CHAPTER 3

[Alex]

Can any one help me to understand what does Freud say about basic human purposes in chapter 3? What are the basic human purposes? is it to be happy?

[Ilze]

... it's probably to have a satisfying sexual relationship if you're talking Freud!

If you'd like to know more about the "basic human purposes" read Viktor Frankl, he's a more sensible psychologist/philosopher as far as "to be happy" and/or "human purpose" goes.

[vinil]

it appears to me, the chapter ends with the realization that civilization requires us to suppress our natural instincts. this suppression keeps us away from our 'natural' state.

to be a member of society, we must continually suppress certain basic human instincts, it is the price we must pay to take part in the civilized world, but there is a cost...and that cost is simply we must live in an altered artificial state, it is a tacit agreement we make with one another and ourselves. we have to accept the fact that we need to create a role for ourselves so that we can become a functioning member of society.

society and civilization offer technological advantages that are very appealing to us, climate control, shelter, shopping, communication, travel come to mind immediately, to say nothing of packaged food, and medicine.

to partake in all this goodness, we must sacrifice our more ancient and primal urges.

people who are fortunate enough to realize their artistic potential, have a way to circumnavigate this inherent dilemma, they can actually 'add value' to society through their creations. this makes them somewhat exempt from the 'norms' that all others must conform to in order to be functioning members of society...

that's my take...

V

[Richard]

"Purpose" is different than happiness.

Freud did draw a close connection between happiness and PLEASURE. The highest form of pleasure, Freud thought, is the orgasm.

In my view, the sexual revolution--and much of contemporary culture--grew out of Freud's equation of happiness with sexual gratification.

If the goal of life is to be "happy" (the American Dream), and if sexual pleasure is the greatest form of happiness, then one would do well to seek sexual pleasure.

Indeed, according to Freud, sexual gratification was a source of PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, not only happiness.

[Vakis]

The basic purpose, according to Freud, is to seek pleasure and avoid pain.

[GaiaP]

You’re right. And “avoid pain” here means also avoid other people’s aggressiveness.
Freud became very pessimistic in his late works, especially after discovering the death drive:
“…. The element of truth behind all this, which people are so ready to disavow, is that men are not gentle creatures who want to be loved, and who at the most can defend themselves if they’re attacked; they are, on the contrary, creatures among whose instinctual endowments is to be reckoned a powerful share of aggressiveness. As a result, their neighbor is for them not only a potential helper or sexual object, but also someone who tempts them to satisfy their aggressiveness on him, to exploit his capacity for work without compensation, to use him sexually without his consent, to seize his possessions, to humiliate him, to cause him pain, to torture and to kill him. Homo homini lupus.” (Chapter 5)
Civilization and Its Discontents links together Freudian psychoanalysis with politics and sociology. On one hand I find this book really fascinating, but on the other I can’t accept it…

[Navroz]

1.)As Freud answers to the question "What is the purpose of life?".
Answer:Happiness and he explains that as to avoid unpleasurable experience and promoting pleasure .

He further elaborates that it could be achieved by a).
basic primitive means of sex and
b). also by intoxication (which does both promote pleasure and inhibit unpleasure ).

2.)Coming to the civilization he says requires a) giving up instincts which he argues that humans are imbibed with inherent violence and need for sex (more as for pleasure than reproduction).

b.) Justice

And to your question
"Can any one help me to understand what does Freud say about basic human purposes in chapter 3? What are the basic human purposes? is it to be happy? "

I guess I have explained .

(And please ignore the grammar )