SEX Repressive Desublimation Repression Restraining n Inhibiting n

SEX Repressive Desublimation

Repression Restraining n Inhibiting n Repressing n Pushing something down, hiding it, preventing its emergence. n It can apply to a person’s psyche (where the repressed thought may return as a symptom) n Or to a society (where the repressed may rise up in a revolution) n

Sublimation The tendency to raise, or spiritualise, idealise, or translate onto a ‘higher plane’. n May involve repressing/re-channelling one’s basic drives n Examples: n Sex becomes romantic love n Expression becomes art n Can you think of any others? n

desublimation Putting sublimation into reverse n Turning ‘higher’ impulses back into drives for physical/emotional gratification n Is there anything in our society that would make this happen? n

Why is it repressive?

How could this be repressive?

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Repressive Desublimation n n n n According to some radical thinkers, the following features of our society are agents of RD: Consumerism Pornography Endless entertainment Celebrity culture TV Advertising Etc…

Repressive desublimation n n It’s repressive because it stops people from questioning It replaces freedom with appetites It infantilises us (turns us into big children) Politics becomes a spectator sport Economic well being becomes the main goal ‘having it now’ replaces fighting for a better world It’s deeply ideological (false ideas, false ‘needs’, false goals, false consciousness) We are manipulated It prevents radical change. DON’T WORRY! WATCH CELEBRITY BIG BROTHER!

What’s this got to do with tolerance? Radical view: n Liberal society promotes a version of tolerance that is actually manipulation n We are encouraged to tolerate things that enslave us. n Tolerance is promoted as part of a false freedom n Such as? n Pornography n Racism n Consumerism n But all views, all choices, are not equal. n Tolerance as part of liberal freedom is deeply ideological. n What do you think?

What have we learned? What is: n Repression n Sublimation n Repressive desublimation n Ideology n