Civilization's Progress and the Paradox of Increasing Discontent

A key argument in Freud's essay is that while civilization aims to increase human happiness through progress, it paradoxically exacerbates human suffering by imposing ever-stricter controls on natural instincts. The repression of these instincts leads to individual neuroses and, on a larger scale, widespread discontent within society.

Freud discusses how guilt plays a central role in this process, as individuals internalize societal rules and develop a sense of guilt for even their unexpressed desires, further contributing to their unhappiness.