a difference in society, ie: culture. I’m not sure what he tries to imply with his idea that religion is childish, immature desire for a father figure. It seems natural for people to have father figures? And to have good relationships with one’s parents. And to project that desire to the spiritual world would appear to be healthy for a person’s development with the divine masculine. I think Jung’s ideas on religion make much more sense than Freud’s in this regard. Nevertheless, Freud makes a convincing argument, and I am absolutely sure in many cases, Freud was most likely right about the immaturity of religious people and the father complex, but in other cases, I think religion offers more than it destroys. Freud seems to have a one glove fits all solution, which is to debunk religion in its entirety, and offer the solution of a rational world. Obviously, he has too much faith in reason despite evidence pointing to the contrary: Marxism, Social Darwinism, the Holocaust, The Gulags, The Cultural Revolution, etc. I still recommend to the curious. However, Civilization book much better than Illusion book.
patricioac123's review against another edition
5.0
Freud is incisive and sober in this surprisingly readable book. There's very little talk of penises and fathers, and much epic pwnage that is meted out eloquently in every page. A humble work by a brilliant mind, I look forward to reading more of his works.
intoxicatedcake's review against another edition
4.0
Freud is looking into the "why" behind people's behaviours. As they interact with themselves, with others, and with the divine, he follows the impulses and needs that brought about civilization, and how it keeps together. Good topics, good writing.
zach_brumaire's review against another edition
2.0
At times interesting, but not the best articulation of Freud's methodology, leaving much to be interested from the reader--which works alright for the psychoanalytic elements of the book, but deeply suffers in it's historiography and sociology.
Note: An interesting example of how close Freud (unwittingly) comes to embracing certain Marxian frameworks.
Note: An interesting example of how close Freud (unwittingly) comes to embracing certain Marxian frameworks.
brittishliterature's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
mon_reads's review against another edition
5.0
A thrilling and insightful read if you enjoy this genre!
joao_o_ovo's review against another edition
3.0
Même si je ne suis pas d'accord avec lui sur tout dans ce livre, je trouve son analyse de la religion intéressante. Évidemment, il faudra sans doute que je relise plus tard dans ma vie pour bien comprendre tout ce qu'il dit...