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Editorial: On survival
(2022)
Haben oder Sein: Leben statt Profit! Was mache ich aus dem, was die Gesellschaft aus mir macht?
(2022)
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]
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]
Review Ahron Friedberg with Sandra Sherman. Psychotherapy and personal change: Two minds in a mirror
(2022)
In this essay, the author will explore the use of countertransference in the therapeutic process, with particular emphasis on Oedipal love. We begin with countertransference as conceptualized by interpersonal psychoanalytic theorists, who immediately pointed out the technical relevance of the therapist as a person, and the importance of the use of the therapist’s feelings, thoughts, life experiences, and states of mind in the therapeutic relationship. Just as dreams, slips of the tongue, peripheral thoughts, and physical gestures are useful in reading the patient’s unconscious experience, accepting, examining, and exploring countertransference become useful in reading the analyst’s unconscious experience. The author will then identify a more radical and contemporary conception of countertransference as representative of the analyst’s unconscious receptivity to the patient within the enactments in which transference and countertransference reciprocally affect each other. Finally, the author will concentrate on the Oedipal feelings experienced by the therapist and their importance in treatment. A clinical case will illustrate the clinical ramifications of these hypotheses.
>Hans, einen herrlichen Film hab ich gesehn.< Von Potemkin bis Ben Hur. Die Grundigs und das Kino
(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]
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]
Carson McCullers is an important female writer in the history of American Southern literature, and her works are full of description of Southern society. >Clock Without Hands<, her last novel, describes the Southern people and events in the mid-twentieth century. Most research outcomes focus on characters and mental description in the novel, a few are concerned with its social discourse, but few literary critics probe the alienation and its connection with society and history. This thesis explores the characters’ alienation condition in the South from the perspective of the alienation theory, which Fromm also emphasizes the individual experience and social elements, so as to reveal the panorama of Southern American society in >Clock Without Hands<. This thesis concludes that McCullers’ description on social alienation and social changes of the novel presents Southern advancement in the twentieth century, and it provides a new way to understand Southern society in >Clock Without Hands<, with the analysis of its theme of alienation. [Translation: www.cnki.net, 7/2023]
Fromm divided the value orientation of human beings into two kinds: emphasis on >having< and emphasis on >being<, and distinguished the essence of the two. He pointed out that alienated consumption is a way of existence of emphasis on having, which leads to the alienation of human beings and nature, between people and people as well as individual human beings, so that people are more and more far away from the >being<. He believes that only by changing the value orientation of people can we abandon the alienated consumption and return to the nature of human existence. Under the influence of western consumer society, alienated consumption is also spreading in our country. At this critical time, Fromm’s criticism of alienated consumption is of great significance for us to cultivate the correct consumption concept, imple¬ment the correct consumption behavior, and realize the sustainable utilization of resources, social harmony and the all-round development of human beings [Translation: www.cnki.net, 4/2023]
Erich Fromm is an American psychologist and psychoanalyst. In his system of doctrine, the existence concept occupies an important position. In Fromm’s view, existence mode not only reflects the individual’s living conditions, but also reflects the status and level of social development. Existence mode is not only an issue of values, but also an issue of ethics and psychology. Fromm’s concept is deeply influenced by Marx and Freud. Marx’s alienated labor theory and Freud’s psychoanalytic theory constitute important theoretical sources of his existence concept. Fromm divides existence mode into two types: the mode of having and the mode of being. Fromm profoundly reveals the social psychology and character characteristics of having, as well as the negative effects of having on all levels of society. On this basis, Fromm believes that it is necessary to shape a proactive mode of existence with >freedom<, >creativity< and >love< as the core demands, and to promote the construction of a new society through reforms at the political, economic and cultural levels, and to cultivate the new person with ideas of existence mode. By doing so, it is effective to eliminate the negative effects caused by alienation, reification and fetishism, and to transcend the existence mode of having. Fromm’s denial and criticism of the existence mode of having and the advocacy and assumption of the existence mode of being have positive enlightenment significance for the spiritual civilization construction of our society and the all-round development of human beings. However, Fromm’s existence thought also has obvious limitations. He lacks historical materialism. Although he recognizes that the generalization of the existence mode of having is the result of the development of private ownership, he ignores and downplays the decisive role of the economic foundation in social change. The social reform plan he proposes is out of touch with reality and has a strong utopian color, making it difficult to become a reality. [Translation: www.cnki.net, 4/2022]
