Modern civilization required more sublimation and repression of desires, both sexual and destructive aggressive desires, than most people were capable of maintaining for long periods without either physical, or psychological, illnesses developing. 'Civilization', in early twentieth century Europe in particular, required too much renunciation of the release of instinctual desires, from which pleasure could be derived, so that many people became physically, psychologically, or psycho-somatically, ill and discomforted, or, as Freud came to articulate it, 'discontented'. (See S. Freud Civilization and its Discontents, 1930, which is discussed in Chapter 3). This was dangerous, he thought, because people could so easily be mobilized to tear down civilized ways of conducting life if the costs to them of maintaining civilized conduct became too great. Warfare, and other forms of collective violence, even genocide, may come to be seen as more gratifying than continuing with peaceful pursuits, particularly by men.

Bocock xx, xiv)...
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