Both Sigmund Freud, in Civilization and Its Discontent, and Adam Curtis, in "The Century of Self: The Happiness Machine" examine happiness. Both have a slightly different view on it. Freud believes that while people can be happy for short amounts of time, due to civilization, it is impossible for them to be completely happy. Curtis, on the other hand, says that civilization, specifically those that run it, work constantly to make people happy, so that they remain docile.
In Chapter 2 of his book, Freud discusses at length, what happiness is and the different paths humans take to find it. He defines happiness as "the (preferably sudden) satisfaction of needs which have been dammed up to a high degree." (Freud 43) Due to this definition he says that happiness, by its nature is "only possible as an episodic phenomenon." (43) For this reason, it is impossible for humans to be constantly happy, and that, when or if happiness is achieved with some degree of consistency, then it looses its pleasure and simply becomes "a feeling of mild contentment." (43) Later on in his book Freud discusses the fact that it is civilization that prevents us from being happy and that "we should be happier if we gave it up and returned to primitive conditions."(58) This is because civilization prevents us from fulfilling our primal and basic needs when we have them, and since that is the cause of happiness we can not be fully happy in civilization.
In his film, Curtis discusses how civilization and those with the power in it, work to keep people happy through consumerism. This 'happiness' may not be true happiness, or happiness as Freud defines it, however the people who feel it seem to believe that it is true happiness. This is beneficial to those in charge of civilization as it keeps people docile. If they believe that they are happy, why do things need to change? This creates a stability that lets those who have the power, maintain power.
Freud, Sigmund. Civilization and Its Discontents. United States of America: W. W. Norton & Company Ltd., 2010. Print.
Katherine, this is strong engagement with the ideas of both Freud and Curtis. However, this response would be better if you used some concrete real-world examples to illustrate your points.
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