The Unconscious

OneofFreud’scentralachievementswastodemonstratehowunacceptablethoughtsandfeelingsarerepressedintotheunconscious,fromwheretheycontinuetoexertadecisiveinfluenceoverourlives.Thisvolumecontainsakeystatementaboutevidencefortheunconscious,andhowitworks,aswellasmajoressaysonallthefundamentalsofmentalfunctioning.Freudexploreshowwearetornbetweenthepleasureprincipleandtherealityprinciple,howweoftenfindwaysbothtoexpressandtodenywhatwemostfear,andwhycertainmenneedfetishesfortheirsexualsatisfaction.Hisstudyofourmostbasicdrives,andhowtheyaretransformed,brilliantlyilluminatesthenatureofsadism,masochism,exhibitionismandvoyeurism.