Imagination, Utopia, and the "Last Man"

Περίληψη

This article presents a brief overview of Herbert Marcuse’s theory regarding the revolutionary potential he identifies in the cultural and political action of the "black community". By employing Marxist and Freudian theories, Marcuse critiques principles that legitimize systemic violence, maintain socio-economic inequalities, and manipulate the subject within liberal society. The author explores how Marcuse, leaning toward surrealist anarcho-marxism, develops the idea of an aesthetic and cultural revolution. The study examines Marcuse's vision for creating a new linguistic, moral, and political foundation to achieve a truly emancipated and integrated human subject, contrasting this with Nietzsche’s concept of the "Last Man" who has lost the capacity to dream or create. Finally, the paper highlights how "Black Culture" and its marginal musical and linguistic expressions serve as a practical application of imagination for political liberation.