Sigmund Freud’s Civilization and Its Discontents made some very interesting and confrontational points about the construct built around the restriction of human nature. Although I don’t agree with Freud’s sexist view on women, He has intrigued me with his ideas on human nature, love, and the natural aggression of mankind. These three ideas all tie in to the concept of needing a government. The purpose of having a government system is to appoint authority, to create laws that “protect” us from each other, and to regulate our economy (creates social classes). Why does the idea of government repress human nature?
In Freud’s ideology, love is the driving force of all relationships. Whether it’s in the family or “aim-inhibited” outside of the family it is the very driving force of the formation of organizations, institutions, and civilization. This love is a part of human nature. We utilize it to make connections and to satisfy sexual desires. However, Christianity is weaved through the very base of our constitution and foundation of America. Christianity rebukes relations outside a man and a woman, therefore, hindering mankind to explore sexual endeavors outside of heterosexuality. For instance, before 2015, same sex marriage was illegal in various states.This very law exemplifies the repression that government imploys on mankind. As Freud stated, “ A love that does not discriminate sees to me to forfeit a part of its own value, by doing an injustice to its object”( Freud pg. 8). Therefore suppressing natural desires by man.
Mankind possesses the natural ability to have aggression. One could say that it’s the primitive instinct to survive amongst others. Stated by Freud, “ Man as a savage beast to whom consideration towards his own kind is something alien” (Freud pg. 13). This is true because man has given us multiple examples that show that we have little empathy towards our own kind. For instance, the idea of total war, mass genocides, slavery, murder rates, and the amount of violence we are conditioned to see on social media (filming killing of death). This is why as a civilization we have to implace laws to protect us from ourselves. It’s to suppress the natural urge amongst human kind to show constant aggression to each other. In addition, This aggression also stems from the jealousy individuals in society have due to our civilization having an economic grasp on individuals. This economic influence on individuals starts to categorize individuals into classes. Leaving some with luxuries and others deprived. This leads to war, colonization, and revolution; natural aggression. Which led to laws and treaties that protect “private property”.
