Freud

Whether or not you agree with Freud’s theories of psychoanalysis, you cannot argue that his influence was not staggering. At the time it was revolutionary and even today remains remarkable in its depth and oddness.

Freud and Plato:

Freud’s views were in line with Plato’s idea of the tripartite self; reason, spirit and desire.

However the beyond this their theories are the polar opposites, Plato believed that reason could rule spirit and desire. Freud however felt reason was the weakness of the three because human beings are irrational by nature.

He argued we are driven by desires that are outside of our control, beyond our conscious mind thus reason will never be dominant. 

Freud and Marx:

Freud didn’t care for Marx’s political views, rejecting Marx’s idea of a communist society as hopelessly idealistic given man’s nature to put desire above reason even without intent.

Freud and the Unconscious:

Freud believed our deepest need is aggression, the wilful desire to hurt others and ultimately destroy ourselves. He believed that through psychoanalysis he had discovered things about the unconscious that were never known before. 

Freud’s ideas were a challenge to the Enlightenment, an alternative to rationality which instead argues for innate impulses and overall lack of self control over ones cognitive faculties. 

Furthermore his theories presented a bleak vision of humanity; he saw the reality of human nature as pain and suffering arising out of his own psychic alienation and the painful interaction with other human beings.

Living between two major World Wars and suffering with cancer of the mouth for over decade, Freud had experience with this pain on both a global and personal level. Therefore it is unsurprising that this would manifest in his deeply pessimistic writings.

The deep pessimism seen in his theories is something he would readily admit to. He said that (to paraphrase): ‘When you think of my views, think of Rembrandt, a little light but a lot of darkness.’

The Freudian Personality:

Freud theorised the mind was divided into 3 distinct processes that are in a constant everlasting conflict with one another.

Id: This is the primal instinct to avoid pain and gain pleasure. The id is synonymous with sex and aggression and dominate the personality on a subconscious level allows wanting express these desires and doing so to varying degrees.

Ego: Represents rationality. It is our reasoning faculty and is the least powerful of the three. It dictates moderation and common sense and so must fight constantly against the primal urges of the id and repressive nature of the superego.

Superego: The internalised rules of parents of society. It develops after birth through socialisation. It punishes the ego with guilt as it holds it up to impossibly high standards of perfection. It also deals with morality in a way that supersedes the ego and is more akin fanatical belief. Hence why the superego can be substituted or strengthened by religion. 

Civilisation is a collective superego and whilst the religious teachings of peace may propagate the fundamental instincts that underlie human behaviour in the id will remain and so: ‘Man is wolf to man.’

Freud states that this conflict between the three can result in repression and defence mechanisms. These include:

Sublimation: This concerns releasing sexual energy and aggression in a way that is socially acceptable. For example relieving them by playing sports or doing work. 

Displacement: Turning shameful thoughts into something else.

Projection: Placing our negative thoughts on someone else.

Regression: Regressing to an earlier developmental stage.

Coping mechanisms include the chemical; intoxication or isolation but both are temporary. Sublimation is also a coping mechanism  but will never give one as much pleasure as ‘the real thing.’

Freud states the only way to actually solve the problem is through analysis which involves strengthening the ego so that a person might become a more rational creature. However this is not for everyone and so humanity overall will continue its self-destructive ways as primal instinct fights against societal restraints.

L'Age D'Or

L'Age D'Or was released in 1930 to a largely hostile audience. It was a surreal movie which concerned two lovers constantly thwarted by their families, church and society to fulfil their passionate desires. The film intended to send the message that sexual repression within society breeds violence. It is perhaps ironic then that during a screening, members of the Fascist League of Patriots threw ink at the screen and attacked members of the audience.

L'Age D'Or is a strange film which was shown to illustrate Freud’s ideas of sexual repression, id, ego and superego in practice. It shows a world where two lovers are without restraint i.e. controlled by their id completely. The ego isn’t anywhere to be found whilst the superego takes the place of the church, parents and society as it continually attempts to stop them. The film demonstrates what society could be without restraint where Freudian desires are realised full and completely with little regard to consequence, social or otherwise.