Quote

Modern man lives under the illusion that he knows what he wants, while he actually wants what he is supposed to want.

Erich Fromm

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Erich Fromm
Age: 79 †
Born: 1900
Born: March 23
Died: 1980
Died: March 18
Philosopher
Psychoanalyst
Psychologist
Sociologist
University Teacher
Writer
Frankfurt/Main
Actually
Lives
Men
Miscellaneous
Illusion
Supposed
Wants
Modern

More quotes by Erich Fromm

Image
We all dream we do not understand our dreams, yet we act as if nothing strange goes on in our sleep minds, strange at least by comparison with the logical, purposeful doings of our minds when we are awake.
Erich Fromm
Image
Like the effect of advertising upon the customer, the methods of political propaganda tend to increase the feeling of insignificance of the individual voter.
Erich Fromm
Image
The sick individual finds himself at home with all other similarly sick individuals. The whole culture is geared to this kind of pathology.
Erich Fromm
Image
Chronic boredom compensated or uncompensated constitutes one of the major psychopathological phenomena in contemporary technotronic society, although it is only recently that it has found some recognition.
Erich Fromm
Image
The most important misunderstanding seems to me to lie in a confusion between the human necessities which I consider part of human nature, and the human necessities as they appear as drives, needs, passions, etc., in any given historical period.
Erich Fromm
Image
Creativity is the ability to see and to respond.
Erich Fromm
Image
As we ascend the social ladder, viciousness wears a thicker mask.
Erich Fromm
Image
Our society is run by a managerial bureaucracy, by professional politicians people are motivated by mass suggestion, their aim is producing more and consuming more, as purposes in themselves.
Erich Fromm
Image
Giving is the highest expression of potency. In the very act of giving, I experience my strength, my wealth, my power. This experience of heightened vitality and potency fills me with joy. I experience myself as overflowing, spending, alive, hence as joyous.
Erich Fromm
Image
Mobilizing the love of life is the only force that can defeat the love for the dead.
Erich Fromm
Image
Love is often nothing but a favorable exchange between two people who get the most of what they can expect, considering their value on the personality market.
Erich Fromm
Image
What is common to our societies is the development into a managed mass society, with big bureaucracy, managing people. The Russians do it by force. We do it by persuasion.
Erich Fromm
Image
Independent of others and in concert with others, your main task in life is to do what you can best do and become what you can potentially be.
Erich Fromm
Image
That is not quite enough to make one happy, if one spends eight hours a day in something which in itself has no meaning and interest, except that one gains money from it.
Erich Fromm
Image
Integrity simply means a willingness not to violate one's identity, in the many ways in which such violation is possible.
Erich Fromm
Image
Optimism is an alienated form of faith, pessimism an alienated form of despair.
Erich Fromm
Image
The affirmation of one's own life, happiness, growth and freedom, is rooted in one's capacity to love.
Erich Fromm
Image
Not he who has much is rich, but he who gives much.
Erich Fromm
Image
People do not see that the main question is not : Am I loved? which is to a large extent the question : Am I approved of? Am I protected? Am I admired? The main question is: Can I love?
Erich Fromm
Image
Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar, and you'll live as you've never lived before.
Erich Fromm