Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Vintage (~1970), Edition: First Thus, Paperback, 207 pages
Description
Widely acknowledged to be one of Freud's greatest cultural works, when Totem and Taboo was first published in 1913, it caused outrage. Thorough and thought-provoking, Totem and Taboo remains the fullest exploration of Freud's most famous themes. Family, society, religion - they're all put on the couch here. Whatever your feelings about psychoanalysis, Freud's theories have influenced every facet of modern life, from film and literature to medicine and art. If you don't know your incest taboo from your Oedipal complex, and you want to understand more about the culture we're living in, then Totem and Taboo is the book to read.
User reviews
LibraryThing member drbrand
In the beginning was the Deed.
Basically, we collectively killed the dad, felt sorry-not sorry, reenacted the crime over and over until we forgot exactly what we did in the first place, and eventually invented religion to make sense of it all. The end!
Basically, we collectively killed the dad, felt sorry-not sorry, reenacted the crime over and over until we forgot exactly what we did in the first place, and eventually invented religion to make sense of it all. The end!
LibraryThing member P_S_Patrick
Totem and Taboo is an investigation into the links between Neurosis and the religious / social Totem tradition, and the Taboos found in pre and post-totemic societies. In large part this work is inspired by the anthropological work of James George Frazer, with Freud bringing in his interests in the
This use of psychoanalytic thinking to solve some of the puzzles of anthropology seems to be a sensible approach. Though Freud discusses several theories here, some of which are much more convincing than others, we are left without any definite conclusions. Which is only to be expected as this sort of work can only ever be theoretical, peering as it is into the distant mists of time. However it does yield several testable hypotheses which are backed up by anthropological findings, giving some credibility to the ideas being thrown around here.
Probably best appreciated by those who are already familiar with Freud, and Frazer's Golden Bough, however Freud does a fairly good job at explaining to concepts so it would not be too much to pick up from scratch.
Show More
subconscious and the Oedipus complex to explain the genesis of the Totem system of beliefs, and the wide-spread existence of certain taboos. This use of psychoanalytic thinking to solve some of the puzzles of anthropology seems to be a sensible approach. Though Freud discusses several theories here, some of which are much more convincing than others, we are left without any definite conclusions. Which is only to be expected as this sort of work can only ever be theoretical, peering as it is into the distant mists of time. However it does yield several testable hypotheses which are backed up by anthropological findings, giving some credibility to the ideas being thrown around here.
Probably best appreciated by those who are already familiar with Freud, and Frazer's Golden Bough, however Freud does a fairly good job at explaining to concepts so it would not be too much to pick up from scratch.
Show Less
LibraryThing member GlennBell
This book provides insight into the thinking of Freud,who is a founder of some progress in clinical psychology. He is logical and well researched. He ultimately ties totemism and religion to the Oedipus complex. I found the work to be of little practical value. I am not thoroughly convinced it is
Show More
even intellectually correct. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original language
German
Original publication date
1913
Physical description
224 p.; 7.27 inches
ISBN
0394701240 / 9780394701240