Jake Stones PY113

Can man be happy in civilisation? During the last few generations mankind has made an extraordinary advance in the natural sciences and in their technical application, and has established his control over nature in a way never before imagined (Sigmund Freud, 1991, p276). The control of nature in such a way has meant the creation of something that will mean happiness for man is only achieved through substantial searching or realisation, something that I will be performing in this essay. That is because, in mans pursuit for knowledge he has made something he did not intend upon making, a hyper rational new part of our minds known as the super ego. The super ego imposes a strict way of life upon us and tries to punish us at any given chance. Such a relationship in the mind means that happiness is not a possibility, which is why I shall use this essay to produce three methods of either diluting the influence of the super ego, or allowing us to gain a firm grip on it, meaning that it is no longer a problem, but a benefit in our consciousness. So where to being? Firstly I shall outline the problem that Freud feels civilisation has produced, and this problem I feel also leads to our unhappiness, and that is the introduction of the super ego, brought about through civilization. Freud felt that we have natural instincts, or animal drives, that are present from our time as a primal creature, however, through our pursuit of knowledge and a will to become more rational, we have created a new drive within us, and that drive is the super ego. It is born out of a will to become more moral and more civilized people. Were it not for this pursuit into modernity, there would be no super ego. This point is demonstrated by Freuds highlighting that were it not for the railways that could take his child to far off places, he should need no telephone (Sigmund Freud, 1991, p276). Similarly, if we had not been in a pursuit of knowledge, we would not need to solve this issue of the super ego. So what does this mean with regards to mans happiness? The introduction of a super ego means that civilized man will always have, what is best described as an outer force pushing in on us and making us ultimately responsible for as many actions as possible. It was brought into existence through a desire for morality and rationality, and hence this is all it knows, so it means to impose its will as strongly as possible to ensure that the individual definitely has a concept of morality. When speaking of us or the individual, Freud uses the term ego. The ego is

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the conscious part of us that will be making decisions and actualising in the world around us. The existence of an ego, a conscious part of our minds, is the reason we cannot be happy, as this is what the super ego has to impose upon, hence we are directly affected by its will. The relationship between the two is highlighted by Freud in this extract: the super ego torments the sinful ego with the same feeligns of anxiety and is on watch for opportunities of getting it punished by the external world (Sigmund Freud, 1991, p317). That is why civilized man cannot be happy, as in his pursuit for knowledge, like the pursuit of his childs travel, he has created a need to telephone, and just now, we have not yet invented or know how to use the relieving telephone. However, Freud feels there are three ways in which we will be able to cope with the influence of the super ego, firstly, we can cope through powerful deflections, which will allow us to make light of our misery and mean that the force imposed by the super ego is not as prominent, then substitutive satisfactions which will diminish it, and finally intoxicating substances such as drugs or alcohol, Freud claims these allow us become insensitive to our suffering (Freud, 1991, p262). My solution to the problem that civilization has brought upon us is a use of three methods, each of which will relate towards the three ways in which Freud feels that we are able to solve our problem. One answer to this problem shall come from the works of Nietzsche, however, this is not a direct solution, but more a solution through similarity and comparison in theories, so I first have to show these similarities and then show how they can be used to find happiness in the mind of civilized man. In Nietzsches first book, The Birth of Tragedy, he finds himself in a similar realisation of the neurosis that can be caused by mans separate views towards the world. Just as Freud felt that there was a hyper rational and imposing morality in us known as the super ego, Nietzsche felt that we had a similar drive, which he demonstrated through use of Greek arts, where he highlighted this problem as the God Apollo, or the Apollonian drive, who is associated with restraint and harmony, just as the super ego is in us to restrain and prevent our natural instincts from disturbing harmony, the Apollonian Drives would provide freedom of our wilder impulses (Nietzsche, 1999, p16-17). These Apollonian art forms were associated with the epics such as Achilles and Odysseus, stories of a strict way of life for a hero, or an Olympian, a person who can be looked up to by the Greeks, however was

