“What we call happiness in the strictest sense comes from the (preferably sudden) satisfaction of needs which have been dammed up to a high degree.” – Sigmund Freud

            Both Freud’s influence and input on the twentieth century raise a question of happiness.  In general, Freud adds some food for thought to any thinker asking the same question as many: “Is it possible to be happy?” 

Freud mentions civilization, in particular, as an expression of humans.  He makes a point that humans must always be controlled by things such as civilization, which brings discontent into the picture. In particular, Adam Curtis’ movie The Century of the Self, mentions that Freud was strong in his beliefs when it came to people and happiness.  Freud thought that man does not want to be civilized, therefore civilization brings discontent.  At the same time, he points out that discontent is necessary to survival; man must be discontent.  In Freud’s Civilization and its Discontents he argues that for humans, discontent emerges from three main sources: ‘the superior powers of nature, the feebleness of our own bodies and the inadequacy of regulations which adjust the mutual relationships of human beings in the family, the state and society’ (Freud 274).  The third “source”, in particular, provides that discontent is especially apparent in our relations with other people. For example, families may prevent members from maturing on their own because of thoughts or ideas on how family works; this goes on to allow discontent to occur. Civilization can be thrown back into the equation at this point as there are particular demands in civilization which may not be met by many around us, therefore leading many to discontent. According to Freud, the society inflicts frustration which in turn leads to discontent as well.   Society forces demands upon us which lead to restrictions, such as laws, taboos, and regulations.

Although this may slightly go off track, I found a specific aspect of Curtis’ The Century of the Self rather interesting: the taboo of women smoking.  Curtis’ documentary mentions this taboo which can be taken into account for discontent.  This showed Freud’s nephew Edward Bernay’s setting out an experiment on human minds involving the taboo of women smoking cigarettes.  This experiment included rich debutante’s who took part in an Easter parade; Bernay’s signaled them to light their “torches of freedom” and observed the reaction from the public.  As a result of this experiment, smoking among women became more common and made them powerful and independent.  This experiment shows to be a worthy example when looking at how civilization’s taboos can make one discontent and happy at the same time. More specifically, women may have been discontent and more private about the smoking taboo at first, but when it was seen as an action done by other powerful women, it appeared to be okay.

Freud also mentions the pleasure principle which describes the concept that people seek out pleasure (happiness) and avoid pain (discontent); we seek out things such as wealth and forget about the things that should truly be looked at in order to seek out happiness. In turn, the pleasurable things in life may as well make one discontent in the first place. Overall, Freud brings many factors into play when glancing at if it indeed is possible to be happy; these are viewed as answers to the questions one may be seeking out the answer to. The perceptions on happiness may as well change and be looked at differently, but Freud mentions particular aspects of discontent which must be commended.