Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Psyche and Group

According to Freud's concept of a 'group', interpersonal bonds are the products of sexual drives that have been repressed and sublimated.  Accordingly, Civilization is possible only if repression prevents anarchy, and, perhaps, Hobbesian universal war.  Now, Marcuse's divergence from that analysis accepts the premise that Group-formation is not inherent in a Psyche, though he allows for the possibility of non-repressive sublimation, i. e. under non-alienated economic conditions.  He, thus, accepts, without further analysis, the premise that the sexual drive is a merely individual process.  However, as has been previously discussed, that premise is inadequate, since sexuality is, in fact, part of the reproductive process of the Species, and, hence, an aspect of a governing Species-principle, e. g. Will to Live, Will to Power, etc.  Furthermore, included in any such principle is an instinct to optimal organization that motivates its members.  Hence, contrary to thesis of both Freud and Marcuse, Group-formation is not extrinsic to the Psyche.

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