If art is a way for people to express their hidden desires after they reach a certain age, it would follow that everyone would need to practice some form of art or they would need an alternate way to do so. Everyone choosing to live in a civilized society would have to repress some of their thoughts and actions. We certainly do not say everything we think to a boss or teacher. It would also follow that these thoughts we do not say stay with us until we are able to get them out. This would make art a vital system of release for people. We might think then that everyone would utilize some form of art, but I do not think that I personally do. (Some people have argued against me when I make this statement because I am in broadcasting, but I make news and documentary style work that involves little creativity and mostly interviewed people make up the content of the presentation. While this involves my choosing parts of interviews and content, it does not seem to have the necessary level of individuality for needed for Freud’s understanding of art). If people do not release their built up emotions and issues through art and Freud is correct about their need, then they must be releasing it somewhere else. It is possible that they could do so through misplaced emotional response. For example, someone might be angry at their boss and yelled at their child. This example seems to suggest that art is necessary for psychological health, though, and I do not think I want to make that assumption.
The same assumption is made if one finds that those who do not create art must utilize it as a cathartic way to release their own pent up emotions and desires. This would also assume that people have the same pent up emotions and desires and although they are closely linked there is probably some variety. Perhaps sports could be an alternative to art as a way to release emotions and desires. Certainly in the example of someone mad at their boss they could release their anger in the physicality of sports. The more difficult aspect of this is the hidden desire. It is possible that sports allow ones ego to be enhanced because they are being viewed by the crowd looking to see what they do next. There is also a connection to the lust Freud feels most people hide. Sports enhance a person’s physical fitness and this is sexually appealing to most people. This means that sports are enhancing one’s physical ability to draw in sexual partners. In some sports there is the more obvious example of cheerleaders acting as sexually appealing figures specifically showing interest in the members of the sports team. They in turn are considered sexually appealing by the sports team achieving their need to be the figures of lust.
What are other ways than art and sport for releasing repressed desires?
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