Marcuse paper Flashcards
What is the main claim of marcuse?
A comfortable, smooth, reasonable, democratic un-freedom prevails in advanced industrial civilization, a token of technical progress
What is technology according to marcuse?
A social process for a particular end with social goals (profit or control)
The organization of techniks (how, when, by whom, where, for what goal are artifacts made)
knowledge and skills
What does Marx say that all industrial productiong processes contain?
Exploitation: Worker never gets paid for what he produces
Alienation: Worker has no impact and is detached from what is produced
What would marcuse see as the greatest achievement possible in civilization?
Freeing individual from needing to prove themselves on the market
Get more autonomy over life
What does marcuse mean with democratic un-freedom?
Being free and not free at the same time
freedom of enterprise was from the start not a blessing.
Liberty to starve or work.
two sides:
- you are free to choose work
- you have to work to survive
What is the difference between true needs and false needs according to marcuse?
False needs are pushed upon us by external powers. Constant new false needs created which do not make use happy. Society creates them which makes us unfree because we “need” them
True needs are vital needs
What is introjection and mimesis according to marcuse?
Introjection:
Internalization of certain aspects into yourself to make it part of your identity
Mimesis:
Individuals introject the ideas of society and use it with technology to supress their needs
What does marcuse define as the rational and irrational characteristics of an advanced industrial society?
Rational:
the artifacts that are created which enhance human well-being
Irrational:
people’s consciousness are manipulated to endure society
What is the result of mimesis according to marcuse?
People cannot imagine liberation from the repressive society and the system keeps existing