[Chinese abstract not available.] With the gradual enrichment of material resources, the phenomenon of consumption alienation in western developed capitalist countries has also appeared in contemporary China. Consumption alienation has brought many specific problems and harms to contemporary China, and college students’ Campus loan is one of them. Some college students’ consumption psychology is affected by the phenomenon of consumption alienation and have a fanatical pursuit of goods and commodities. Because they have no economic income and limited economic ability, they choose to borrow and consume in the way of >campus loan< to meet their material desire, which leads to a series of >campus loan< problems. Fromm’s consumption alienation theory has a very important reference significance to solve the problem of College Students’ >campus loan<, so this paper systematically combs the main contents of Fromm’s consumption alienation theory. Firstly, it explains the core concept of Fromm’s consumption alienation theory and consumption alienation; Secondly, it points out that the performance and harm of consumption alienation are mainly reflected in three aspects: consumption alienation makes people lose their subjectivity and creativity, makes people have a false sense of happiness and psychological emptiness, and brings about the survival crisis of modern people; Thirdly, it analyzes the causes of consumption alienation, which has human and social roots; Finally, Fromm pointed out that in order to get rid of consumption alienation, we must establish a productive personality and humane consumption mode and realize the comprehensive reform of the transformation from a sick society to a sound society. Based on Fromm’s consumption alienation theory, this paper analyzes the current situation, harm and solution of College Students’ Campus loan by using the methods of literature research and integrating theory with practice. Firstly, this paper combs the current situation and classification of College students’ >campus loan<, mainly including consumer loan products, routine loan products and campus network loan. At present, consumer loan products and routine loan products are more in contact with college students, and campus network loan seriously endangers the physical and mental health of College students. At present, due to national supervision, it has stopped operation one after another; Secondly, it deeply analyzes the harm of College students’ campus loan to college students themselves, their families and all aspects of the school; Finally, from the perspective of Fromm’s consumption alienation theory, the paper puts forward that to solve the problem of College Students’ >campus loan<, we should cultivate college students’ sound personality and advocate correct consumption patterns, and puts forward specific solutions from these two aspects. [Translation: www.cnki.net, 9/2022]
As one of the most prominent and prolific writers in contemporary Canada, Margaret Atwood has won the Booker Prize twice. >Oryx and Crake< is Margaret Atwood’s eleventh novel, which mainly describes the clear recollections of sole human survivor Jimmy-Snowman before the crack of doom. His best friend Crake has destroyed humanity by creating a deadly virus that quickly spreads to the whole world and causes the destruction of human beings. By depicting the alienation phenomenon in the novel, Atwood reveals the predicament of modern people in a modern society and shows her humanistic concern. Based on Fromm's alienation theory, this thesis analyses the phenomenon of alienation from three aspects: the self-alienation, the relationship alienation and the social alienation. Firstly, the self-alienation means that man loses his creativity and subjectivity. Through creative activities and self-love, man can achieve his spiritual development and subjectivity. Secondly, this thesis also explores the relationship alienation. In modern society, people tend to make use of each other to safeguard their interests, which leads to the love that between family members and lovers is not pure. Through mature motherly love and erotic love, children will establish a more harmonious relationship with their parents and lovers will have a deeper understanding of each other. Thirdly, it comes to the social alienation. Technology alienation and consumption alienation are embodied in the social alienation. The misuse of technology and the possession of material things cause the alienation between man and society. In order to establish a humane society, humans can establish a harmonious relationship with society by having a humanistic planning and humanized consumption. By discussing the alienation phenomenon and the methods to eliminate alienation, this thesis attempts to provide a salutary lesson. In order to eliminate alienation, people should establish a harmonious relationship with themselves, others and society with the creativity, love and humanistic spirit. [Translation: www.cnki.net, 4/2023]
As one of the most famous contemporary female writers in America, Donna Tartt is a newly rising star in American literary circles. It is Tartt’s merit to describe the loss and confusion of teenagers and her work is characterized by its graceful language, compact plot and great readability. As a masterpiece that has taken Tartt’s nearly eleven years to get completed, >The Goldfinch< tells a story of a miserable boy and a famous painting which has escaped a disaster. Since its publication in 2013, >The Goldfinch< has been interpreted by scholars at home and abroad from different perspectives, whose research results are mainly concentrated on its theme and narrative skills. However, there have been no scholars so far who have interpreted the alienation phenomenon of the protagonist in the work from the perspective of alienation. Therefore, the author attempts to give a brand-new analysis and interpretation of Theodore’s alienation phenomenon in the novel with the guidance of famous psychologist Fromm’s theory of alienation, which aims to provide readers with more abundant angle to understand this masterpiece. This thesis consists of three parts: introduction, main body and conclusion. In the part of introduction, Donna Tartt and her masterpiece >The Goldfinch< are briefly arranged. Besides, this part summarizes the current research status of this topic at home and abroad and gives a brief introduction of the alienation theory of Fromm. The research significance of this paper is also clarified in this part. The body part is the main body of this thesis, which consists of three chapters. The first chapter explores the manifestations of Theodore’s alienation, which is embodied in his alienation from society, from others and from himself. Alienation is an extremely adverse phenomenon that will do harm to one’s mental health. However, it is unavoidable for Theodore to suffer from alienation due to his miserable sufferings and living environment. The second chapter analyzes the roots of Theodore’s alienation, which is carefully clarified from the perspective of society, family and Theodore’s psychology.