The social basis of consciousness

Chapter II 114

Chapter 8109 wordsPublic domain

FORMULATION OF AN ORGANIC OR SOCIETAL BASIS OF INTERPRETATION

The mental life of the infant organism is wholly subjective and is one with the organism’s inherent feeling--With entrance of the ulterior motive appearing in the command and prohibition of the parent there is the issue of personal gain or loss (suggestion and repression)--Appearance of self-consciousness and self-interest forces interruption of the organism’s societal life and a separation from its basic continuum--Maintenance of separativeness of individual destroys organic integrity--There is need to stand apart from self and view it as element within the larger organism of mankind--Instinct of tribal preservation and not self-preservation is the dominant urge among us.