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The author discusses the ideas of three important psychoanalytic thinkers about group processes in large social groups: Sigmund Freud, Wilfred Bion, and Erich Fromm. Their ideas are developed and applied to analysis of group processes in totalitarian systems, as they were known to the author in Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union. In conclusion, treatment considerations as they apply to patients who grew up in these regimes are developed and illustrated by clinical cases.
Self-image arises from a complex interaction of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. This article explores the importance of people with a learning disability attaining a positive self-image. It discusses the effect of society's perception of people with learning disabilities, and questions the willingness of the community to accept such people in a non-judgmental way. It argues that staff caring for this client group have a vital role to play in how people with learning disabilities are perceived by others and discusses the effects that a market philosophy (Fromm, 1978) and the popular media have on society regarding people with learning disabilities. Self-worth is important to everyone; however, the article concludes that a person with a learning disability is seriously disadvantaged in this respect. This aspect of care therefore requires insight, support and skills on the part of those healthcare professionals caring for this client group.
Love is an Art [爱,是一门艺术]
(2008)
This paper asks whether prisoners should have access to Pell Grants, for which they are currently ineligible. In the first section, the author considers philosophical arguments relating to the present ban by examining traditional concerns of deterrence, rehabilitation, and retribution. The second section explores two arguments against a more inclusive Pell Grant policy. In the third section the author argues that restoring higher education grants to prisoners is compelling, especially when one considers issues of race and class. The paper concludes by using Erich Fromm’s social theory to call into question the justice, ethics, and rationality of those societies that normalize mass incarceration.
Strains on professional resources and complex experiences of isolation and despair have taken their toll on communities, adding to the challenges for social workers and social work as a profession. In a context of austerity and locational stress, communities are increasingly relied upon to enhance or, indeed, replace the need for state intervention. However, grass-roots and mutual aid collectives have the potential for both community support and resistance. Using original qualitative data, this article explores how some groups based in Scotland’s most deprived locales provide collective and mutual aid, and, in doing so, attempt to address some of the challenges of modern life (such as overcoming addiction, isolation and mental anguish). Importantly, this article revives and develops Erich Fromm’s discourse on the importance of ‘love’ and Marx’s concept of ‘spiritual emancipation’ to explore the potential for transforming individual experiences into collective resistance.
The Pathology of Modernity
(2021)
This chapter presents the psychological burden of living under modernity’s law of gravitation as the defining focus of much continental philosophy and social science. Most Western philosophers with any self-respect have their own diagnoses of present-day society, intended to capture the essence of living in modernity. Key thinkers such as Nietzsche, Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Freud, Adorno and Horkheimer, Fromm, Rieff, Eriksson and Mitscherlich gave their important contribution to individuation – the development of a unique self, socialization and subjectivation. Equally important is the question of failed individuation as these psychologists, sociologists and philosophers ask themselves whether modern man can manage without >God< and if the science-based Enlightenment’s promise of secular happiness would hold water.
The evolution of dynamic psychology has been highly contradictory and uneven due in part to differences of emphasis and focus, and also due to philosophical and theoretical differences, which led to congruent and incongruent results between the respective schools. Now, especially with the new millennium, many are asking again whether in fact we should not go beyond the different schools towards a new sense of unity and purpose. Today there is a call for integration and a sense of common purpose, although how this is to be achieved is not clear. However, it has been argued that the introversion of a theory and the defence of its purity by its adherents will act as a brake on its growth and further development (John, 1998; Millar, 2000). The basis of any theory is always incomplete (Fromm, 1980) and consequently scientific progress must come as a result of open dialogue and debate for the benefit of all schools of psychology and psychotherapy. Classically, Adlerian psychology was founded upon a flexible and open-ended approach to the understanding of human nature. Orgler, for example, notes that Adler avoided offering a >rigid scheme< that could easily be copied by physicians and therapists (Orgler, 1973, p.167). And, regarding training, Orgler writes that >Adler demanded a thorough knowledge of other psychological schools, of philosophy and of pedagogy< (ibid, p.176).
