28/05/2022
FROMM'S BASIC ASSUMPTIONS
a. 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐦𝐚 - Fromm (1947) believed that
humans, unlike other animals, have been “torn
away” from their prehistoric union with nature. They
have no powerful instincts to adapt to a changing
world; instead, they have acquired the facility to
reason.
i. 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 – Blessing since
we became more efficient in surviving, it’s a curse
because it forces human beings to solve the
unsolvable dichotomies of life which are called
𝙀𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝘿𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙚𝙨.
b. 𝐄𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐬
i. 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 – Self-awareness and reason tell
us that we will die, but we try to negate this
dichotomy by postulating life after death, an attempt
that does not alter the fact that our lives end with
death. Futile attempts to solve these two
ii. A second existential dichotomy is that humans
are capable of conceptualizing the goal of complete
self-realization, but we also are aware that life is
too short to reach that goal.
1. Some people try to solve this dichotomy by
assuming that their own historical period is the
crowning achievement of humanity, while others
postulate a continuation of development after
death.
iii. The third existential dichotomy is that people are
ultimately alone, yet we cannot tolerate isolation.
1. They are aware of themselves as separate
individuals, and at the same time, they believe that
their happiness depends on uniting with their fellow
human beings.
c. 𝐄𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬
i. As animals, humans are motivated by such
physiological needs as hunger, s*x, and safety; but
they can never resolve their human dilemma by
satisfying these animal needs. Only the distinctive
human needs can move people toward a reunion
with the natural world
ii. These existential needs have emerged during the
evolution of human culture, growing out of their
attempts to find an answer to their existence and to
avoid becoming insane.
1. Healthy people are those who found meaning to
their existence and neurotic people are those who
are still confused about their existence.
2. healthy individuals are better able to find ways of
reuniting to the world by productively solving the
human needs of relatedness, transcendence,
rootedness, a sense of identity, and a frame of
orientation.
iii. 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 - the drive for union with another
person or other persons. Three ways to relate to
the world:
1. 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲) - A person can submit
to another, to a group, or to an institution in order to
become one with the world.
2. 𝗗𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲) - domineering people,
power seekers welcome submissive partners.
a. When a submissive person and a domineering
person find each other, they frequently establish a
symbiotic relationship, one that is satisfying to both
partners.
b. Although such symbiosis may be gratifying, it
blocks growth toward integrity and psychological
health.
c. Similar to the concept of codependence
3. 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 (𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲)- the only route by which a
person can become united with the world and, at
the same time, achieve individuality and integrity
a. He defined love as a “union with somebody, or
something outside oneself under the condition of
retaining the separateness and integrity of one’s
own self”
b. In love, two people become one yet remain two
iv. Transcendence - defined as the urge to rise
above a passive and accidental existence and into
“the realm of purposefulness and freedom”. There
are two ways to transcend.
1. 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲) – we can transcend life
by destroying it and thus rising above our slain
victims
a. 𝙈𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝘼𝙜𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 – only humans can kill
others for reasons other than survival
2. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲) - Although other animals
can create life through reproduction, only humans
are aware of themselves as creators.
a. Also, humans can be creative in other ways.
They can create art, religions, ideas, laws, material
production, and love.
v. 𝙍𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙙𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 - the need to establish roots or to
feel at home again in the world. There are two ways
to feel our home again.
1. 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 (𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲) - people
are weaned from the orbit of their mother and
become fully born; that is, they actively and
creatively relate to the world and become whole or
integrated.
2. 𝗙𝗶𝘅𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲) – a tenacious reluctance to
move beyond the protective security provided by
one’s mother. People who strive for rootedness
through fixation are “afraid to take the next step of
birth, to be weaned from the mother’s breast.
[They] . . . have a deep craving to be mothered,
nursed, protected by a motherly figure; they are the
externally dependent ones, who are frightened and
insecure when motherly protection is withdrawn”
a. Fromm believed that incestual desire is universal
but not s*xual in nature. Incestuous feelings are
based in “the deep-seated craving to remain in, or
to return to, the all-enveloping womb, or to the allnourishing breasts.”
b. He believed that ancients societies are
matriarchal and this tendency of Fromm to revere
mother figures is evident in his relationship with
women.
vi. 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘆 - the capacity to be aware of
ourselves as a separate entity. Because we have
been torn away from nature, we need to form a
concept of our self, to be able to say, “I am I,” or “I
am the subject of my actions.” Without a sense of
identity, people could not retain their sanity, and
this threat provides a powerful motivation to do
almost anything to acquire a sense of identity.
There are two ways to achieve this.
1.𝗔𝗱𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 (𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲) - Neurotics try
to attach themselves to powerful people or to social
or political institutions.
2. 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲) - Healthy people,
however, have less need to conform to the herd,
less need to give up their sense of self.
a. They do not have to surrender their freedom and
individuality in order to fit into society because they
possess an authentic sense of identity.
vii. 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - Being split off from
nature, humans need a road map, a frame of
orientation, to make their way through the world.
Without such a map, humans would be “confused
and unable to act purposefully and consistently”.
Basically a philosophy in life.
1. 𝗜𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 (𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲) - those who lack a
reliable frame of orientation will strive to put these
events into some sort of framework in order to
make sense of them. People will do nearly anything
to acquire and retain a frame of orientation, even to
the extreme of following irrational or bizarre
philosophies such as those espoused by fanatical
political and religious leaders
2. 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 (𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲) - People who
possess a solid frame of orientation can make
sense of these events and phenomena.
a. According to Fromm, this goal or object of
devotion focuses people’s energies in a single
direction, enables us to transcend our isolated
existence, and confers meaning to their lives.
d. Fromm believed that lack of satisfaction of any of
these needs is unbearable and results in insanity.
