Summary of Nietzsche and Freud

By the 20th century, capitalism, imperialism, and centuries of political and militaristic dominance had lodged a seed of confidence deep into the European mindset. It is interesting that amidst the imperialist endeavors of major powers Britain, France, and Germany that the work of Nietzsche and Freud began to be popularized. Nietzsche and Freud both worked with abstract theories of the human nature that both questioned and undermined civilization's preconceptions and institutions. Above all, Nietzsche and Freud emphasized humans' irrefutable animalness and the constant tension that arises from civilization's attempted suppression of humans' natural impulses. Civilization stresses peace over war, community over individualism, generosity over selfishness; but Nietzsche and Freud argued that these ideals were artificial, mere paintings of what humanity could be, maybe should be, but not what humanity was itself in actuality. Nietzsche and Freud stripped society from its romanticized entities, removing the blinds people in society had been living through and exposing them to the less-than-pleasant realities of their actions and emotions. Nietzsche, for example, attacked a founding distinction that separates civilization from nature: morality. He states that "morality is a hindrance to the development of new and better customs: it makes stupid" (Nietzsche, Daybreaks). Civilization is meant to improve, refine humanity, to advocate the best for humankind; but Nietzsche claims that civilization is actually handicaps humankind, that morality, defined and stipulated by civilization, is detrimental to humanity. Does this mean that people instead should act immorally, without the barriers imposed by society? Freud likewise posed an argument against love, a seemingly gentle and natural occurrence in society. Freud dissolves all of love's poetic associations to say that love is no more than an "aim-inhibited" sexuality. Love is nothing special nor romantic, but rather a natural, raw impulse. This means that centuries of European literature and artwork inspired by love and longstanding ideals of love as a strong force that can stabilize a relationship and a nation all boil down to nothing more than a sexual impulse. Both Nietzsche and Freud de-romanticized European society and devalued the special niche humanity over centuries had constructed for itself.