Loneliness, as a universal sensation, has been a classic topic in literature for a long time. Yiyun Li, a new star in Chinese American literature, has published several short stories in The New Yorker, employing her upbringing memories in her motherland and English, the public language in a foreign land. The loneliness and plight of ordinaries against the profound epochal background have been the universal themes in her works and her humanistic and calm written style attracts readers’ attention. At present, studies of Yiyun’s short stories have concentrated on translation strategies, trauma, culture or multicultural, and Chinese characteristics. However, there is a lack of research on the theme of loneliness. In following six representative short stories, >A Thousand Years of Good Prayers< (2005), >A Flawless Silence<(2018), >Extra< (2005), >Gold Boy, Emerald Girl<(2010), >The Science of Flight< (2010), >A Small Flame< (2017), Yiyun Li portrays different kinds of loneliness with different characters in a psychological sense, which is a mirror reflection of the existential predicaments and spiritual dilemmas of modern people, highlighting the universal value of loneliness in literary criticism. The thesis will investigate the theme of loneliness in the six short stories mentioned above, integrating four key concepts on loneliness in Fromm’s Neo-psychoanalytic theory: automation conformity, authoritarianism, the needs for love, and social unconsciousness to examine three types of loneliness in Li’s writings, such as the aphasics, the marginal man, and the rootless people, to ascertain the association of loneliness among these three types of people, and then, to trace the origins of loneliness from the insane personality, the impotence to love, and the suppressed social unconscious. Therefore, the first key to recovering from loneliness is that individuals must confront and accept loneliness; secondly, they should employ spontaneous love to relieve loneliness; and finally, they could completely get rid of loneliness and make connections with the outside world through joint efforts. Li only depicts loneliness, leaving the question on how to dissipate it to readers. Notably, with her caring and warming kindness for her characters, she invites readers to think together and discuss the ways to cure loneliness. Therefore, from the perspective of Fromm’s Neo-psychoanalytic criticism, the thesis offers guidance for the aphasics, the marginalized and the rootless to get beyond loneliness, and provides reference and insight for loneliness research in a contemporary social context. [www.cnki.net, 1/2023]
Fromm is an important representative of the Frankfurt School in the 20th century, as well as a well-known humanist philosopher and well-known humanist philosopher and psychoanalytic psychologist. The thought of Fromm’s humanistic is based on the investigation of human nature and the analysis of the actual living conditions of human beings. He believes that the rapid development of economy and technology in Western capitalist society has also caused human alienation and social morbidity. On the basis of in-depth analysis and criticism of this, Fromm reveals the survival dilemma of modern people, and hopes to achieve human liberation through psychological revolution (>The Art of Loving< and social revolution (the establishment of a sound society). The article is divided into three parts. The first part is the analysis of the theoretical origins of Fromm’s humanistic thought, mainly involving Freud's psychoanalysis, Marx's theory of alienation, the Frankfurt School’s Critical theory, and the influence of Eastern Zen thought on him. The second part is the analysis of the main content of Fromm’s humanistic thought, taking human nature of good and evil, and the multiple character structure of humans as the logical starting point, leading to the antinomy of existence, the psychological tendency to escape freedom, and the existence of reoccupied existence. In response to these contradictions, Fromm not only proposed to cultivate >new people< from the perspective of psychological revolution, that is, to cultivate creative love and productive personality, but also put forward the idea of overall social change in the fields of economy, politics, and culture, and advocated the establishment of a >new society< aiming at the full and free development of people. The third part is the analysis and evaluation of Fromm’s humanistic thought, analyzing the influence of Fromm’s thought in Frankfurt School, and interpreting the contemporary value of Fromm’s humanistic thought. [English: www.cnki.net, 4/2022]
[Chinese abstract not available] Donna Tartt has published three novels all together. In 2014, she won the Pulitzer Prize for her masterpiece >The Goldfinch<. In this novel, alienation is ubiquitous: A terrorist attack causes irreparable harm to victims; there is widespread addiction to drugs and alcohol; relationships among people are alienated, either superficial and distorted or indifferent and apathetic; people worship art, freedom or money irrationally. People are belittled, objectified and deprived of love and conscience in a materialistic and egotistic society. In this novel, Donna Tartt condemns terrorism and explores the causes of alienation and the ways to overcome it which are scientific and reasonable according to Erich Fromm’s theory of alienation which is the theoretical basis of this thesis. Many articles compare >The Goldfinch< with the works of famous writers like Charles Dickens and Fyodor Dostoevsky. Some analyze the power or value of art or explore the question about the degree of freedom. And some praise the excellent writing skills and delicate expressions in the novel. This thesis focuses on manifestations and causes of alienation and ways to alleviate it, which have not been analyzed deeply yet.