Disobedience: Virtue or Vice?
Throughout history, sociologist have analyzed the characteristics of human behavior. They each write essays giving their educated opinion about a certain situation. Erich Fromm first published the essay "Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem" in 1963. It was also published in the textbook Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. He wrote this essay hoping to educate the general public on his ideas about disobedience. Fromm believes that disobedience has caused the human civilization to advance. He begins by stating his thesis which says, "human history began with an act of disobedience, and it is not unlikely that it will be terminated by an act of obedience" (377). Fromm develops his ideas using a variety of rhetorical strategies. In the introduction to the essay Fromm explains that for centuries humans have thought of obedience as a virtue and disobedience as a vice. He then goes on to give his thesis. Fromm begins paragraph two by giving the example of Adam and Eve ushering in human history with an act of disobedience to God. Saying "Their act of disobedience broke the primary bond with nature and made them individuals" (378). He believes that man was not truly human
the disobedience of authority. Fromm uses numerous amounts of rhetorical strategies in his essay to prove this. He believes that, in order for man to survive, he should consider all possibilities when presented with a situation. Therefore, he was disobedient and in the process ended up creating an entirely new religion. The Enlightenment questioned things as they had been for hundreds of years. It is hard to imagine what state our world would be in today if no one had brought any of these questions up. In the thirteenth paragraph Fromm gives an example as to why man obeys so much without question. Saying, "As long as I am obedient to the power of the State, the Fromm begins the fifth paragraph with classification and division. In the statement, "Man has continued to evolve by acts of disobedience" (378), Fromm separates evolution into two different categories. Spiritual and intellectual. Spiritually man has been able to evolve only through acts of disobedience. Intellectually, man has continued to evolve by contradicting what the nobility believed to be true. Furthermore, Fromm thinks that the spiritual faith and intellectual knowledge of today would not be possible had it not been for people being disobedient.
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Approximate Word count = 1863
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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