"The Great Refusal" is a term coined by philosopher [[Herbert Marcuse]] in his influential book "[[One-Dimensional Man]]." It refers to a form of protest or resistance against the established social, political, and economic order.
**According to Marcuse, "The Great Refusal" is an act of radical refusal or total rejection of the patterns of thought, behavior, and consumption imposed by advanced industrial societies. He saw this rejection as a necessary response to a system that creates false needs, suppresses individuality, and stifles critical thought.**
"The Great Refusal" is not about a specific form of protest or a detailed program of change. Instead, it represents an attitude or spirit of revolt. It might manifest as a refusal to conform, an act of non-participation, or even a comprehensive critique of the existing order.
In essence, "The Great Refusal" is about envisioning and creating alternatives to a status quo that Marcuse saw as repressive and one-dimensional. It involves a broad critique of consumerism, technological rationality, and the limitations on individual freedom and creativity imposed by contemporary societies.
Marcuse's "Great Refusal" had a significant influence on various countercultural and leftist movements in the 1960s and 70s and continues to be a concept of interest in contemporary critical theory and social philosophy.