The goal towards which the pleasure principle impels us – of becoming happy – is not attainable: yet we may not – nay, cannot – give up the efforts to come nearer to realization of it by some means or other. – Sigmund Freud
Just as a cautious businessman avoids investing all his capital in one concern, so wisdom would probably admonish us also not to anticipate all our happiness from one quarter alone. – Sigmund Freud
Every normal person, in fact, is only normal on the average. His ego approximates to that of the psychotic in some part or other and to a greater or lesser extent. – Sigmund Freud
The liberty of the individual is no gift of civilization. It was greatest before there was any civilization. – Sigmund Freud
A belligerent state permits itself every such misdeed, every such act of violence, as would disgrace the individual. – Sigmund Freud
What a distressing contrast there is between the radiant intelligence of the child and the feeble mentality of the average adult. – Sigmund Freud
It is impossible to overlook the extent to which civilization is built upon a renunciation of instinct. – Sigmund Freud
What we call happiness in the strictest sense comes from the (preferably sudden) satisfaction of needs which have been dammed up to a high degree. – Sigmund Freud
The act of birth is the first experience of anxiety, and thus the source and prototype of the affect of anxiety. – Sigmund Freud
The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the mind. – Sigmund Freud
The tendency to aggression is an innate, independent, instinctual disposition in man… it constitutes the powerful obstacle to culture. – Sigmund Freud
Whoever loves becomes humble. Those who love have, so to speak, pawned a part of their narcissism. – Sigmund Freud
Illusions commend themselves to us because they save us pain and allow us to enjoy pleasure instead. We must therefore accept it without complaint when they sometimes collide with a bit of reality against which they are dashed to pieces. – Sigmund Freud