Totem and Taboo (Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud) Paperback – September 17, 1990

Freud, an Austrian neurologist, founded psychoanalysis. He is best known for "his theories of the unconscious mind and the mechanism of repression." Freud created the clinical method of psychoanalysis for investigating the mind and treating psychopathology through dialogue between patient and analyst. Totem and Taboo is an interesting read for psychology students -- and those curious about Freud's methods and beliefs.

This book is amazing. It informs you about the culture of the primeval man and how things has changed from the very beginning to today. Freud of course is a great thinker, philosopher, psychologist and writer. His extremely admirable language is marvelous. I suggest this book for everybody who is curious about how people abandoned incest relationships and why is it a taboo now.

So he talks about totemism and taboo while saying straight out that he has no idea where they actually come from, so this is simply his theories based off other researchers at the time. He says totemism is basically a clan of people worshiping an animal and thinking they get traits from it etc. but doesn't go into much detail as to the pyschological reasons why the primative people did this. He goes in to talk about how taboos were made around the totem animal because the primal people thought that they were protected by said animal, and didnt want harm to come to whatever this animal was as they were afraid if so it would mean trouble for themselves. He goes in to explain how there were rules on who you could have sex with based on totem, and various customs regarding mom/stepson daughter/dad etc relationships while one or the other were in courting (of a non family member) which usually involved avoiding of one another in hopes that they will not preform incestual acts. There is a ton of stuff to think about here so I would suggest it to read, however it does create more questions then the ones it answers.

This is one of my all time favorites! It's been awhile since I've read Totem and Taboo, from what I recall, it deals with the origins of incestial prohibition and sexual neurosis. Very accessible and concise!

Not one of my favorite of Freud’s works. He imposes a Western European philosophical system that is centuries ols to indigenous populations in completely different environments and social structures. It is ethnocentric and patriarchal. Freud assumes indigenous others have the same personality structures and a social unconscious as western, white “man.” In a way this is an issue throughout all his writing, as genius as he was, the male dominates and “reality” is seen through this lens only.

Even psycologic, a brillant and surprisingly clear antrhopologic picture of human being. Universal.Full of hard data that contextualizes deep day to day common questions.

nothing less than 5 star for Sig, of course!

These four essays contain the essence of Freud's philosophy. Easily the most accessible of his sometimes cryptic writings. Highly recommended!