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A review by meggychiaaaa
Eros and Civilization: A Philosophical Inquiry Into Freud by Herbert Marcuse
4.0
Where I thought I had gained clarity in understanding Freud, Marcuse turned me on my head. His scathing criticisms of Freud are applied in a symbolic manner, making it difficult to imagine how we might significantly apply it to an understanding of political theory, or if there is even significance in deliberating repression and freedom in Freudian terms.
Marcuse’s writing on repression and our attempts at rebellion or subverting such repression ultimately seem to come to the same futile end – more domination. He suggests a structure of “domination-rebellion-domination”, in which civilization defeats the first patriarchal figure, only to become burdened with an even greater form of repression, a new and better form of domination. What then should civilization be striving towards, or how should rebellion look like such that surplus-repression can finally be rid of? Additionally, what exactly is the most initial form of domination – does he literally mean the father figure or is there something even greater?
These questions of freedom – if it is even possible, how to achieve it, what it looks like, and what exactly is preventing freedom – is my constant struggle with psychoanalytic political thought. Despite Marcuse's attempts to situate Freud in a socio-political world, I struggle to see the ends to which he alludes to, and the actual beginnings of repression for humankind. Is freedom attainable when any attempts to rid repression, only results in more repression?
While Marcuse's suggestions remain (in my view) difficult to implement, I still regard this as an enriching and an important read to understand psychoanalysis in relation to political theory. Great thought exercise, even if nothing concrete may emerge.
Marcuse’s writing on repression and our attempts at rebellion or subverting such repression ultimately seem to come to the same futile end – more domination. He suggests a structure of “domination-rebellion-domination”, in which civilization defeats the first patriarchal figure, only to become burdened with an even greater form of repression, a new and better form of domination. What then should civilization be striving towards, or how should rebellion look like such that surplus-repression can finally be rid of? Additionally, what exactly is the most initial form of domination – does he literally mean the father figure or is there something even greater?
These questions of freedom – if it is even possible, how to achieve it, what it looks like, and what exactly is preventing freedom – is my constant struggle with psychoanalytic political thought. Despite Marcuse's attempts to situate Freud in a socio-political world, I struggle to see the ends to which he alludes to, and the actual beginnings of repression for humankind. Is freedom attainable when any attempts to rid repression, only results in more repression?
While Marcuse's suggestions remain (in my view) difficult to implement, I still regard this as an enriching and an important read to understand psychoanalysis in relation to political theory. Great thought exercise, even if nothing concrete may emerge.