Herbert Marcuse: Life and Philosophies Essay

Herbert Marcuse was born in 1898 in Berlin and studied in Freiburg where he received his PhD in 1922 in Literature. His life was mainly depicted in his various roles as a philosopher, social theorist, and political activist and university professor. Known to us as the father of the New Left, he has authored m both books and wileicles in support of his sights. During his early years of c areer, he has worked with Martin Heidegger, then one of the most influential thinkers in Germany and who he has regarded his mentor.His initial cerebrations on philosophical perspectives of phenomenology, existentialism, and Marxism were show in his first published article in 1928. He had offered a different view just about Marxist thought and that is probably what scholars from the New Left had derived from him. He argued that in that respect is much to Marxism that most Marxists drop overlooked- it is more than a battle of transition from capitalism to socialism. He decided to join the Instit ut fur Sozialforschung in Frankfurt, later in Geneva and Columbia University.He studied Hegels Ontology and Theory of Historicity in 1932. He published in 1933, a major review of Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts written by Marx in 1844, meant to correct the early interpretations of Marxist scholars. His theories were centered on slender perspectives on modern capitalism and subversive change and liberation from the rich hence the essence of his one-dimensional society and his concept of the great refusalConsequently, he became one of the most influential intellectuals in the United States during the 1960s and into the 1970s. Here he has written antecedent and Revolution (1941), which explored the birth of the ideas of Hegel, Marx, and modern social theory, introducing to English readers the Hegelian-Marxian tradition of dialectical thinking and social analysis.He has worked as the head of the Central European bureau by the end of World War II, afterwards which he returned to intellectual work and published eros and Civilization in 1955 which is a synthesis of Marx and Freud controversy that the unconscious contained evidence of an instinctual drive toward happiness and freedom articulated in daydreams, works of art, philosophy, and otherwise cultural products- a non-repressive civilization is imagined where libidinal and non-alienated labor, play, free and open sexuality manifest. He became a professor in Brandeis University and University of California in La Jolla.He died in 1979. Herbert Marcuses contribution to social theory transcends others in his use of Philosophy in his explanations. For one, his Philosophy of imposture is best characterized as negative art. His idea about a great art is one that is irrational, negative and destructive. Nonetheless, it is important in the society as it is useful. Again, going back from his Freudian cum Marxian critique of the capitalist society where this notion of art emanates Freuds psychology places a heavy emphasis on the role of (sexual) repression.The universe ruler replaces the pleasure principle in young children. This is the basis of civilized society, and nothing can satisfy these unconscious desires of adults. The self that represses and is stir by what is quash is the adult, social self slice the self that delights in the repressed is the childish, anti-social self. This repression is exemplified by phratry characters such as Peter Pan. A modification was make by Marcuse by adding a diversion between necessary and surplus repression. The former is essential for survival while the latter is take oned by other people (e.g. rulers).Surplus repression is eliminated while necessary repression is minimized by progress. However, surplus repression is heightened by the elite. If it was necessary repression that was world challenged, we would have the duty to constrain the outrage that people express as a product of inner conflict and preserve civilization. So that we c ould conquer the surplus repression on the other hand, we must release our surplus desires from all repressions. The art then serves as the reference work of such revolution. These conceptions of repression are evident in his Eros and Civilization.Any discussion about his Philosophy on dodge would have to deal with this critical work. Eros and Civilization may be considered a Marxist interpretation of Freuds Civilization and Its Discontents. Marcuse argued remote to Freud that repression of the Libido is not a necessary precondition of civilization but solely of a civilization circumscribed by want and toil, which is of frugal scarcity. (Eidelberg, 1969) Also, in One-Dimensional Man, he argued that subtle forms of repression exists amidst the freedom and affluence manifested in American society.From these two, he was able top coin the term repressive tolerance which according to him is generated by an economy based on planned obsolescence and the production of wastes. While th e economic establishment may develop useful and beneficial things, its existence depends primarily on the production of frivolous and even harmful things. And while it may sometimes satisfy certain inescapably, more often it manufactures a multiplicity of morose postulate (Eidelberg 1969) In addition, the products of the economy, like that in the entertainment industry needs createsthis false consciousness thru the re processs, beliefs, ideas and feelings that it carries which immunes the industry against falseness.The avowedly needs are repressed because the manufacturing and gratification of artificial needs produce a feeling of gratification which constrains the individual from opposing economic and political structures. This is why great art for Marcuse is one that is able to absolve from the manufactured rationality, positivism and subtle repressions of the society- one that goes out of the normal, accepted and gratified.There are certain forms of art that are meant to c onstitute the same ideas, sentiments and want that are categorized as false and are there to create a pleasant relationship between producers and consumers. Marcuses Philosophy of Art clearly follows his task of argumentations on repression. No good art would aim at participating in the creation of false consciousness and establish needs and wants that individuals do not regard as necessary. For Herbert Marcuse, true needs are those that the individual decides for him self because no need nor want may be dictated by any tribe, society, etc.Most of Marcuses philosophy arises from his interpretation of Hegels. In his work, Reason and Revolution, Pippin says that Most clearly, what Marcuse wants to preserve and take for in Hegel is the central place given in his system to negativism, the power of thought and action to reject and transform any putative positive reality, and the impossibility of understanding any such reality except in relation to this possibility. Accordingly, in Rea son and Revolution, he again rejects in Hegel all those aspects of his thought that tend to suppress or overcome this negating potential (Pippin 1988 Cited in Anderson 1993)It seems that this negativity will be the source and means of acquiring reason and knowledge that presupposes freedom from repression. This is the same negativity that Marcuse expresses in the great art. Anderson explains this negativity in relation to Marx and Hegel For Marx, as for Hegel, the dialectic takes note of the fact that the negation inherent in reality is the abject and creative principle. The dialectic is the dialectic of negativity Negativity is important to Marx in part because economic realities exhibit their own inherent negativity.Marcuses stress on Hegels concept of negativity is unexampled and original. (Anderson 1993) Hence, certain types of art exhibit the principle of negativity that may not portray existing realities as the essence of reality may indeed be implicit yet is creative to con vey ideas of the stranger and true. How then are Marcuses ideas especially his philosophies relevant in todays society? I could wholly think of the prevailing culture and how such is played by media, capitalism, political structures and organizations.How is repression exhibited by their activities and ideas? Which of our true needs are suppressed? Which of the needs they insist on the public are considered false needs? Where is art as the potential revolutionary tool to resist repression? Imagine television commercials that are made to promote certain products. While many are made to patronize the product, the demand has been created as a result of a dictation for the purpose of profit for the producer, tv network, etc. The demand created may only satisfy the superficial needs of the consumer.For, even if the will of the individual to consume the product may be voluntary, it is nonetheless a form of participation to the orthodox or mainstream beliefs and desires. The tv commercial becomes the tool for the working out of the false consciousness. The economic system created becomes a system of gratification of what seemingly appears as demand yet demand dictated by profit, ergo false. The true needs are repressed for the true need emerges as the ideas that are advocating liberation from the norm and comfortably accepted. Art could become a tool for this revolutionary endeavor.In the same way that Art could be appreciated readily in the societal market, it could contain subtle thoughts and ideologies aimed at pursuing true needs with less confrontation and hindrances. Art may take various forms paintings, music, architecture, literature, etc. While Art is also categorized as mainstream and peripheral, only those that are based on Reason may truly reflect realities and negate the economic rationalities presented in a repressed society. Herbert Marcuse has truly contributed a lot to the understanding of various societal aspects. His Philosophy of Art is a subject that is both enlightening and liberating.