Philosophy of Psychoanalysis

The Psychoanalytic Concept of Personality and Society

From the principles that Sigmund Freud derived through his work in treating mental disorders and observing the behaviors of the mentally ill, he develops his own conception of humanity and society, formulating several postulates that form the foundation of his doctrine.

First, there is the postulate—if you will, a myth—of the primal horde. According to this myth, the state that preceded humanity and human society was one in which our ancestral forebears existed, characterized by the complete domination of the libido. The libido served as the primary regulator of behavior among the members of the horde. The emergence of human society resulted from the taming of the libido, its regulation by our ancestors. In essence, what distinguishes humans from our “lesser brethren” lies in two factors: 1) the incommensurability of libidinal energy, which, furthermore, serves a different function in humans than in animals; and 2) the ability of humans to regulate their libido.

The taming of the libido was no easy feat for humanity. Within the primal horde unfolded numerous conflicts and dramas associated with this process. These included patricide and incest, accompanied by the fear of castration, guilt, and taboos surrounding patricide, incest, and other distorted sexual impulses. This primordial experience of regulating the libido becomes entrenched within the genealogical structures of the unconscious; by being repeatedly manifested in individual structures of the unconscious, it transforms into a hereditary lineage. It is during this period that such structures of the human psyche as the Id and the Superego are formed, which define the entirety of the dynamics of psychic life. This life is understood as an internecine internal struggle between unconscious suppressed drives and memories on one side, and the taboos imposed upon them on the other. The foundation of the Id, in this context, comprises highly energized memories of sexual impulses, particularly those associated with incestuous desires, while the foundation of the Superego is built upon memories of the primordial tribal taboos concerning these impulses.

The second postulate of Freud's psychoanalytic concept of humanity pertains to the biologically inherent sexual phases of childhood. According to this postulate, each child undergoes three distinct sexual phases before the age of 5 or 6: the oral-cannibalistic, the anal-sadistic, and the phallic phases. Each of these phases is associated with the dominance of specific erogenous zones: the oral phase pertains to the mucous membrane of the mouth; the anal phase to the mucous membrane of the anus; and the phallic phase to the penis (phalus). The progression through these phases is intertwined with phylogenetic memories, experiences of the ancestral struggle to form and tame the Id. The individual's Id contains two types of suppressed sexual drives: inherited suppressed drives of the lineage and those suppressed drives experienced during the individual's early years. The “memories” of both ancestral and childhood experiences not only reside within the psyche but also possess an inherent energy as active agents. In other words, any “forgotten” ancestral or individual experience is, in fact, not truly forgotten but merely repressed into a corner of the psyche where similar phenomena converge, referred to as the “unconscious.” Within this refuge, situated at a lower level, these memories now pulse with greater vitality and activity than ever, continuously rebelling against the suppression they endure. This rebellion, according to Freud, is the driving force behind all actions and thoughts of the conscious individual.

The third postulate of Freud's concept addresses the biologically determined Oedipus complex. According to this theory, a boy (aged 4 to 6) perceives his mother as the object of his sexual desires, leading to an ambivalent relationship with his father, in which he simultaneously harbors tender and hostile feelings—love and hatred. This duality arises from the boy's identification with his father while simultaneously recognizing him as an obstacle to the fulfillment of his Oedipal urges. Consequently, alongside his affection, the boy experiences fear towards his father as a rival, primarily the fear of castration. (In girls, this complex is termed the Electra complex.) The Oedipus complex is significant in the individual's life as it is at this stage that the Superego is formed, concurrently overcoming the Oedipus complex itself. The Ideal Ego is inextricably linked to the higher faculties within humans: religion, morality, and social sentiments.

This leads to Freud's subsequent postulate—pansexualism and sublimation. From Freud's perspective, the sexual instinct, the libido, constitutes the core of human psychology, the root cause, and the driving force of the psychic dynamics of personality. Here lies the need to seek the profound motives behind human actions. Yet, what distinguishes humans is not their unrestrained submission to the whims of the libido but rather their ability to regulate, repress, and align these urges with the principle of reality. But where does the energy of the libido go, if it cannot simply vanish? In Freud's view, it is sublimated. The concept of sublimation entails redirecting the energy of sexual drives from their immediate purpose (the pursuit of pleasure) towards socially beneficial aims. Phenomena such as religion, morality, teachers, and authorities inherit the role of the father in the Ideal Ego; indeed, all of human culture emerges as a result of the sublimation of libidinal energy. Thus, not only religion and morality, but also science, art, and all other forms of human endeavor are inextricably linked to sexual drives, drawing their roots from libidinal energy, deriving strength and inspiration from it. Classical psychoanalysis posits that the ultimate causes of social conflicts and processes should be sought within the biological structure of humanity, primarily within the sexual instinct, within the libido. Freud maintains that in the relationship between “humanity and society,” one must move from humanity to society, rather than vice versa, seeking the ultimate cause of social processes in the psychological structure of personality. “It is easy to demonstrate that the Ideal Ego corresponds to all the demands placed upon the higher faculties within humanity. As a substitute for the fervent desire for the father, it contains the seed from which all religions have grown. The judgment of one’s own inadequacy in comparison to the Ideal Ego evokes the humble religious sentiment upon which the fervently devout rely. In the course of development, the role of the father transitions to that of teachers and authorities; their commandments and prohibitions retain their power within the Ideal Ego, serving as a moral censor in the form of conscience. The discord between the demands of conscience and the actions of the Ego is felt as a sense of guilt. Social sentiments are rooted in the identification with others based on a shared Ideal Ego.

Religion, morality, and social sentiment are the essential components of the higher human being—initially existing as a unity. ...They developed phylogenetically from the paternal complex...”