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too strict to be accessible for the individual ever to attain, again similarly to the ways of the super ego, as I have mentioned, a hyper moral and rational part of us that is simply too demanding of us to ever satisfy. Furthermore, just as Freud felt that we have animal based natural instincts that have brought about the necessity for the super ego if we are to live in civilization, so too is the case in the Greek arts, with the Dionysian way of life that was a more free and open perspective that would drive us to act in a way that aims to maximise pleasure of whatever kind, hence this part of us is more associated with the free arts such as dance and music. Art forms such as the Dionysian were based upon a loss of control and a self-forgetting (Nietzsche, 1999, p17), therefore were deemed bad for us if we were ever to progress in the life of civilized man, which I why there was the intervention of the Apollonian art: all this was constantly overcome and repeatedly overcome by the Greeks, or at least veiled and withdrawn from view, by means of the artistic middle world of the Olympians. In order to be able to live the Greeks were obliged, by the most profound compulsion, to create these gods (Nietzsche, 1999, p23). However this introduction of the Apollonian arts of the Olympians was too suppressive upon the lives of the Greeks, and hence why the notion of happiness was a distant one. As shown this theory of art as a representation of the conflict that can immerge in the soul is very similar to the concepts that Freud presents in his thinking of the mind, and hence why I feel that Nietzsches solution can be used as a solution to the problem that civilization has given in that we have birthed a new and imposing force within us to meet the demands of society. So what is Nietzsches solution to this problem? The answer is Tragedy. Tragedy was the key, as it allowed us to abstractly view our own inner conflict, and hence become aware of it. We are able to affirm our current situation and see it from afar, meaning that we can become aware of the conflicting and supressing parts of us, but at a distance that will mean we are not acting on them. Put in this way: were capable of penetrating to the interior to see, in sensuously visible form the undulations of the Will, the conflict of motives, the swelling current of passions as if he could dive down in the most delicate secrets of unconscious strings (Nietzsche, 1999, p23). This vision, as mentioned, means that we are now able to become conscious of our situation, but in a more tolerable sense, we also use the notion of tragedy as a distraction from for the Apollonian and the Dionysian urges, meaning that we are able to properly assess our situation with clarity. In my opinion this method translates into the ways of Freud via one 3

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using art to come to terms with, and to satisfy the issue at hand. This will then solve the problem that I feel would get in the way of man being happy in civilization i.e. the problem of an imposing super ego, as it will provide the ego with strength to take control over this imposing voice in our heads, this can be shown through the super ego being distracted by the artistic ways of tragedy. Such a method also is able to find support for what Freud felt about how one might be able to cope with the situation of the super ego, as in my opinion it uses all three of the ways Freud suggested; firstly, the use of tragedy is a deflection from having to directly deal with the inner conflict as we are able to see our problem from a different angle, secondly, tragedy is a substitutive satisfaction, it does allow us to feed the desires of our natural and primal instincts by displaying them for the lower part of our minds to acknowledge, this then will further give the ego strength as the two forces that are both the cause and result of our modernity, are now being subsided and satisfied, meaning that we are able to cope better with civilization. Thirdly, although this is not a more common thought of intoxication, such as that of Drugs and alcohol, the use of tragedy allows us to become in a sense intoxicated by issues other than our own, this entertainment is in a way a form of intoxication, as I feel that once the individual has begun to use the method of tragedy to satisfy the super ego and our instincts, they will need to return to it, for this satisfaction will not last forever. This last point of intoxication is why I feel that although Nietzsche provides us with our first answer to being happy and overcoming the issue of civilisation, it is not the best, as we could develop a form of dependency. So whats a better solution to this problem of the forever imposing super ego? My answer to this is probably the most controversial of the three answers I provide, as it is, especially among the philosophers that I have referenced already in this text, refuted often and aggressively. My second solution then is found through a belief in God. As demonstrated the issues that civilized man faces in the pursuit of happiness comes from psychic conflict, a conflict of the mind, and we the conscious ego is stuck in between the pressing forces of this conflict. Hence why I feel that a way in which can become free and happy of these pressing urges is to have a direction in life which could come from God. The super ego is born out of a necessity for morality and rationality, and our natural instincts are still present from our time as a primal creature. The two are ever present in our minds, and hence we

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develop neurosis, preventing us from being happy, as our natural instincts tell us to do things that are not socially acceptable, and the super ego most importantly will make us feel bad for things that are acceptable on a social level, as it will take any opportunity to punish us. So where does God come into this? As I stated, I feel that one way to empower the ego is to give it a focus and direction- this could be thought of as a strong distraction and provision of clarity. Just like for some addicts who quit drugs, I feel that God can give the ego the strength and power it needs to over-come the issue of a strong super ego. Instead of being bullied by the mind, an individual is able to fight back. The ego will be in control through the power of God and faith. Faith is the crucial part in this solution however, as anyone can believe in God, however it is he who holds the strongest faith that will in turn be the greatest benefactor. It may be felt that this solution is the most easy to attack, as some may feel that arguments for God are poor at best and that he is simply a notion created by man to comes to terms with existence. This path leads us inevitably to the famous Nietzsche piece in his book The gay Science in which he speaks of the death of God coming from the fact that our revision of knowledge has led us to expel him from our belief systems: God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. (Nietzsche, 1976, p95). However, even if this is the case, and we have created the notion of deity simply to come to terms with our existence, and that now knowledge has progressed, we no longer need God and hence have killed him, this does not matter. My point is the provision of strength to the ego, brought about through a faith in God. To have faith in something means that you do not have consideration for the beliefs of others, as it is your belief in that thing which brings it truth, such is the position associated with William James, who provides a more clear account for my support of the man who has faith: and often enough our faith beforehand in an uncertified result is the only thing that makes the result come true (William James, 2010, p76) so is the case with the belief in God, and this point will mean that any argument or belief you have in contradiction of this point, will not matter. What does this mean then? It means that man has found another way of becoming happy in civilization, as the problem of the super ego is overcome through the strengthening of the ego, achieved through support from faith in God. James goes on to mention an account of a mountain climber that is stuck in a situation, where they have to make a dangerous jump to find safety, and notes that the man who is confident in his efforts will be more successful in his attempts (William 5

