Critique of Freud's Concept of a Death Instinct

In his paper “The Economic Problem in Masochism” , Freud gives his latest exposition of the concept of a death instinct. He begins by finding the existence of the masochistic trend in human life to be mysterious from the economic point of view. The mystery is based on the assumption of the pleasure-principle which governs mental processes so that the avoidance of pain and the obtaining of pleasure is their first aim. This principle is indicated not to be a matter of hedonism but the basis of a signal apparatus in which physical pain and feelings of distress are signals of danger. Freud wonders how this signal principle can be disturbed so that pain can become an end in itself. This immediately brings up a number of questions and problems.

Most individuals would agree that they prefer pleasure to pain. But what is pleasure and what is pain? Pleasure might be what a statistical study would indicate as pleasurable activities such as attending a baseball game or concert, reading a novel, or perhaps having sexual activities; a vast number of popular pursuits. Pain would be not having money for a ball game, stubbing one's toe, etc. On the other hand, there are many things in life that cause pain or distress but which are considered to be necessary to life. Attending school may be varyingly painful and distressing to many children at different times. Most children complain about the earliness of their bedtime. One must wonder if such feelings of pain and distress are warning signals of danger to the child. They certainly are restraints. That the acceptance of a pain in return for some future reward may motivate some of the acceptance is a subsequent problem. A child eventually might accept school as quite satisfactory or even desirable. By this time the economy has been altered so that it is no longer painful but pleasurable. Therefore, the warning position of pain or distress can be disturbed by the imposition of an external force or restraint. To disturb the new arrangeme