In a small, peaceful plot of land, Prudence is busy at work, sowing seeds for the next crop, when she sees two strangers approach. As they come closer, Prudence notices that one of them is carrying a gun. Stranger: Good day. My name is Justine, and this is Peter. We’ve come here to ask for […]
society
Freud upside down (2)
Psychoanalysis posits that a child’s unconscious desire towards the opposite-sex parent and rivalry towards the same-sex parent give rise to neurosis and mental illness in adulthood, if not sufficiently overcome. Yet, a closer examination reveals a logical and empirical flaw in how these dynamics are understood. To see it clearly, let’s delve into Jamie’s story. […]
The dark side of birthdays
Birthdays have not always been the light-hearted affairs we know today. Tracing back to ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks and Egyptians, significant days like these were often marked by rituals of appeasement towards gods or evil spirits. These practices, viewed through a psychoanalytic lens, reveal a societal struggle with themes of power, innocence, and […]
Freud upside down
In ‘Civilization and Its Discontents,’ Sigmund Freud presents a common view of human nature: ‘Homo homini lupus’ (man is a wolf to man). Civilization, according to Freud, works tirelessly to curb our aggressive instincts through love, sexual repression, and moral ideals, albeit with limited success. The issue arises when considering the agents of civilisation – […]
Bitcoin and academia
Paul Krugman once said to Bernard Lietaer, a monetary theorist and one of the architects of the euro, that he should ‘never touch the money system’ because he would kill himself academically. This statement is akin to ‘never question God’ in the academic environment of the middle ages. Indeed, Bitcoin is relevant to academia because […]
On Anthropology (I)
Sapiens is a digital magazine whose mission is to bring anthropology to the public. It has a pop-up window that asks you whether you are ‘a human’ and would like to subscribe, otherwise you are ‘not a human’. I found it funny and witty, but also odd.