Erich Fromm

A detailed Summary of Erich Fromm

Erich Fromm, an American psychoanalyst, is best known for his application of psychoanalytic theory to social and cultural problems. He was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and educated at the universities of Heidelberg and Munich and at the Psychoanalytic Institute in Berlin. He immigrated to the United States in 1934 and subsequently became a citizen. The theories of Fromm lay particular emphasis on the concept that society and the individual are not separate and opposing forces. That the nature of society is determined by its historic background, and that the needs and desires of individuals are largely formed by their society. As a result, Fromm believed, the fundamental problem of psychoanalysis and psychology is not to resolve conflicts between fixed and unchanging instinctive drives in the individual and the fixed demands and laws of society; but to bring about harmony and an understanding of the relationship between the individual, God, and society.

Love is the ultimate need and desire of all human beings. In The Art of Loving, Fromm discusses every aspect of the subject: romantic love, the love of parents for children, brotherly love, erotic love, self-love and the love of God. He looks at the theory

of love as it appears throughout the cultures of the world and at the practice, how we show or fail to show love for one another. Love is an art, which we need to develop and practice in order to find true contentment. We need to find it individually as well as a society as a whole.

The Art of Loving had some very interesting points. Most of his points relate very well to relationships and people today. Too many people think that love just happens and that it will work out by itself if it's meant to be. Love is something that needs to be worked on, " Love is an activity, not a passive affect...love is primarily giving, not receiving," and, " Love is the active concern for the life and the growth of that which we love." There are also important elements that are necessary for healthy relationships. "These are care, responsibility, respect and knowledge. Respect is the element that, is the ability to see a person as he is, to be aware of his unique individuality." The most important point is that of mature love. The love that says, "I need you because I love you." In other words, I am loved because I love.

Fromm talks about romantic love and the fallacies that go with it. "Searching for this kind of "in love" feeling is a search for the ideal, which doesn't exist in this world--only in heaven, or whatever your idea of paradise is. Romeo and Juliet love is beautiful in literature and poetry, but it cannot survive for any significant amount of time in our world for by nature, being "in love" is a conglomeration of mixed feelings and emotions--feelings which are fleeting and fickle, based on one's perceptions--not on what is real. After the feelings fade, you are left starin

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