Penis Envy and Other Bad Feelings: The Emotional Costs of Everyday Life

Mari Ruti combines theoretical reflection, cultural critique, feminist politics, and personal anecdotes to analyze the prevalence of bad feelings in contemporary everyday life. Proceeding from a playful engagement with Freud’s idea of penis envy, Ruti’s autotheoretical commentary fans out to a broader consideration of neoliberal pragmatism and a trenchant critique of contemporary gender relations.