What Made Freud Think of That? [by David Lehman]

A definitive example of the spontaneous aphorism:
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One is irresistibly reminded of an incident in the French Chamber when capital punishment was being debated. A member had been passionately supporting its abolition and his speech was being received with tumultuous applause, when a voice from the hall called out: 'Que messieurs les assassins commencent!' [Let the murderers make the first move.]

-- Freud.Civilization and Its Discontents
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OK, everyone. In the course of writing, Civilization and Its Discontents, what argument or quotation "irresistibly reminded" Freud of this incident?

I wonder whether others will concur when I say that Civilization and Its Discontents is one of the most irresistible titles of the twentieth century. -- DL

Comments

[bill]

Am not entirely sure, but...think it was after he had been to a matinee of "Death of A Salesman"...or maybe was it Shepard's "True West"

[Ad Donitz]

Jawohl, Herr Doktor! The quotation quiet good is just as the title is almost even better.