#1 Happiness?

Are we truly happy? Do you feel discontent? Personally, I don't feel discontent; but according to Adam Curtis and Sigmund Freud, it is impossible to be truly happy. Through Sigmund Freud's, Civilization and its Discontents, Freud argues that in order for civilization to be happy (or content) they have to be able to let out their inner most animalistic instincts - sex and violence. But in order to be civilized both of these strongest instincts must be repressed; allowing us to "better understand why it should be so hard for men to feel happy in it" (Freud, ). Whereas, before civilization, the primitive man, being allowed to show aggression and sexuality, led a freer life, not knowing the limitations. It is interesting that Freud goes to the extent in stating that civilization is responsible for our misery. He believes that as a civilization, we gather into groups to distance ourselves from 'suffering', but in the end, it reflects back unto ourselves. In Adam Curtis', The Century of the Self, he expresses his views of this point through examples provided by history. He examines the use of Edward Bernays' psychological techniques in public relations and the effects that it had. Stressing that the mass population will never be content due to the fact that we will always be controlled and limited, yet when we are set free, we are not capable of taking care of ourselves. Through advertisement and media, the populations are forced to purchase products due to the message of the media, channelling our inner desires.

What I personally find interesting is the difference in advertisement usage in cultures. For example, using the women's make-up counter in department stores, I would like to point out the differences in promoting products in different part of the worlds. In Canada, and western culture, when someone approaches the counter, the staff would kindly ask, "hello, may I help you? Are you looking for anything in particular?" And as a consumer, personally, you would go in either with questions, knowing what product you are looking for, or you were just browsing. The staff at these make-up counters do not promote their product as much, assuming that their company's advertisement had reached us before we approached their counter. Whereas in Taiwan or oriental culture, it is a totally different case. Before I even approach the make-up counter, staff members would have usually reached me while greeting, "Welcome! Oh dear, you're pores are too large! Here, miss, try this new pore minimizing primer!" With this said, the need for that product is absolutely necessary. Not only was the desire for the product originally there, it has now been completely justified by the super-ego, ending with the purchasing of the product. It is evident that the different types of advertising or promoting of products in different cultures can create such a variant in results of the actual consumption of the selling products. Here, we see that Curtis' analysis of Bernays' advertisement techniques not only work subliminally, but also directly. By targeting the needs and the desire of one to exceed their personal perfected image of oneself, the use of subliminal advertisements work subtly, but with the direct confrontation of another female, creates greater results of mass consumption.

The Century of the Self. Dir. Adam Curtis. BBC Four, 2002. Film

Freud, Sigmund. Translator: James Strachey. Civilization and its Discontents. New York: W. W.

Norton & Company Ltd., 1961. Print.