Repressive Sublimation

Using as much of our readings as is appropriate in introduction or body paragraphs or conclusion, write a four-to-five page paper double-spaced with one inch margins, 12-point font in which you make meaning. Use Marcuse’s “repressive desublimation” concept to explain how a specific advertisement functions (Super Bowl?) and how it might explain both the pursuit of happiness and limited freedom. However, while the assignment doesn’t mention art, reference to it, especially what we have examined and discusses this reader is very interested in art and culture.

The writer will want to bring critical thinking into play whether s/he is analyzing or synthesizing in her/his thinking. In other words, bring in a source, idea, or concept that challenges thinking to bring about fuller thought.

For your introduction, be certain to give the reader the tools s/he will need to better understand your paper. (Remember, introductions can be more than a paragraph.) You will need to think about your audience (classmates and me) and provide information that will make your paper clear while leading up to its assertion or thesis.

• Perhaps you let the reader know who Marcuse was and his legacy.
• Perhaps you show how Barney’s book can be seen as a precursor to Marcuse thinking as a philosopher?
• Perhaps you include a definition of what the concept means or how you interpret it?
All of it will lead to your thesis statement (assertion) and outline of arguments (how you will support your assertion), also part of your introduction. The outline of arguments or outline of sources that will be use to support your thesis’ assertion.

The body of your essay should include arguments that disprove some ways of thinking and evidence for each argument you bring to bear on your explanation of development of interpretation. Be certain to refer to the writers we have read using direct references as evidence to your argument and explain the relevance or lack thereof. Each argument regarding development may need more than a paragraph to do the job effectively. Quotation and paraphrasing will be needed to complete the writing effectively. Both quotation and paraphrase needs citation.

Your paper’s conclusion should be one where you leave the reader thinking about some aspect of your paper’s thinking. Examples of strong conclusions (but not limited to) are as follows:

• Describe how deeply embedded we are in what Marcuse would call a dystopia.
• Explain why happiness’ pursuit is such an attractive substitute for greater freedom.
• Given what you have read, what might “One-Dimensional Man” mean?
• How might Barney’s book be seen as a precursor to the 60’s Marcuse thinking as a philosopher?
• How might Powell’s memo be seen as a backlash to the 60’s radicalism and perhaps Marcuse specifically?
• Explain how a work of art that you are familiar with evokes something other than repressive desublimation.

Your paper will include a Works Cited Page that will consist of the documentation of the readings we have read and now used in the paper and the advertisement. This page does not count as a page of the paper.

If you have gone through the process of thinking about and writing this paper faithfully, you can be proud of your work. You have attempted close reading and meaning making through critical thinking. This is the kind of work is the kind that subverts lecture classes and specialized disciplines and produces the most successful college students. Congratulations.