Herbert Marcuse quotes

" Freedom of enterprise was from the beginning not altogether a blessing. As the liberty to work or to starve, it spelled toil, insecurity, and fear for the vast majority of the population. If the individual were no longer compelled to prove himself on the market, as a free economic subject, the disappearance of this freedom would be one of the greatest achievements of civilization. " # Free Enterprise # Freedom # Liberty

" The people recognize themselves in their commodities; they find their soul in their automobile, hi-fi set, split-level home, kitchen equipment. " # Materialism # Love # Friends and Friendship

" Obscenity is a moral concept in the verbal arsenal of the establishment, which abuses the term by applying it, not to expressions of its own morality but to those of another. " # Obscenity # Science and Scientists # Morality

" The web of domination has become the web of Reason itself, and this society is fatally entangled in it. " # Oppression # Spirit and Spirituality # Reason

" Self-determination, the autonomy of the individual, asserts itself in the right to race his automobile, to handle his power tools, to buy a gun, to communicate to mass audiences his opinion, no matter how ignorant, how aggressive, it may be. " # Autonomy # Opinions # Automobiles

" If mass communications blend together harmoniously, and often unnoticeably, art, politics, religion, and philosophy with commercials, they bring these realms of culture to their common denominator -- the commodity form. The music of the soul is also the music of salesmanship. Exchange value, not truth value, counts. " # Culture # Music # Politicians and Politics