A German philosopher linked to the Frankfurt School, Marcuse fled the Nazis and built his career in the United States. Combining Marx and Freud, he argued that industrial society represses desire beyond what is necessary and creates false needs. In the 1960s he became a reference for the counterculture and student movements.
Core ideas
Consumer society produces false needs that keep people conformist
A rich civilization could free Eros instead of repressing pleasure for the sake of work
Radical refusal of the system is necessary, even when change seems impossible
The tradition: Critical theory (Frankfurt School)
The critical theory of the Frankfurt School analyzes how modern society dominates people without their noticing. Marcuse is the member who bet most on the liberation of desire as a political path.
