Civilization and Its Discontents

In this late and relatively short work, Freud asks why people who live in civilised society so often feel unhappy. He argues that social life depends on restraining our instincts, especially aggression and desire, and that this restraint brings guilt and lasting tension. He looks at religion, love, work and the conscience as ways of coping. The tone is reflective and often sombre, written as Europe moved towards new conflict. It remains one of his most widely read essays on culture and the price of living together.