– This thesis is divided into five chapters. The first chapter introduces >The Goldfinch< and its author Donna Tartt and Erich Fromm and his alienation theory. This chapter also makes the literature review, analyzing related studies at home and abroad. The second chapter concerns the manifestations of alienation, including people’s irrational worship of art, freedom or money, apathetic relationships between fathers and sons and between man and others, characters’ Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and widespread addiction to drugs and alcohol. The third chapter explores causes of alienation in >The Goldfinch<, pointing out that it is materialism and egotism in capitalist society that lead to inferiority and objectification of man and disappearance of conscience and love under the guidance of Fromm’s theory of alienation. The fourth chapter is about redemption in this novel in thought, action and feeling, proposing that to overcome alienation, man should wake up from stupor and pay more attention to human beings than to things as Hobie does to Theo and as Theo does to Mrs. Barbour, man should make right choices actively when selecting career and choosing between good and evil and man should relate himself to the world lovingly and artistically. All these ways can help people overcome alienation and get redemption according to Fromm’s theory. Lastly, there is a conclusion of the whole thesis. This novel shows that productive love is the most important for people to develop and fulfill humanity, which is the ultimate weapon to overcome alienation. In front of alienation, people should not give up their self and humanity, but believe in their own life force and face everything bravely. [Translation: www.cnki.net, 2/2024]
D. H. Lawrence (1885 – 1930) is one of the most important novelists in the history of English literature in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He lived at a time when capitalist industry was at its peak, but at the same time, a series of negative consequences of the industrial revolution were exposed. The nature of man is poisoned, the integrity of the individual is destroyed, and the relationship between man and man and nature loses its balance in traditional agricultural societies. For Lawrence, he was living in a time when the world was completely out of balance. For this reason, he keeps on writing, with sharp and bold strokes to express the alienated individual, abnormal interpersonal relationship and the imbalance between man and nature under the capitalist industrial civilization, and tirelessly explores the way to restore the balance between individual and self, between man and man, and between man and nature. Furthermore, in his opinion, these three levels do not exist in isolation, but constitute a mutually restrictive whole; An imbalance at any level leads to an imbalance at other levels, or problems at any level reflect problems at the other two levels. Thus, among the >imbalance< and >balance<, the individual, society and nature form an intricate internal relationship, presenting a systematic structure of three and one, one and three, which integrates Lawrence’s whole life exploration and literary creation. This provides an important entry point for us to re-understand Lawrence’s series of controversial topics and reassess their current significance. Based on this, this paper takes Lawrence’s novels as the research object and the concept of >balance< as the entry point to make a detailed discussion of the relationship between man and self, man and man, man and nature in his works.– This paper consists of three parts: introduction, text and conclusion. The introduction mainly focuses on Lawrence’s personal experience of >imbalance< and traces the origin of his concept of >balance<. The concept of >balance< is preliminarily defined; Review relevant research results at home and abroad.– The first part of the text discusses Lawrence’s concept of balance from the perspective of individual self. Under the background of industrial revolution, due to the poison of mechanical civilization and rampant materialism, human beings constantly overcome or tame their own nature. But when the civilization overcomes the nature, man gradually moves toward the one-sided. In Lawrence’s works, human nature and civilization correspond to >blood consciousness< and >mind consciousness< respectively, while the individuals in his works can be divided into >brain type< individuals and >blood type< individuals. In Lawrence’s opinion, when the >blood< of an individual is overwhelmed by the >mind<, his emotion and instinct will be suppressed, thus leading to the alienation of human nature. At the same time, the >blood< of the individual must resist the >mind< and call for the return of nature, so as to achieve the >balance< of the individual self.– The second part uses Erich Fromm’s theory of >possession and existence< to explore Lawrence’s thoughts on the relationship between people. In Lawrence’s opinion, due to the dominance of >possessive< value orientation, the lovers’ relationship, family relationship and class relationship in the era of industrial civilization were also out of balance, and they tried to control, dominate and possess others, resulting in the breakdown of interpersonal relationship. In view of this bad situation, Lawrence proposed the concept of >interstellar balance< relationship model, calling on modern people to get out of the dilemma of self-centeredness and build a relationship model of >existence<, sharing and symbiosis on the basis of respecting others, so as to rebuild the balance of human relations.– The third part discusses Lawrence’s thoughts on the relationship between human beings and nature in modern industrial civilization from the perspective of ecological criticism. Lawrence believed that the relationship between man and nature became estranged and antagonistic during the transition from agricultural civilization to industrial civilization. His works deeply reflect on and criticize the anthropocentrism and development-oriented concepts in western culture, and accuse human beings of unrestrained conquest of nature. In Lawrence’s view, human beings are part of nature, and they should Revere nature, return to nature, blend in with nature, and live in harmony with nature. Only by conquering nature and reconciling with nature and restoring the balance between man and nature can modern people overcome the ecological crisis and seek the healthy and all-round development of human society.– The conclusion focuses on the inner constitution and current significance of Lawrence’s concept of >balance<. Lawrence’s works comprehensively present his profound reflection on modern industrial civilization and his grand conception of future ideal civilization. His thought has obvious integrity and systematism. In this regard, his idea of >balance<, ostensibly derived from his meditation on the ideal of love, actually runs through his complex meditation on the whole of modern civilization. In his opinion, individuals, society and nature constitute an organic whole. Any imbalance at one level may lead to the imbalance at other levels and trigger a chain reaction at other levels. In order to restore balance at any level, the reconstruction of balance state at other levels is indispensable. Although Lawrence’s concept of >balance< is obviously utopian, it still has important reference value and significance in today’s era of numerous spiritual problems, continuous cultural conflicts and continuous deterioration of ecological environment. [Translation: www.cnki.net, 7/2023]
