Basicinformation
Introduction
ErichFromm(March23,1900-March18,1980)IsaninternationallyrenownedGerman-AmericanJewishcapitalistphilosopherandpsychoanalyticpsychologist.ThepurposeofhislifewastomodifyFreud'spsychoanalytictheorytofitthespiritualsituationofWesternersafterthetwoworldwars.Frommisreveredhereasoneofthefoundersof"psychoanalyticsociology".
Inaddition,FrommwasamemberoftheFrankfurtSchoolinGermany,andhasalwaysbeenassociatedwiththeschoolafterimmigratingtotheUnitedStates.ThecharacteristicofFromm'sthoughtisanattempttoreconcileFreud'spsychoanalysiswithMaslow'shumanism.
Lifeandexperience
Earlylife
OnMarch23,1900,FrommwasborninaJewishfamilyinFrankfurt,Germany,astheonlychildinthefamily.In1918FrommenteredtheGoetheUniversityFrankfurttostudylawfortwosemesters.Afterthesummervacationof1919,FrommenteredHeidelbergUniversitytostudyandchangedtosociology.HisteacherswereAlfredWeber(BrotherofMaxWeber),KarlJaspersandHeinrichRickert.In1922,hereceivedaPh.D.inphilosophyfromHeidelberg,andthefollowingyearhewenttotheUniversityofMunichtospecializeinpsychoanalysis.From1925to1930,hecompletedhistraininginpsychoanalysisattheBerlinPsychoanalyticSociety.In1930,hebeganclinicalpracticeandjoinedtheFrankfurtSocietyforSocialObservation.AftertheNaziscametopowerinGermany,FrommmovedtoGenevaandenteredColumbiaUniversityinNewYorkin1934.AfterleavingColumbiain1943,hehelpedformtheNewYorkbranchoftheWashingtonSchoolofPsychiatry,theWilliamAlansonWhiteAssociationofPsychiatry,Psychoanalysis,andPsychologyin1945.
Laterlife
In1950,FrommmovedtoMexicoCityandbecameaprofessoratUNAM(UniversidadNacionalAutónomadeMéxico)untilhisretirementin1965.Themedicalschoolhereestablishesapsychoanalysisdepartment.HeservedasaprofessorofpsychologyatMichiganStateUniversityfrom1957to1961,andafter1962asavisitingprofessorofpsychologyattheSchoolofArtsandSciencesatNewYorkUniversity.HemovedtoMuralto,Switzerlandin1974anddiedathomefivedaysbeforehis80thbirthdayin1980.Fromminsistsonclinicalpracticeandpublishesbooks.
DoctrinePropositions
Fromm'sworksarefamousfordocumentingsocialpoliticsandasbasicphilosophyandpsychology.
Frommpublishedhisfirstmajorbook"EscapefromFreedom"in1941.In1947publisheditssequel-"ForOne'sOwnMan".ThesetwobooksoutlinethetheoryofhumancharacterinFromm'stheoryofhumannature.Fromm'smostpopularbookis"TheArtofLove"publishedin1956,inwhichhesummarizedandsupplementedthetheoryofhumannaturein"EscapefromFreedom"and"ForOne'sOwnMan"andotherworks.
FrommlearnedtheTalmud(theCodeofJudaism)fromanearlyage,andhisoutlookonlifewasprofoundlyinfluenced.Whenhewasyoung,hestudiedtheBiblewiththeJewishpriestJ.Horowitz,andlaterstudiedwiththepriestSalmanBaruchRabinkowwhenhewasstudyingforaPhDinsociologyattheUniversityofHeidelberg.HefollowedNehemiaNobelandLudwigKrausewhenhewasstudyinginFrankfurt.Fromm'sgrandfatherandhistwoolderbrotherswerebothpriests,andoneunclewasafamousTalmudscholar.Butin1926,FrommleftOrthodoxJudaismandturnedtoamodelofhumanisticinterpretationoftheBible.
Fromm'sinterpretationofthebiblicalstoryofAdamandEvebeingexpelledfromtheGardenofEdenlaidthecornerstoneofhishumanisticphilosophy.Frommpointedoutthatdistinguishingbetweengoodandevilisusuallyregardedasavirtue,butscholarsstudyingtheBiblebelievethatAdamandEvesinnedbyeatingthefruitofthetreeofknowledgeofgoodandevilbecausetheyviolatedGod.Hebelievesthatpeopleshouldusetheirintellecttoestablishtheirownmoralvalue,notbyobeyingauthoritytoestablishmoralvalue.Frommappreciatespeoplewhocanactindependently.Theseargumentsarecontrarytotraditionalreligion.
