A Critical Analysis Of Freud's Theory Of Civilization

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I agree with the Freud concept of civilization that builds-up critical information of acquiring wealth and useful resources from nature. Throughout chapter 1, Freud criticizes how civilization influences the rules that control the actions of people. The actions may include harming others but distributing wealth among them. At a point, Freud described that the knowledge to gain satisfaction and the rules of gaining wealth depend on each other. Importantly, the way people relate to each other is determined by how satisfied they are instinctually. Notably, everyone has his or her values influenced or determined by their needs. Apparently, science and our ability to regulate civilization through technology and through our cultural forms don’t seem …show more content…

Notably, Freud equates religion and civilization since most of the people don’t follow the customs from their religion nowadays, but rather involve other ways to deal with their issues. As Freud points out, civilization and religion are similar. During his time, people looked up or followed the rules of civilization while solving their issues (Freud, 13-14). Apparently, most of the religions believe that God is the key subject of fate while humans are helpless and needy subjects that rely on God to change their fate. Nonetheless, civilization provides us with religious ideas that protect from nature and …show more content…

In my perspective, I agree with his accusations as he explains how we usually feel the need to be protected in our childhood. At first, there is the need to feel the protection from the mother and later from the father (Freud, 42-45). However, the feelings of helplessness last until adulthood that turns out to be replaced by our civilization. In this case, God protects us from unscrupulous life conditions such as death and old age. Interestingly, God also gives answers to tough riddles in life. According to Freud, religious ideas are illusions whose function is to fulfill desires and help us escape the feeling of helplessness. Freud provides us with solid evidence that science excludes emotions and perceptions of feeling helpless through the practical analysis which is free from illusions. Additionally, Freud points out that religion cannot be disproved or ignored, but when in a state of ignorance, one cannot make a clear and informed

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