Oedipus complex is a key concept in psychoanalysis. It is related to the theory of sexual instinct within the system, the field of unconsciousness, the analysis of dreams, neurosis and other important categories, and has caused numerous disputes since its birth. In the past, the evaluation of Oedipus complex mainly focused on three aspects: one is that children depend on their mother rather than sexual desire for food and emotional needs; the other is the penile centralism and neglect of mother in Freud’s theory; the third is the universality of Oedipus complex. These controversies still follow the critical thinking of Malinowski and Fromm, but actually do not touch the core of Oedipus complex. Because the Oedipus complex in Freud’s view is essentially a concept about sex, and the successors of Lacan and other psychoanalytic schools have responded to these disputes by reinterpreting the Oedipus complex.– Therefore, this paper will focus on the initial definition of Oedipus complex and explore the original rationality of this concept. Freud first discovered the special relationship between early children and their parents when exploring the causes of neurosis. This relationship appears again frequently in typical dream cases and self-analysis. Therefore, Freud regarded this connection as a common phenomenon and applied it to clinical treatment and analysis. In addition to returning to the context in which Freud raised this issue, we also introduce Levi Strauss and Foucault’s theory of sex and gender from the perspective of triangular interpersonal structure and human gender differences to reflect on the bias of traditional interpretation of the concept of Oedipus complex. Specifically speaking: Freud believed that the sexual desire contained in Oedipus complex can only appear in the form of heterosexuality, that is, the first impulse of a child should be directed to the heterosexual side of the parents. According to Foucault’s analysis of the relationship between power and sex, sexual experience is produced rather than born with us. Therefore, in this sense, the concept of Oedipus complex constructed by Freud falls into the power. Furthermore, Freud limited the external manifestation of Oedipus complex to the family triangle in the general sense of experience. This kind of setting only pays attention to the interaction between kinship roles, and does not consider each role in the whole system. In Levi Strauss’s view, the deep structure of kinship is the uncle nephew relationship based on the premise of >incest taboo<, which includes four words: >brother-sister-father-son<. This >basic structure of kinship< is universal and stable in explaining all the facts of kinship. To sum up, this paper intends to analyze the heterosexual form and triangular relationship in Oedipus complex through Foucault’s theory of sexual experience and Levi Strauss’s theory of kinship structure. [Translation: www.cnki.net, 4/2023]
Of all the psychological theorists who have tried to formulate a system better than Freud's to approach problems of contemporary life, no one has been more creative or influential than Erich Fromm. He is the most articulate advocate on the role of social forces in molding our character and on our manner of relating to others. This volume is an expansion of his systematic doctrine. >The Dogma of Christ<, which is also the longest essay in this collection, appears in English for the first time. It was written thirty years ago, when Fromm identified himself with the orthodox wing of the psychoanalytic movement. He describes the experience of the early Christian community, with its emphasis on the role of the son, as an expression of the revolutionary stirrings of an oppressed minority against the paternalism of the Roman Empire. >The suffering Jesus originated primarily from the need for identification on […]
This volume is the first major expansion of the interpersonal theory of psychiatry since the death of Harry Stack Sullivan. The authors, who are husband and wife, are directors of the Sullivan Institute for Research in Psychoanalysis. In addition to drawing in a major way on Sullivan's formulations, the authors were influenced by the particular approach of Drs. Frieda Fromm-Reichman, Erich Fromm, and Clara Thompson. The central idea of this book is that the life history of any particular individual can only be understood by the quality of his relatedness with significant people. The therapist is the agent who will help catalyze or impede the forces within the individual towards growth. The authors delineate the elements which need affirmation in order for human capacities to be realized. The text is divided into five sections: the structure of personality, normal sequence in interpersonal growth, love and hate, diagnostic categories in interpersonal […]
Grundeinkommen braucht Europa - Europa braucht Grundeinkommen, Berlin (Lit-Verlag), 2023, 215 pp.
(2023)
心理學普通不設宗教信仰這一問題,因為兩者的研究對象各有不同之故。但由於心理學所討論的人,是「整體性」的,生理與心理固然不能分離,肉體與精神現象也很難完全分開處理;因此自五十年代以來,某些研究「人之所以為人」之特徵的心理學家,已開始對宗教信仰這一問題發生了興趣。心理學家討論信仰問題,不管他們的背境是什麼,藉通不強調、更不執著某種特定的宗教系統,如佛教、基督教、或天主教,雖然這些心理學家也有他們自己的特定信仰。本文收集了五位較有代表性的心理學家,並計劃從他們不同的立場來討論人與宗教之問題:(一)從成熟的人格觀點來看人之宗教信仰對人之人格成熟有何關連。這裡介紹了兩位心理學家,即亞爾伯之人格理論及梵岡之信仰健康觀。(二)從人生意義之探索看信仰問題。並以意義治療學之創始人以弗蘭克為代言人。(三)從追求道德及靈魂之實有看宗教,以新精神分析學權威佛洛姆為主。(四)從人之自我實現論談宗教信仰,並以此理論之創始人馬斯洛為主要依據。輔大以全人教育為宗旨,並以真善美聖為師生共同追求的目標,但全人教育不設宗教這一問題又如何能成為「全人」。真善美聖的實際內涵又脫不了終極關懷的問題。我們不願以自己的信仰談宗教,雖然我們也有此權利及責任,但畢竟易引起誤會及反感。本各完全以人自己的立場來說信仰,似乎應該易於接受。
This paper contributes to the current debate about decolonisation by rethinking the theoretical base of psychotherapy. It offers, first, a reformulation of the problem of human suffering that draws on the concept of alienation as detailed in the works of Karl Marx, Frantz Fanon, and Erich Fromm. Second, it presents an alternative reading of Wulf Sachs’ psychoanalytic text, Black Hamlet, as viewed through the prism of alienation theory. And third, while affirming the significance of that classic work for psychotherapists today as well as the salience of alienation theory, the paper raises complex questions about the integration of Marxism and psychoanalysis.