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James, 2010, p77), so too is the case with a man who has a faith in his own ego, that he will be able to take control over the super ego. Hence, we have found another solution which does not use deflection, satisfaction or intoxication, but a direct controlling of the problem, for those that believe in God, I would certainly count them lucky. So what then is the option for those who do not believe in God enough to strengthen their ego? Where I have shown a solution through tragedy, that affirms the situation of the super ego and allows us to cope via deflection, and I have shown that through a belief in God one is able to take control of the problem head on, I now provide the final answer, which shall be a combination of the two. I shall take the power of the argument of faith, and I shall use a means that provides a consciousness, which is accessible to the atheist, and therefore, to anyone. As shown, the issue is an unresponsive and unforgiving super ego brought about by civilizations pursuit for knowledge and morality, however I feel that through consciousness and realisation of ones finitude, one can over-come the issue of the super ego completely. This point is inspired by the works of Camus, and his interpretation of the Myth of Sisyphus. Sisyphus is forever condemned by the Gods to be repeatedly pushing a bolder to the top of a mountain, and then having to watch it role back down, only to have to do the whole procedure again, and again, forever. This torture was implemented by the Gods in order to punish Sisyphus for him making a mockery of them, and was felt by them to be perfect, however, as Camus puts it we must imagine Sisyphus happy. (Albert Camus, 1975, p111). How can this be the case though if someone is condemned to an eternity of fruitless repetition? The answer is consciousness. Sisyphus is able to look down upon his bolder and on his return to earth is able to reflect on the pointlessness of his action, and finds a new victory in that, it is like a strong exhaling after sitting down for the first time in a long day, a sigh of relief, he is happy, as he is the master of his own fate, he realises himself in the world and that there is no expansion beyond this point. He has clarity, and because of this clarity, he is stronger than the rock (Albert Camus, 1975, p109). From realising his finitude he is able to realise his place in life and does not ask for more, life is what it is, and he gains a certain happiness from this, one that his captures cannot feel perhaps? How does this solve the issue of the super ego though? Instead of viewing art, or taking your strength from God, this method requires the

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individual to follow comprehend their situation in life, and then changes them directly because of this. Hence why I feel that this method is the most powerful way of ensure the problem of the super ego can be over-come. Once one grasps a reality of life, and sees that we are nothing more than enitities in a very large and confusing world, they gain a certain freedom from that, they no longer feel the need to pursue pointless ends such as getting a high paying job to have high social status or buying a great deal of material possessions: they realise that they no longer depend on civilizations requirements of them to be happy. Hence from this, they realise that the words and thoughts of the super ego, that comes from civilization, are meaningless, and aim to meet demands that are firstly not meet able, and secondly, do not even need to be met in the first place. Through self-actualisation of this world and your place in it, your ego is empowered to no longer be influenced by any other voice than your own. Is this all a good thing though? Of course there is the problem of the super ego, and this is a problem, however, would it be good to get rid of it entirely? After all, this is a part of us that has been born out of a desire for morals and rationality, and although it is suppressive to our happiness, could it not be instrumental? I feel that this is the case, I feel that once one has strengthened their ego they must ensure to listen to the suggestions of the super ego as a check of ones morality, otherwise one may fall back into the habit of acting solely upon our instincts, this point should also be reversed to note that one should seek to fulfil basic instincts that do not harm others, for fear of letting the super ego become too dominant again. In conclusion, the problem that man was facing when trying to achieve happiness was the issue

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Bibliography Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus, 1975, Penguin Books William James, The Will to Believe and other essays in popular philosophy, 2010, The Floating press Friedrich Nietzsche, The Portable Nietzsche, 1976, Penguin Books Sigmund Freud, Civilization, Society and Religion: group psychology, civilization and its discontents and other works, 1991, Penguin Books Friedrich Nietzsche, The Birth of Tragedy and Other Writings, 1999, Cambridge University Press