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Theory Video: Freud, Mass Culture, and the ID (Patreon)

Published:

2018-08-22 20:35:48

Imported:

2026-06

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Freud Marxism Roderick Theory Reading

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Returning to the classics this week with a lecture by Rick Roderick. This lecture hits a few different theorists from Freud to the Frankfurt School. The problem that ideology creates for our political project is of particular interest to me. If culture is constantly reproducing capitalism how can we build popular movements that avoid carrying over the traditions we reject?

Psycho-analytic Marxism has an interesting tradition on the Left. While it carries important theoretical weight its application has been limited in the political realm. There is no doubt that the theoretical nature of the critique has caused it to hide in universities, rather than being dissemenated into the popular struggle. But the political challenge that ideology poses to the creation of a better political future can not be ignored. Understanding the problem is only the beginning.

-David Griscom

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Rick Roderick on Philosophy and Postmodern Culture [full length]

This video is 8th in the 8-part lecture series Philosophy and Human Values (1990). Thanks to rickroderick.org for making this available. I'm merely interested in redistributing to anyone who might enjoy and benefit. I. A recap of the lecture series: A. Retrace the history of the accounts of human values given in Western Philosophy, and you'll probably find a dead end with some rather ordinary philosophic problems. B. Hegel reminds us that human values and moral and ethical problems arise in historical circumstances. C. Society and history has to do with economics and the state. D. Culture is less systematic. A culture based on spectacle and images has a peculiar nonsystematic character. II. Freud outlines the process of economic building with cultural unawareness. . The conscious mind is a very small part of our psychic life. A. Freud's goal was for the unconscious (id) to become the conscious (ego). B. Mass culture turns the conscious to unconscious. C. We can tune out the culture, however, we cannot destroy it. III. Civilisation can be seen as a drama between eros (love) and thanatos (death). A. The mechanism of one side has clearly gained the upper hand (thanatos). 1. However, eternal eros might come in and strike a blow for the other side. 2. This is about to be a global situation that will be difficult to solve because there are no concrete walls. B. We must reinject resistance into or at least put up a simulation of resistance to it. 1. The worst thing we can do is to be unanimously for something. 2. We have not yet written the last obituary for radical democracy. C. St. Paul's answer is in Corinthians. It is a masterpiece of sophistry, rhetoric and bitter invective. D. Philosophy is disconsolate in principle. 1. Hegel said dialectics or philosophy does not run from detestation but tarries with it awhile and looks it in its face. 2. The structural principles of our society are as barbaric in their structure as they ever were, perhaps more so.