>Hans, einen herrlichen Film hab ich gesehn.< Von Potemkin bis Ben Hur. Die Grundigs und das Kino
(2022)
It has become a trend in the academia to study Byron, the great Romantic poet and his poems inter-disciplinarily. Most scholars at both home and abroad have carried out inter-disciplinary studies on Byron’s poetry from the perspectives of religion, history, politics, philosophy, ecology, science and visual arts. Moreover, some scholars have also employed psychology and psychoanalysis to approach Byron’s poetry against the backdrop of their rapid development. However, many scholars devote to exploring Byron’s personal diseases and the therapeutic function of Byron’s poetry to his own diseases but ignoring the other therapeutic functions. This status quo provides a space for the further exploration on the mutiple therapeutic functions in Byron’s poetry. Therefore, based on the psychologist and psychoanalyst, Freud’s theory of individual therapy and the social psychologist Fromm’s theory of social therapy, this study analyzes the therapeutic functions of Byron’s poetry to himself, the British society and the oppressed countries at that time. This research not only expands the objects of Byron’s poetry therapy, but also analyzes the therapeutic effect in reality, which makes a breakthrough in the paradigm of literary therapy. Therefore it has significant meanings on studies of Byron’s poetry and literary therapy. This thesis is composed of six parts: introduction, four chapters and conclusion. The introduction, which gives a brief introduction to Byron and his poetry, synthesizes the relevant literatures of the inter-disciplinary research of Byron’s poetry at home and abroad, and elaborates the central argument, research methodology and the research significance.– The first chapter briefly describes the history and classification of literary therapy and gives some examples. Moreover, the first chapter introduces in detail Freud's theory of individual therapy and Fromm’s theory of social therapy, which lays the theoretical foundation for this study.– The second chapter employs Freud’s theory of individual therapy to study Byron’s self-treatment in his poetry. This chapter analyzes Byron’s mental diseases and finds that Byron treats his mental diseases by talking with readers and transferring his emotions to others in his poetry. Under the treatment of his poetry, Byron gets the emotional comfort and achieve his self-realization in the fields of poetry and revolution.– The third chapter adopts Fromm’s theory of social therapy to explore the therapeutic function of Byron’s poetry to the British society. This chapter makes an in-depth analysis of the diseases in the British society at that time and the process of Byron’s treatment of the diseases through Oriental writing and humorously satirical writing in his poetry, and concludes that the therapeutic effect of Byron’s poetry on the British society lies in that it helps to improve the British society to some extent.– The fourth chapter also uses Fromm’s theory of social therapy to investigate the therapeutic function of Byron’s poetry to the oppressed countries such as Italy and Greece at that time. This chapter analyzes the >diseases< of the oppressed countries and finds that Byron treats them in his poetry through his glorification of ancient civilization and heroic deeds. And the ultimate therapeutic effect is to inspire the people of the oppressed countries to fight for freedom.– The last part is the conclusion, which is the summary and generalization of the whole thesis. It is shown in the conclusion that Byron’s poetry cures the diseases of Byron himself, the British society and the oppressed countries to a certain extent. [English: www.cnki.net, 4/2022]
Erich Fromm (1900 – 1980) was not only one of the key members of the Frankfurt School, but also a prominent German-American social psychologist, psychoanalyst and humanistic philosopher. Using Freudian psychoanalysis, Fromm synthesized the Marxian humanist doctrine on the basis of social character and the social unconscious as mediators. This led to the construction of a unique system of thought covering multiple levels of society and psychology, and an in-depth discussion of a series of externalized psychological problems that have emerged since the development of capitalist society.– This article attempts to clarify the logical progression of Fromm’s thought on alienation by looking at the realistic background and theoretical sources of the formation of his thought system. First of all, it examines Fromm’s need for human survival in the light of the dilemma of existential alienation in Western capitalist society, and grasps the unique connotation of his alienation thought and interprets it. Fromm explores the dilemma of survival in human society by combining the process of individuation and socio-historical development, and exposes the state of spiritual alienation of individuals. Secondly, Fromm’s diagnosis of the roots of pathological alienation in Western society is outlined in both subjective and objective dimensions. Again, Fromm’s critique of the consequences of alienation in developed industrial societies is explored, elucidating the logical correlation between the emergence of freedom-avoiding mechanisms, non-productive personality tendencies, possession-oriented ways of being and the alienation that occurs in the inner world of individuals. This is followed by an examination of the consequences of the interaction and conflict between the psychological alienation of the individual and the alienation of society in general, revealing the relationship between the individual and society.– Finally, Fromm’s search for a way to overcome alienation and build a sound society that meets human needs is discussed, and the rationality and limitations of his vision are objectively assessed. Fromm made a positive contribution to the evolution and enrichment of human culture and spirituality in the twentieth century. However, he does not fully acknowledge the role of material production and only overemphasizes the influence of psychological factors on human beings, while ignoring the fact that private ownership is the fundamental cause of the limitation of human freedom. Neither spontaneous activities nor social changes can fundamentally solve the problems caused by total alienation, but they can still provide a reference for the path of building a human-centered >harmonious society< in China: after the material enrichment of Chinese society, it should pay more attention to the spiritual existence of human beings and leave behind the possession-oriented way of living; promote humanistic culture and calmly We should also pay attention to the psychological and spiritual state of human beings and cultivate a sound personality. [Translation: www.cnki.net, 5/2023]