Inadditiontothepurelycondemningauthoritarianvaluesystem,FreundalsousesthestoryofAdamandEveasametaphortoexplainhumananxietyfromtheperspectiveofevolutionandexistentialism.AdamandEveatethefruitsofthetreeofknowledge,andtheyrealizedthatwhentheywerestillpartofnature,theywerenolongeronewithnature.Sotheyfeel"naked"and"ashamed".Theyhaveevolvedintohumanbeings,realizingthemselves,realizingmoralvalues,realizingthepowerlessnessbroughtaboutbythegreatpowerofnatureandsociety,andtheyarenolongerthe"quasi-humans"whoareonewiththeuniverseandonlyhaveanimalinstincts.AccordingtoFromm,allfeelingsofguiltandshameoriginatefromtheseparationofpeople'sawarenessofexistence.Toresolvethissplitofexistence,theonlywaytofullydeveloptheuniquecharacteristicsofmankind-loveandreason.Frommemphasizedthathisconceptofloveisdifferentfromthegeneralconceptof"love",butinfactitsconceptisambiguous.
Frommbelievesthatloveisthecreativitybetweenpeople,notfeelings.Heusedthiscreativitytodistinguishthevariousnarcissisticneurosesthatareoftenusedasproofof"truelove"andsexualabusetendencies.Freundbelievesthattheessenceoflovehasfourelements:care,responsibility,respectandunderstanding.Theexperienceof"love"onlyrepresentsaperson'sfailuretotrulyunderstandthenatureoflove.FreundusedthestoryofJonahintheBibletoillustratethatcareandresponsibilityareveryrareintoday'shumanrelationships.ThestorytellsthattheresidentsofNinevehareguiltyandwanttosuffertheconsequences,butJonahisunwillingtosavethem.Fuchssaidthatpeopleinmodernsocietylackrespectforthefreedomofothers,letaloneunderstandtherealhopesandneedsofothers.
Hebelievesthatthemorbidandunrighteousmeasureofcapitalistsocietyisthatitdoesnotconformtohumannatureandhumanneeds.Basedonthis,heputsforwardthatpeoplehavefiveneeds:relatedneeds.Referstoanindividualwhohastheneedtoloveandbeloved,hopetoknowothers,understandandcareforothers,andbewillingtotakeresponsibilityforothers;exceedneeds.Referstotheindividual'sdesiretogobeyondthelimitationsofmaterialconditionsindoingthings,andtoshowcreativepersonalitytraitsinspirit;fulfilltheneeds.Referstotheindividual'sdesiretobeintimatelyassociatedwithothers,societyandnature,soastoobtaintheneedtosettledownandlive;integrationneeds.Referstotheindividual'spsychologicaltendencytoseektheintegrityofone'sownpersonalityandhopetoliveoutmeaningintheworld;orientationneeds.Referstoanindividual'spsychologicaltendencytostrivetofindadirectioninlifetogainpeaceofmind.
Hediscussedseveralpsychologicalmechanismsbywhichpeoplecopewithlonelinessinacapitalistsociety,whichhecalledthedynamictendencyofcharacter:acceptancetendency.Peoplewiththistendencydonothavetheabilitytoproduceorprovidelove.Alltheyneedaretoseekhelpfromothers,relyonothers,andarereceiversratherthangivers.Exploitationtendencies.Peoplewiththistendencydonotexpecttoaccept,butrelyontheirviolence,tricks,etc.,totakeadvantageofotherstosatisfytheirowndesires.Storagepropensity.Peoplewiththistendencyregardtheexternalworldasathreatandgainasenseofsecuritythroughstorageandpossession.Marketorientation.Thevaluesofpeoplewiththistendencyaretotreatthemselvesascommoditiesinthemarket,sothattheyhavepersonalitytraitsthatsuittheneedsofemployers.Createtendencies.Peoplewiththistendencycanmakefulluseoftheirpotential,becomecreators,andcanmakecreativededicationtosociety.Thefirstfivetendenciesmentionedaboveareallpathologicalmanifestationsofpersonality.Forpeoplewithmentalillness,itisproposedthattreatmentandrescueshouldbeimplementedaccordingtothepatient’spsychologicalneedsandpersonalitytendencies;onlycreativetendenciesarenormalandhealthymanifestationsofpersonality.Forordinaryhealthypeople,positiveguidanceshouldbegiventopromotethesounddevelopmentoftheirpersonality.
Viewsonlove
Summary
Frommbelievesthatloveisanartthatrequirespeopletohavethisknowledgeandworkhard.However,mostpeoplethinkthatloveisjustanoccasionalheart-pleasingfeeling,andonlytheluckyonescan"fallinto"thenetworkoflove.Therearethreereasonswhypeoplehavethiswrongidea:1.Mostpeoplethinkthatloveisprimarilyaquestionofwhethertheycanbelovedbyothers,ratherthanwhethertheyhavetheabilitytolove.2.Thinkthattheproblemofloveisaproblemofobject,notaproblemofability.3.Peopledon'tunderstandthedifferencebetween"fallinginlove"and"lastinglove".Tomastertheartoflove,oneistomasterthetheory,theotheristomasterthepractice,andthethirdistoconsiderbecomingamasteraboveallelse.