– The first section discusses the social roots of Theodore’s alienation: the unstable social environment and the general absence of family ethics have caused individuals’ general estrangement and alienation.– The second section shows the family roots of Theodore’s alienation: the early death of his mother and the absence of his family affection lead to the cultivation of his closed and timid character.– The third section explores the psychological roots of Theodore’s alienation: his inner emptiness and loneliness are the fundamental reasons for his alienation. The third chapter analyzes the process of how Theodore constructively eliminates his alienation and finally obtains a sound psychology. The acquisition of fatherly affection and the nourishment of friendship make him feel be loved and help him gain a sense of security and the courage to move forward. Besides, the re-establishment of relationships with the outside world gives him a sense of accomplishment and helps him realize his own value. Moreover, the painting >The Goldfinch< provides him with a broad artistic space, in which he can find some comfort and courage. All of these factors have contributed to the elimination of Theodore’s alienation.– The conclusion part is the summary of the above analysis. By analyzing the manifestations and roots of Theodore’s alienation, and his efforts to eliminate alienation under the guidance of Fromm’s alienation theory, the author constructively gives the advice of solving the spiritual crisis and eliminating the alienation phenomenon of modern people. Besides, the significance and shortcomings of this thesis are also clarified in this part. With the rapid progress of society, people’s material life has been greatly improved. However, people’s spiritual world has not kept pace with their increasing material wealth. The relationships among people become aloof and isolated, which is harmful to one’s healthy development and the progress of society. Therefore, this paper aims to provide some constructive suggestions for modern people to properly handle their anxiety and eliminate their alienation phenomenon through the detailed analysis of Theodore’s alienation. It also aims to achieve the healthy development of individuals and help them establish a harmonious relationship full of love. [www.cnki.net, 11/2022]
On the basis of Freud’s character theory, Fromm introduced Marx’s historical materialism and creatively put forward the social character theory, which not only broke through the limitations of Freud’s character theory, but also improved Marx’s historical materialism. With the help of social character theory, Fromm elaborated the concrete operation mechanism between social existence and social consciousness. [Translation: www.cnki.net, 11/2022]
This paper aims to emphasize the fundamental role of unconscious processes in our adaptation. We will point out how we are able to unconsciously perform higher mental functions such as setting goals and planning how to pursue them, dealing with complex data, and making choices and judgments. In the first part of this paper, we will describe the main features of conscious and unconscious processes as pointed out by recent empirical research studies, and we will see how safety is essential in pursuing our fundamental goals, and how unconscious mental processes are strongly oriented towards preserving our safety and pursuing these goals. Finally, we will discuss control-mastery theory (CMT), an integrative, relational, cognitive-dynamic theory of mental functioning, psychopathology, and psychotherapy processes developed by Joseph Weiss and empirically validated by Weiss, Harold Sampson, and the San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group over the last 50 years. This conceptualizes unconscious processes starting from this >higher unconscious mental functioning< paradigm and, in accordance with research data, stresses that our main goal is to adapt to reality and pursue adaptive developmental goals while preserving our safety. Three clinical vignettes will help show how the concepts proposed by CMT have important implications for therapeutic process.
Einleitung
(2022)
в статье приводится попытка показать и доказать, что, несмотря на прошедшее время, Эрих Фромм говорит с нами о нашей социальной реальности на нашем языке. >Диагнозы< больной ткани постсовременного гражданского общества, а также оценки феноменов социальной и экзистенциальной реальности, поражают своей точностью и актуальностью. В статье анализируются работы Фромма, а также комментирующая литература современных западных авторов.
This text aims at a multi-dimensional reflection on Erich Fromm’s conception of the human being. Starting from Marxist-Freudian sources of the philosopher’s thought, the authors show the fundamental ideas underlying his version of psychoanalysis. Next, Fromm’s view of the human being as a social being is discussed, referring to the concepts of unproductive and productive orientations. Another important dimension of Fromm’s thought that is discussed is the reflection on the nature and functions of the symbolic language of the unconscious, which reveals to the human being both the best and the worst aspects of his or her personality. One of the most famous concepts of the American philosopher is also discussed – the distinction between the being mode and the having mode. The authors draw attention to the value Fromm placed on a life oriented towards the being mode. Finally, they remind us, following Fromm that a human being turns towards himself in his or her dreams, going beyond all the schemes and concepts that bind his mind when he or she is awake. The understanding of oneself that comes from a deep reflection on the content and character of a dream can awaken in a person the recognition of previously unknown dimensions of his or her mind; from now on, he is not merely someone immersed in the reality of everyday life. Crossing the horizon of oneiric imagination, he or she becomes free, in the dream, and she experiences the freedom of being on waking.