Carson McCullers is an outstanding female writer in the 20th century United States, becoming a celebrity with her first novel >The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter<. There is no doubt that McCullers is endowed with a talent for writing. She is a keen and sensitive woman, which is probably due to her life experiences and illness. In some sense, her personality contributes a lot to her writing, enabling her to grasp the slightest details of humanity. She is adept at exploring the psychology of human beings and pays special attention to their state of loneliness, which constitutes her writing theme >spiritual isolation<. McCullers tends to highlight man’s spiritual impotency through physical deformity. The freaks in her works make up rebellious power against the mainstream culture in the American South. >The Member of the Wedding< is a very representative work of McCullers. It follows the theme of spiritual isolation as her other works. Through McCullers’s elaborate portrayal, a 12-year-old girl’s struggle and sorrow are vividly presented to readers. The female protagonist Frankie is a tomboy living in a small Southern town. In the year when she progresses from 12 to 13, she falls into the dull repetition of days, becoming a solitary >freak<. A great dilemma confronting Frankie is that she aspires for freedom, but is unable to take the burden of freedom. Becoming a part of some group and leaving the town constitute two strong desires of Frankie. They are seemingly irrelevant, but closely related. Belonging saves Frankie from isolation, and escape promises her greater freedom and connectedness. Through a close reading of Carson McCullers’s novel >The Member of the Wedding<, this thesis is devoted to analyzing the protagonist Frankie’s living predicament from a psychoanalytical perspective and discussing the underlying solution to the condition. Erich Fromm’s theory of freedom and love exhaustively explores the spiritual crisis of modern man and provides a feasible solution. Using his theory will be conducive to the explanation of the protagonist’s complex psychology and her dilemma. Besides, Adler’s concept of social interest can help further analyze how the protagonist is able to realize positive freedom. After research, it can be concluded that Frankie is confronted with the universal predicament of modern man's burden of freedom. While she tries to escape from the burden, she suffers disillusionment, but at the same time, it helps the development of her individual self and provides motivation for positive freedom. Fromm believes that to get rid of the unbearable plight, love is indispensable. For Frankie and any modern man who suffers from aloneness, mastering the art of love is necessary to advance to positive freedom. [www.cnki.net, 1/2023]
The paper analyses the Freud’s dilemma in his theory of civilization, on this basis, finds the course of problem. In this process, we begin with the two basic concepts, namely civilization and instinct. In Freud’s theory, the civilization is existed as the performance of difference between people and animals. It not only include the knowledge and ability that formed in dealing with the relationship between human and nature, but also include the various rules and regulations between peoples. Instinct, as a core concept in his theoretical system, is inherited from the theory of biological evolution. He believes that the instinct urged the organism returning to the previous state, and eventually, he divided the instinct into instinct for life and death instinct, and believed it has fundamental confliction between the two instincts. When Freud’s perspective turns to the field of the social life, he also looks at modern civilization from the perspective of instinct, and believes that modern civilization oppresses the satisfaction of instinct and meets the demands of instinct at the same time. But, he does not completely abandon the idea of civilization or instinct, he thinks that civilization can oppress instinct appropriately. However, the oppression what degree is appropriate, Freud does not give a clear standard. So, in fact, the problem he encountered has not been fully resolved. Aiming at the difficulties encountered by Freud, other scholars such as Marcuse and Fromm have tried to solve this problem. But, their theories have their own shortcomings. Marcuse does not fully understand Freud’s problem, he is more concerned about Freud’s instinct for life. In fact, Freud is more attention about death instinct. As for Fromm, he integrates the spirit of Marxism and psychoanalysis, in the face of the difficulties encountered by Freud, he thinks that the problem can disappear with the development of society. So, he gives us only a hope, a utopian existence. So, we should explore the root cause of the dilemma encountered by Freud, and analyze whether the dilemma exist or not in actually.– When analyzing Freud’s theory of civilization, we finds that to imagine a non-oppressed civilization, the biggest obstacle we faced is the death instinct.– So, the question is weather the death instinct is necessary. Karen·Horney raises doubts in this regard. Through her own analysis, she thinks that it is not necessary to mention death instinct, for, there is no full evidence to certificate it, and it also contradict with the reality. However, the death instinct, after all, as a real theory is putted forward by Freud, and when the theory take the great dilemma to him, he still use it. So, it was necessary to explore the theoretical way what his death instinct produced. Freud is impacted by the theory of evolution deeply, and he introduces the concept of instinct as a biological field into the psychological field. In this course, he also introduce the logic of evolution into psychological field. So, the things what are established in biological field are similarly established in psychological field. When he discovers that the people have the tendency to repeat previous activities, he considers that it represents a kind of instinctive tendency also. On this basis, he puts forward the death instinct that is, return to the previous inorganic state. However, when he looks at human civilization, he is still from the view of biology, and considers that people and animals have no essential difference. This is a non-scientific idea .It has been recognized by many scholars that it has essential difference between people and animals. Therefore, the study of human civilization should be from the fundamental characters of human.– In the history of Western thoughts, it has been existed the concept of rational person religionary person and biological person. Cassirer puts forward the concept of symbolic person, on the basis of analyzing the limitation of these concepts, and it mainly emphasize the higher level ability of free creating what human has. This is consistent with the Marx’s incisive elucidation. So, >people are symbolic animals< seizes the people’s fundamental characters. From the concept of >human is symbolic animals<, human has the ability of creating and using the symbol. This is the universal dynamic creativity what human has. In the course of creating and using symbol, human has the ability of giving the value to symbols freely and dynamicly, so the symbol system is a free system also. Civilization is a development course of self-determination. It develops and heritages through the symbol media. Thus, the development of civilization is a free, dynamic process also. So the development of civilization not only does not oppress anything, but also is not hampered by other things. Thus, in Freud’s view, the course of the development of civilization does not oppress instinct. [Translation: www.cnki.net, 6/2023]