Theelementsoflove
Thegreatestneedforapersonistoovercomehislonelinessandgetridoftheimprisonmentofloneliness,andthisisonlypossiblethroughtruelove.Thebasicelementoftrueloveis"giving"ratherthan"getting"."Giving"isthehighestexpressionofpower.Itisthrough"giving"thatIcanexperiencemypower,my"richness",andmy"vitality"..Inadditiontothegivenelements,theenthusiasmoflovehassomeotherbasicelements.Theseelementsarecommontoallformsoflove:care,responsibility,respectandunderstanding.
Maturelove
Innocent,childlikelovefollowsthefollowingprinciples:"IlovebecauseIamloved."Theprincipleofmatureloveis:"Iamlovedbyothers."LovebecauseIlovesomeone."Immatureandchildishloveis:"IloveyoubecauseIneedyou",whilematureloveis:"IneedyoubecauseIloveyou."BetweenparentsandchildrenLove:Maternalloveisakindofblessing,peace,thereisnoneedtowinit,andthereisnoneedtoworkhardforit.Butunconditionalmaternallovehasitsflaws.Thiskindoflovenotonlydoesnotrequireeffortinexchangeforit,butitisalsoimpossibletowin.Ifthereismaternallove,therewillbeblessings;withoutmaternallove,lifewillbecomeempty-andIhavenoabilitytoevokethismaternallove.Theessenceofpaternalloveis:obedienceisthegreatestmorality,disobedienceisthegreatestsin,andthosewhodisobeywillbepunishedbylosingpaternallove.Thepositivesideofpaternalloveisequallyimportant.Becausefather'sloveisconditional,soIcanwinthiskindoflovethroughmyownefforts.Unlikemother'slove,father'slovecanbecontrolledbymycontrolandhardwork.Amaturepersoncaneventuallyreachtheheightofbeingbothhisownmotherandhisownfather.Hedevelopedtheconscienceofamotherandtheconscienceofafather.Themother’sconsciencesaidtohim:"Anyofyoursinsorsinswillnotmakeyoulosemyloveandmyblessingsforyourlifeandyourhappiness."Butthefather’sconsciencesaid:"Youdidwrong,youYouhavetobeartheconsequences;themostimportantthingisthatyouhavetochangeyourselfsothatyoucangetmylove."Maturepeopleseparatethemselvesfromtheexternalimageofmotherandfather,butbuildthesetwoimagesintheirhearts.
Self-love
Self-loveisnot"selfish".Self-loveisthefoundationoflovingothers.Theaffirmationofone'sownlife,happiness,growthandfreedomisbasedontheabilitytolove.ThisInotherwords,itdependsonwhetheryouhavetheabilitytocareforandrespectpeople,whetheryouhaveasenseofresponsibilityandunderstandpeople.Ifapersonhastheabilitytolovecreatively,hemustalsolovehimself,butifheonlylovesothers,thenhehasnoabilitytolove.
Sex
Animportantfactorofsex:thefactorofwill.Lovingsomeoneisnotonlyastrongfeeling-itisalsoadecision,ajudgment,andapromise.Ifloveisjustafeeling,thenthepromiseofloveforalifetimehasnofoundation.Afeelingiseasytoproduce,butitmaydisappearsoon.Ifmyloveisonlyemotion,andnotajudgmentandadecisionatthesametime,howcanIbesurethatwewillalwaysbeinlove?
Mainworks
"EscapefromFreedom(AKATheFearofFreedom),(1941)
"ForOne'sOne"or"SelfQuest"ManforHimself(1947)
"PsychoanalysisandReligion(1950)"PsychoanalysisandReligion(1950)
"TheHeartofHimself-HisNatureofGoodandEvil"TheHeartofMan:ItsGeniusforGoodandEvil(1964)
Forgottenlanguage;anintroductiontotheunderstandingofdreams,fairytales,andmyths(1951)
TheSaneSociety(1955)
TheSaneSociety(1955)
TheArtofLoving(1956))
SigmundFreud'smission;ananalysisofhispersonalityandinfluence(1959)
SigmundFreud'smission;ananalysisofhispersonalityandinfluence(1959)
"PsychoanalysisandZenBuddhism(1960)
MayManPrevail?Aninquiryintothefactsandfictionsofforeignpolicy(1961)
"Marx'sConceptofMan(1961)
BeyondtheChainsofIllusion:myencounterwithMarxandFreud(1962)
TheDogmaofChristandOtherEssaysonReligion,PsychologyandCulture(1963)
SocialistHumanism(1965)
YouShallBeasGods(1966)
TheRevolutionofHope,towardahumanizedtechnology(1968)
TheNatureofMan(1968)
TheCrisisofPsychoanalysis(1970)
"SocialcharacterinaMexicanvillage;asociopsychoanalyticstudy(Fromm&Maccoby)(1970)"SocialcharacterinaMexicanvillage;asociopsychoanalyticstudy(Fromm&Maccoby)(1970)
TheAnatomyofHumanDestructiveness(1973)
ToHaveortoBe(1976)
TheGreatnessandLimitationsofFreud’sThoughtLimitationofFreud'sThought(1979)
OnDisobedienceandotheressays(1984)
TheArtofBeing(1993)RainerFunkorganizedandpublished)
TheArtofListening(1994)
OnBeingHuman(1997)