[Steve’s note – this continues the various short vignettes highlighting parts of Marcuse’s One-Dimensional Man
Here are links to the introduction, could becoming should, religion, rationalization of brutality, threats that aren’t threats, the sometimes subtle structures of power, Fight Club as Social Commentary, Marcuse versus Popular Culture, and a quick analysis of his work’s effectiveness.]
When you meet someone, we ask them what they do.
Their answer often has a strong correlation to their self-identity. Our language reflects it: “I am a teacher” or “I am a doctor.” But that correlation does not extend to what we want to do. For most of us, the work we do does not reflect anything about who we want to be.
For now.