[Chinese abstract not available] From a philosophical point of view, creativity is the development of people’s subjective understanding of the development and changes in the world formed in practice, and is the intrinsic motivation to realize individual self-development and promote social progress. With the deepening of the scientific and technological revolution, innovation has become more and more important in the development of the country, and fundamentally stimulating the creative vitality of individuals and society has become an inherent requirement for social development. At the same time, the emergence of the epidemic has bred pessimism about the future development of the situation, and a series of social problems have emerged one after another. In the post-COVID-19 era, to dispel people’s negative emotions and fundamentally enhance people’s confidence in the future situation, we need not only a solid material guarantee for the country, but also a better understanding of the current situation. In Fromm’s view, forming a rational understanding of the individual and the world is an important manifestation of the creative development of the individual. As one of the important representatives of the humanistic psychoanalysis school, Fromm saw the commonalities between Marx’s humanistic doctrine and Freud’s psychoanalysis theory, and thus combined the two organically. In the face of various problems existing in capitalist society, Fromm adhered to the humanistic stance, and made diagnosis and treatment of society and people living in it from the perspective of social psychology. From the perspective of human feelings and needs, he pointed out that the perfect state of human development should be creative and spontaneous.– This paper points out the pathological phenomenon in the modern capitalist society and the alienation phenomenon of people in it, and criticizes this phenomenon strongly, and puts forward the targeted reform plan, hoping to build a sound society to realize the creative development of people. He believed that creativity fulfilled the unique need of human survival and was a potential for a mentally healthy person. Creative people can fully develop their personality and reason, express their true inner needs, and have a constructive relationship with themselves and the world. Only a sound society can stimulate people’s creativity. Fromm’s attempt to clarify the interaction between economic base and ideology from the perspective of social psychology points out the role of creativity in human development, enriches the connotation of human essence, and specifically analyzes the psychological mechanism of alienation of modern man on the basis of the interpretation of the general psychological mechanism of man. His creative theory is not only a supplement and development of Marx’s humanistic thought, but also an inheritance and development of the Frankfurt School’s social and cultural theories. Although his proposals for changes in the economic, social, political and cultural fields are not directed at the capitalist system itself, but are only an improvement of the present society, and many of his theoretical ideas are too specific and lack practicality, his theories profoundly combine human existence and psychological conditions with social development, inspiring us to pay attention to people’s needs and seek solutions to social problems from the subjectivity of people. It has a great value for our country to implement the spirit of putting people first, dispel the negative emotions of individuals under the epidemic, and re-establish social confidence. [Translation: www.cnki.net, 1/2024]
In undertaking this study, the writer became aware of the following problem of study method in theology: skepticism indeed is an indispensable part of the theologian’s equipment; he must train himself to be disturtful of anything he sees on the printed page unless there seems good reason to believe that it can be trusted. In our theological culture, the printed word is generally regarded with such excessive respect that the grossest errors in fact may go unchallenged for years until the properly skeptical reader comes along. The above stated problem dictated the formulation of this study with the following purpose in mind: to develop a critical study method in theology. Accordingly, Erich Fromm's thought of religion was criticized from such standpoint in this study.
Erich Fromm was a humanistic philosopher and psychoanalytic psychologist. He devoted his life to adapting Freud’s psychoanalytic doctrine to the spiritual situation of Westerners after the two world wars. Today, his ideas still have a great influence on contemporary society, especially his theory of consumer alienation which opens up a certain theoretical vision for the >consumer age< we live in. At the same time, Fromm’s alienation theory has a certain degree of scientificity and extensibility, because he takes Marx’s alienation thought as the theoretical foundation and Freud’s psychoanalytic theory as the extension, and through the appropriate combination of the two, he leads his own alienation theory, in order to profoundly analyze the problem of human alienation, the most important of which is the problem of consumer alienation. For Fromm, the theme of modern capitalist society is no longer >production<, but >consumption<, and the source of alienation is not only the former >alienation of labor<, but also the >alienation of consumption<. The source of alienation is not only the former >alienation of labor<, but also the >alienation of consumption<, in which modern society is full of symbols, and in which people are gradually commodified. During this period, Fromm remained sober, warning people about the great danger of consumer alienation, trying to wake up and save people who were trapped in the trap of consumer alienation, and Fromm always insisted on calling people to be rational subjects, in order to build a sound society. Nowadays, China has become the second largest consumer market in the world through continuous development, and along with the irreversible globalization, the world is becoming >smaller<, so the invasion of the Chinese market by consumerism is inevitable.
