Abstract

ARAUJO, Ricardo Henrique  and  ANDRADE, Joice Cavalcante. The taboo of primitive peoples and the stigma of present-day societies: the two aspects of the same psychoanalytic and sociologic phenomenon. Cogito [online]. 2012, vol.13, pp. 58-62. ISSN 1519-9479.

Taboo, as evidenced by Freud’s writings, was established in humanity ever since the primitive community organizations. With the intention of promoting the interdiction of desires that could foster the dissolution of the organization of a people, the taboo was imposed by way of symbols, of which the Totem is an example, representing what is considered to be the primordial construct similar to what we today understand as religion. In more recent studies, the theme of taboo has come to be described as “social stigma” and it alludes to topics that are censured by the representatives of civilized society, for example, serious mental disorders. Thus, it becomes evident that this social mechanism said to be of protection, but nevertheless having the potential to cause damage to the freedom and other rights of individuals, has pressed on through the different peoples and times of humanity and persists even to the present time.

Keywords : Totem; taboo; social stigma; mental disorder.

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