Sigmund Freud: Civilization and Its Discontents

Civilization and Its Discontents is one of the best known works of Freuds. Its also one of his most comprehensive works as much of his theories were introduced and created before it. Thus it seems that in this work, Freud isnt so much discovering anything new, instead his using his ideas and works to analyze a larger structure. What Freud analyzes in this work is not the mind of an individual but rather the "mind" of the culture. How does it work? How can it exist? Why can we live in such large communities? What is the psychological foundation of society?   

"We cannot see the necessity that forces culture along this path and gives rise to its antagonism to sexuality. It must be due to some disturbing influence not yet detected by us."