This idea proposes that true freedom begins by breaking free from society's ingrained, often deceptive, ways of thinking. It means letting your imagination soar beyond what is expected, challenging the norms that limit genuine human potential and genuine understanding.
Quote by Herbert Marcuse: “Liberation of the imagination is liberation from the 'false consciousness' of the established society.”
Liberation of the imagination is liberation from the 'false consciousness' of the established society.
Insight
Historical Context
Written during a period of widespread student protests and counter-cultural movements, Marcuse provided theoretical support for radical critiques of capitalist society and the potential for a more liberated future.
About the Author
German-American philosopher and sociologist associated with the Frankfurt School of critical theory, whose 1964 work One-Dimensional Man became a foundational text of the New Left. He argued that advanced industrial society neutralises opposition by absorbing dissent into consumer culture.
View all quotes by Herbert Marcuse