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Paji eh Wong
Joined: 03 Jun 2003
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 Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 4:24 am Post subject: The Century of the Self |
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Sigmund Freud
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Adam Curtis' acclaimed series examines the rise of the all-consuming self against the backdrop of the Freud dynasty.
To many in both politics and business, the triumph of the self is the ultimate expression of democracy, where power has finally moved to the people. Certainly the people may feel they are in charge, but are they really? The Century of the Self tells the untold and sometimes controversial story of the growth of the mass-consumer society in Britain and the United States. How was the all-consuming self created, by whom, and in whose interests?
The Freud dynasty is at the heart of this compelling social history. Sigmund Freud, founder of psychoanalysis; Edward Bernays, who invented public relations; Anna Freud, Sigmund's devoted daughter; and present-day PR guru and Sigmund's great grandson, Matthew Freud.
Sigmund Freud's work into the bubbling and murky world of the subconscious changed the world. By introducing a technique to probe the unconscious mind, Freud provided useful tools for understanding the secret desires of the masses. Unwittingly, his work served as the precursor to a world full of political spin doctors, marketing moguls, and society's belief that the pursuit of satisfaction and happiness is man's ultimate goal. |
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/features/century_of_the_self.shtml
Wondering why politicians all sound the same? Wondering why the left wing has lost its way? Find out why. 'The Century of the Self' is brilliant. Its also availible on bit torrent. Get it while its hot. |
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Satori
Joined: 09 Dec 2005
Location: Above it all
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| Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 12:29 pm Post subject: |
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Well I wouldnt argue that the pursuit of satisfaction and happiness is a good goal, and perhaps the only goal humans have in the broadest analysis. I certainly dont think most people are going about it in the right way though, and consequently, most people are not truly happy.
Freud was a cocaine addict and a deeply deeply sick and perverse man. That's why he wanted to talk about psychosis all the time. More up to date psychology would call this projection.
I agree that marketing and advertising are inherently evil and manipulative. One has to be very vigilant, and in fact study psychology and the mind quite deeply in order to spot and defend against the multitude of very powerful and pernicious way we are manipulated in public life. I think maketers are the scum of the earth. Thier job is to tell people lies, play on thier secret fears, insecurities and aspirations, stuff they dont even realise they have, and to con them into buying monsterous amounts of s h i t they dont need and will not make them happy, sucessful, clever, likable, or sexy.
One must defent ones self vigourously against marketing and all kinds of psychomanipulation. The problem is, they have teams of extremely talented and dedicated experts studying the science of manipulation in all these marketing departments. Its very hard to stay one step ahead of them. We dont really even KNOW what techniques they are using. But subliminal messages and images and neurolinguistic programming is definitely already being used in advertising.
I dont know how you plan to appoach this, but my children are NOT WATCHING ANY TV until they are 18 and have undergone a thorough study of the manipulative arts of marketing. |
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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
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| Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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| Freud was a cocaine addict and a deeply deeply sick and perverse man. |
What exactly do you mean by "deeply sick and perverse"? Would you care to elaborate on Freud's sickness and perversion?
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| That's why he wanted to talk about psychosis all the time. |
Well, the fact that he was a trained psychiatrist probably also had something to do with his interest in psychosis.
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More up to date psychology would call this projection.
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Actually, I think Freud himself would have called such behavior projection, because projection was one of his key concepts. |
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rapier
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 3:06 am Post subject: |
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| Satori wrote: |
I dont know how you plan to appoach this, but my children are NOT WATCHING ANY TV until they are 18 and have undergone a thorough study of the manipulative arts of marketing. |
Well I never watched Tv until I was 12. Only had trees to play in.
have to say I'm happy this was the case, although I did resent it at the time when other kids at school chatted about tv shows in the playground. |
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Satori
Joined: 09 Dec 2005
Location: Above it all
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| Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 3:25 am Post subject: |
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| On the other hand wrote: |
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| Freud was a cocaine addict and a deeply deeply sick and perverse man. |
What exactly do you mean by "deeply sick and perverse"? Would you care to elaborate on Freud's sickness and perversion?
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| That's why he wanted to talk about psychosis all the time. |
Well, the fact that he was a trained psychiatrist probably also had something to do with his interest in psychosis.
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More up to date psychology would call this projection.
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Actually, I think Freud himself would have called such behavior projection, because projection was one of his key concepts. |
Have you read much about his personal life? His own relationships and sex life were highly disfunctional. This was made worse by his cocaine habit. He also prescribed cocaine for patients.
His key contribution was his concept of the sub conscious. The rest of his stuff has been largely debunked now. And psychosis is no longer the maing paradigm of modern psychology. Freud claimed the everyone, but that is quite convenient for someone who makes a living off the misery and naivety of vulnerable people. Psychosis is a paradigm of lack, of the idea that there is something that is wrong with you, something unnatural. It simply doesnt accurately describe reality and is not particularly helpful in therapy. Modern therapy ackowledges people uniqueness, and focusses on the patient being guided to seek out and identify thier own answers. |
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On the other hand
Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue
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| Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 6:24 am Post subject: |
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Have you read much about his personal life? His own relationships and sex life were highly disfunctional. This was made worse by his cocaine habit. He also prescribed cocaine for patients.
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Umm, I've read a bit about his personal life. My understanding is that he was a virgin at marriage(probably not unusual for the day), and monogamous after marriage, though there are rumours of a possible affair with his sister-in-law(not the most admirable behavior, but again probably not all that unusual, especially if Freud and his wife were as intellectually incompatible as Jung alleged). What have you heard?
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| Modern therapy ackowledges people uniqueness, and focusses on the patient being guided to seek out and identify thier own answers. |
Glad to see you think we should acknowledge uniqueness and peoples' right to find "their own answers". But then I'm perplexed at why you'd be tossing around labels like "perversion", which, if you ask me, represent the most obnoxiously judgemental aspects of Freudianism. |
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ultrahipnosis
Joined: 22 Jun 2003
Location: Pusan, South Korea
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| Posted: Wed May 10, 2006 4:34 pm Post subject: The Century of Self |
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Hello,
The Century of Self is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen. I first watched it last year, but I've begun watching it again recently. Adam Curtis does an incredible job of narrating the events that unfolded in America in the 20th century. He makes a pretty good case for Freud's influence on American individualism.
As an American, I am extremely frustrated with the selfish individualism and excessive consumption that is so pervasive in my country. Now that I've been away from home for a while, I realize how out of hand it has become. Although America is full of material goods, the people are deeply unhappy and have an unclear understanding of their place in the world.
I was hoping that the events September 11, 2001 would lead to a radical paradigm shift in America that would lead to an increased sense of practicality, cohesiveness, and resourcefulness. Unfortunately, they have led to a sense of paranoia, confusion,fear. and aggression. In your opinion, what would make America become a more practical, less consumer-oriented society?
Thanks,
Eric |
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