Libertarianism – a political philosophy that upholds liberty (freedom) as a core value. Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and minimize the state’s violation of individual liberties; emphasizing free association, freedom of choice and individualism.

Authoritarianism – the enforcement or advocacy of strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.

Hedonism – The belief that self-pleasure and good experiences are the main things you should aim for in life.

Pleasure – feelings of satisfaction and good experiences. Pleasure, however, can not be experienced without pain.

The Frankfurt School

The Frankfurt school studied the manufacture (commodification) of pleasure and good experiences, as they knew that society and human beings were starting to crave these things. The development of technology made the public more able to experience pleasure without going to the trouble of obtaining it.

The idea of the “teenager” came about in the 1960s, along with a permissive society, which meant that unpopular ideas such as homosexuality became more prominent and accepted.

Libertarianism is a political philosophy that upholds liberty as a core value. Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and minimize the state’s violation of individual liberties; emphasizing free association, freedom of choice, individualism and voluntary association.

Authoritarianism is a form of government characterized by the rejection of political plurality, the use of strong central power to preserve the political status quo, and reductions in the rule of law, separation of powers, and democratic voting.

Hedonism comes from the ancient Greek for ‘pleasure’. Psychological or motivational hedonism claims that only pleasure or pain motivates us. Ethical or evaluative hedonism claims that only pleasure has worth or value and only pain or displeasure has disvalue or the opposite of worth.

The Frankfurt School was a school of social theory and critical philosophy associated with the Institute for Social Research, at Goethe University Frankfurt in 1929. Founded in the Weimar Republic (1918–1933), during the European interwar period (1918–1939), the Frankfurt School comprised intellectuals, academics, and political dissidents dissatisfied with the contemporary socio-economic systems (capitalist, fascist, communist) of the 1930s. The Frankfurt theorists proposed that social theory was inadequate for explaining the turbulent political factionalism and reactionary politics occurring in 20th century liberal capitalist societies. Critical of both capitalism and of Marxism–Leninism as philosophically inflexible systems of social organization, the School’s critical theory research indicated alternative paths to realizing the social development of a society and a nation.

It is widely believed that a revolution in British social attitudes and behaviour took place during the Sixties, making Britain a secular ‘permissive society’. In popular accounts, this sea-change amounted to the discovery of ‘sex, drugs n rock n roll’ by the young. Unlike a political revolution, there was no single event that marked the beginning of changes that many contemporaries felt climaxed in the ‘Summer of Love’ of 1967, although others pointed to the trial of Penguin Books for publishing the novel Lady Chatterley’s Lover in 1960. A topic of roiling historical controversy since the decade ended, this module asks what changed in Sixties Britain and why it did so before considering the consequences and legacies of the period.

Wanting a free world – no rules

Favouring being in a world where there are rules and regulations as you believe that they are necessary- wanting to be told what to do.

Hedonism is the idea that humans actively seek to gain pleasure while avoiding pain. Epicurus theorises about how people are often unhappy because they have the ‘wrong’ idea of what makes us happy. After conducting research he proposed that we need only 3 major things- friends , alone time and finding piece in yourself.

Slave:

(especially in the past) A person who is the legal property of another and is forced to obey them.

Free:

Able to act or be done as one wishes; not under the control of another.

Authoritarian:

Favouring or enforcing strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.

Libertarians:

Seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and minimize the state’s violation of individual liberties; emphasizing free association, freedom of choice, individualism and voluntary association.

Hedonism:

Psychological or motivational hedonism claims that human behaviour is determined by desires to increase pleasure and to decrease pain.

Frankfurt school:

Pleasure gets commodified into popular culture and products which people buy to make them believe it will make them happier, however its only making the rich richer, and poor poorer.