In such a social context, Fromm’s theory of consumer alienation becomes more valuable, which is also the starting point and research purpose of this paper. At the same time, the objective limitations of Fromm’s theory of consumer alienation also serve as an important reflection and reference for our analysis of the consumption problem in China. To this end, this paper analyzes and studies Fromm’s theory of consumer alienation and its contemporary value through five main parts: first, through the introductory part, it compares the domestic and foreign literature to achieve a systematic macroscopic grasp of Fromm’s theory of alienation.– Secondly, through the theoretical tracing of Fromm’s theory of consumer alienation, the development background and theoretical foundation of his theory are more objectively understood.– Third, through the exploration of the basic contents of Fromm’s theory of consumer alienation, we discuss its causes and connotations and discover its realistic manifestations and possible crises.– Fourth, through the first three parts, we will find Fromm’s path to overcome consumer alienation and his specific expectations for building a sound society.– Fifth, through an objective evaluation of the contributions and limitations of Fromm’s theory of consumer alienation, we will use its reference value to analyze the current problems of consumption in China, and use it as a reference to actively explore favorable insights and solutions to improve the consumption problem in China. [Translation: www.cnki. net, 9/2022]
Beck (1995) has outlined an influential social theory in which the role of modern risks has been highlighted. Modern societies are characterized as qualitatively distinct from premodern societies due to the self-generated new risks of annihilatory potential. Jonas (1979) has proposed an approach highlighting fear as a heuristic guideline for approaching further scientific research and technological development. According to this framework, imagining annihilatory risks inherent in a particular technology and research should make us forego the potential benefits of this technology, as the potential costs are too high. Mittelstraß (1992) argues exactly the opposite and claims that not less but more research and technological progress is necessary in order to enhance the survival chances of the human species. In order to reduce the possibility of deliberate action, which may trigger the annihilation of the human species, however, Mittelstraß (1992) calls for the development of a strong ethos of responsibility. The question, though, remains on what kind of rationale this ethos of individual responsibility may be grounded? It is suggested in this paper that Fromm (1947) provided the answer to the question of how such an ethos may be created and sustained.
This article takes the position that our contemporary overheated media environment lends itself to comfortable passivity, resulting in mental breakdown in the guise of the dark emotions: anxiety, melancholia and boredom. This is especially the case with the inevitable synergy of the upcoming technological transformations from genetic modification, virtual reality simulacra and artificial intelligence/robotics. After discussing the data from the World Health Organization regarding the stark increase of people across the globe suffering from depression and anxiety, this article weds the concepts of McLuhan’s hot-cool distinction with Fromm’s delineation of the productive character orientation. Following Fromm, this article argues that joy ensues from reason, productive labour and love–sorrow from ignorance, alienated work and indifference. When we willfully abrogate our responsibilities to self and other via non-participational mediated forms, we cede away our potential for growth and development. This leads to the emotional breakdowns of guilt, boredom, anxiety and melancholia. Viktor Frankl’s logo-therapeutic perspective is discussed as a counterbalance to the social effects wrought by our overheated technological environment. Frankl’s stress on phenomenological meaning as the cornerstone of existence provides a lens to understanding the affects of an over-reliance on technological gadgetry.
First generation Frankfurt School critical theorists argued that global solidarity was possible because human beings have similar vulnerabilities to mental and physical suffering. This approach to solidarity remains significant for any discussion of the ethical aspirations of critical theory. It also has ramifications for efforts to develop a sociological approach to global moral codes which is influenced by the idea of an emancipatory social theory. Informed by certain themes which were developed by Simone Weil, this article draws on the writings of Fromm, Horkheimer, Adorno and Elias to consider how a sociology of international moral codes can be developed. One of the aims of this project is to consider how far global moralities have developed forms of solidarity around the recognition of shared vulnerabilities to mental and physical suffering which are part of the species’ biological legacy.
The only way in our opinion to account for this striving for justice and truth is by the analysis of the whole history of man, socially and individually. We find then that for everybody who is powerless, justice and truth are the most important weapons in the fight for his freedom and growth (Fromm, 1942/2002, p. 248).
弗洛姆作为法兰克福学派的重要成员,在思想上继承法兰克福学派的重要观点,认为批判性是马克思主义的灵魂,而同时,其推崇弗洛伊德的相关学说,也由此具有较为浓厚的人道主义色彩。他在对社会现实的考察当中继承了马克思的一系列思想,特别是在对资本主义社会的批判上,多次采用马克思对于异化的批判,逐步构建自己的理论体系。随着资本主义社会的发展,异化现象开始走出经济领域,迈向了更广阔的空间,弗洛姆也注意到了这一点,从多个角度入手进行了一定的批判。同时,弗洛姆也非常欣赏弗洛伊德,在分析的过程中也融入了弗洛伊德的精神分析学说,提出了社会性格学说。本文将重点分析其对资本主义文化现象的一系列批判,从中汲取一定的宝贵经验。