Quotes from Erich Fromm

Nema gotovo nijedne aktivnosti, ili poduhvata, koji, kao ljubav, zapo?inju s tako velikim nadama i o?ekivanjima, a koji se ipak tako redovno izjalovljuju.

The polarity of the sexes is disappearing, and with it erotic love, which is based on this polarity. Men and women become the same, not equals as opposite poles.

Não se deve começar a aprender uma arte diretamente, mas, por assim dizer, indiretamente. Deve-se aprender grande número de outras coisas — às vezes aparentemente desconexas — antes de começar com a arte propriamente dita.

The field of human relations in Freud's sense is similar to the market—it is an exchange of satisfaction of biologically given needs, in which the relationship to the other individual is always a means to an end but never an end in itself.

We also recognize that the crisis of democracy is not a peculiarly Italian or German problem, but one confronting every modern state. Nor does it matter which symbols the enemies of human freedom choose: freedom is no less endangered if attacked in the name of anti-fascism or in that of outright fascism

Solidarity isn't merely a task, it is a pleasure and the best assurance of security.

Analyse those dynamic factors in the character structure of modern man, which made him want to give up freedom in fascist countries and which so widely prevail in millions of our own people.

The essence of the Torah is the command: Do not do unto others as you should not want them to do unto you—the rest is commentary. Go and study.

Indeed, to one for whom having is the main form of relatedness to the world, ideas that cannot easily be pinned down (or penned down) are frightening–like everything else that grows and changes, and thus is not controllable.

Even if a man should speak disparagingly of God, he would hardly arouse the same feeling of indignation as against the crime, against the sacrilege which is the violation of the symbols of the country.

These are the outstanding questions that arise when we look at the human aspect of freedom, the longing for submission, and the lust for power: What is freedom as a human experience? Is the desire for freedom something inherent in human nature?

in the act of giving lies the expression of my aliveness.

Paraya,baÅŸar?ya ve piyasan?n iktidar?na tapma,modern putperestliÄŸin ortak ve etkili bir biçimidir.

The deepest need of man, then, is the need to overcome his separateness, to leave the prison of his aloneness. The absolute failure to achieve this aim means insanity, because the panic of complete isolation can be overcome only by such a radical withdrawal from the world outside that the feeling of separation disappears-- because the world outside, from which one is separated, has disappeared.

Amar a alguien no es meramente un sentimiento poderoso -es una decisión, es un juicio, es una promesa-.

Ben sevdiÄŸim insan?n, bana hizmet etmesi için deÄŸil, kendi istediÄŸince dilediÄŸi gibi büyüyüp geliÅŸmesini isterim. EÄŸer bir baÅŸkasm? sevi- yorsam, onu benim yararlanaca??m bir nesne olarak deÄŸil, o olarak al?r, ister erkek olsun, ister kad?n, onunla kendimi bir k?lar?m.

Nietzsche had disturbed the complacent optimism of the nineteenth century; so had Marx in a different way. Another warning had come somewhat late from Freud.

While we teach knowledge, we are losing that teaching which is the most important one for human development: the teaching which can only be given by the simple presence of a mature, loving person.

the key problem of psychology is that of the specific kind of relatedness of the individual towards the world and not that of the satisfaction or frustration of this or that instinctual need per se

The average person believes that the scientist is a priest who knows all the answers and who is in direct touch with all that he wants to know, just as some people are satisfied that the priest, if he is in touch with God, if he can see him once in a while he feels he has some part in this communication with God.

Freud went further than anybody before him in directing attention to the observation and analysis of the irrational and unconscious forces which determine parts of human behaviour.

If by anarchy one means that the individual does not acknowledge any kind of authority, the answer is to be found in what has been said about the difference between rational and irrational authority. Rational authority—like a genuine ideal—represents the aims of growth and expansion of the individual. It is, therefore, in principle never in conflict with the individual and his real, and not his pathological, aims.

What is the goal of living? What is life's meaning for man? But is this really a meaningful question? Is there a reason for wanting to live, and would we rather not live if we had no such reason?

If human beings are ever to become free and to cease feeding industry by pathological consumption, a radical change in the economic system is necessary: we must put an end to the present situation where a healthy economy is possible only at the price of unhealthy human beings. The task is to construct a healthy economy for healthy people.