Erich Fromm
Humanistic psychoanalyst, The Art of Loving
Most quoted
"Modern man is alienated from himself, from his fellow men, and from nature. He has been transformed into a commodity, experiences his life force as an investment which must bring him the maximum profit obtainable under existing market conditions."
— from The Sane Society, 1955
"Modern man is alienated from himself, from his fellow men, and from nature. He has been transformed into a commodity, experiences his life as an investment which must bring him a maximum profit under existing market conditions."
— from The Sane Society, 1955
"The mother-child relationship is paradoxical and, in a sense, tragic. It requires the most intense love on the mother's side, yet this very love must help the child grow away from the mother, and to become fully independent."
— from The Art of Loving, 1956
All quotes by Erich Fromm (268)
The most powerful motive for human action is the desire to overcome separateness.
Man is the only animal for whom his own existence is a problem which he has to solve.
Happiness is not a gift of the gods, but the fruit of effort.
The human species is the only one that can be bored.
The human being is not a passive recipient of stimuli, but an active participant in shaping his own life.
The ultimate concern of man is to be, not to have.
The average person is unaware of how much he is influenced by the opinions of others.
The most important function of the family is to make the child capable of love.
Conscience is the voice of our true self, which calls us to live authentically.
The person who is truly free is not afraid to be alone.
The history of mankind is the history of man's struggle to free himself from the chains of nature and of society.
The capacity to wonder is the root of all knowledge and all wisdom.
The most tragic paradox of life is that the more we have, the less we are.
The human being is a social animal, but he is also an individual.
The aim of psychoanalysis is to help the patient to achieve freedom and responsibility.
The world is not a place to be conquered, but a place to be loved.
The human being is not a machine, but a living organism.
The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in.
The person who is truly alive is always growing and changing.
The human being is a creature of contradictions.
Contemporaries of Erich Fromm
Other Psychologys born within 50 years of Erich Fromm (1900–1980).