[Chinese abstract not available.] Monica Ali is a British Bengali female writer. She was listed as the best young British novelist by Granta, a famous English literary magazine. >Brick Lane<>Brick Lane<>Brick Lane< is a representative work of Ali, whose other notable works include >Alentejo Blue< and >In the Kitchen<. >Brick Lane< tells the story of Nazneen, a Bangladeshi girl who immigrates to Great Britain with her husband. The heroine of the novel, Nazneen, is a traditional and conservative woman at first. After the baptism of immigrant life and the change of her own thinking, she eventually grows into an independent and confident woman. Her husband Chanu is always looking forward to a bright future in Britain, but he is ostracised. In the end, they make different choices about their immigrant lives. In Ali’s work, she describes the intense and difficult life of Bengali immigrants incisively and vividly, but also profoundly reveals the alienation of the relationship among the characters in the novel. This thesis uses Fromm’s alienation theory from three aspects: alienation of human’s self relationship, man’s alienation from others and man’s alienation from society to interpret the alienation of characters in >Brick Lane<, and it further discusses the ways to eliminate alienation through the elaboration of alienation phenomenon.– First of all, this thesis gives a brief description of the author Monica Ali’s life and introduces the plot of the novel >Brick Lane< and the research status of scholars at home and abroad on >Brick Lane<.– Secondly, this thesis introduces the evolution of Fromm’s alienation theory and three main aspects of alienation. In the background of immigrant life, the characters in the novel blindly pursue high status in the western society. And under the influence of traditional ideas, women blindly follow men’s arrangements, lose their self-consciousness and produce self-alienation. In addition, the abnormal relationship between husband and wife also leads to the alienation between people.– Thirdly, immigrants are a special group and they have conflicts with the local social culture. Therefore, this thesis focuses on the analysis of the alienation between man and society and how to eliminate this alienation, so that people can be able to live in an equal and harmonious social environment.– Finally, it is the conclusion of the thesis. This thesis aims to explore how to effectively eliminate alienation when people are in an alienated environment by analyzing the alienation state and redemption methods of characters in >Brick Lane<. At the same time, it reminds us to fully realize our own values and give play to our subjectivity to eliminate alienation. And we should learn to get along with others in a loving way to build a healthy and equal society. [Translation: www.cnki.net, 9/2022]
>The Children Act< (2014) is a novel published by Ian McEwan, one of the most influential contemporary British writers. The novel explores the tensions and conflicts between slave mentality and master mentality, law and religion, emotion and rationality, unfolds the aftermath caused by those conflicts and eventually ends up with the failed salvation. Taking Max Weber’s instrumental rationality and value rationality as the theoretical framework, this thesis draws on Nietzsche’s philosophy of the will to power and love of one’s fate, as well as Erich Fromm’s interpretation of freedom, etc. Through meticulous textual analysis, this thesis exposes the crisis of modernity caused by the unilateral emphasis on instrumental rationality in society at the expense of value rationality and explores the gradual degeneration of modern man into a one-dimensional man in the general environment of utilitarian supremacy and negative freedom. This thesis consists of five parts. The first part introduces McEwan and >The Children Act<, and the literature review and the structure of this thesis are also included. The second part discusses the tensions and conflicts in >The Children Act<, such as the conflicts between slave mentality and master mentality, the irreconcilable conflict between religion and law, and the imbalance between emotion and rationality. The third part is the aftermath of tensions and conflicts in modern society, such as fear of freedom, one-dimensional man and utilitarianism. This part mainly discusses the paradox of freedom and the typical escape mechanism of negative freedom through the spiritual exploration and destruction of the character Adam. The fourth part explores the importance of value rationality using Adam’s resentment and self-destruction and analyzes the essential roles of literature and art in modern society. The fifth part is the conclusion of this thesis. It is fully elucidated in McEwan’s novel that the balance between instrumental rationality and value rationality is indispensable, and the aesthetic experience brought by poetry and music in modern fast-paced life is the possible way to restore the harmonious relationship. [www.cnki.net, 11/2022]
The paper is an attempt at shedding light on the issues related to the dystopian vision of postmodern society metonymically represented by Vado, an imaginary city, in the novel >Un incendio invisible< written by Sara Mesa. This abandoned urban space causes us to reflect on crucial topics in postmodern society, such as incorporation into unknown place, redefinition of the concept of parenthood, liquid and perverse love, social inequalities, abandoned elders, consumption, role of shopping malls and their significance, human alienation, all phenomena that we find in the novel. The city of Vado plays symbolic role in that piece, hence its devastation and ruin show a close connection with the consumer society and the actions of Homo consumericus. We base our analysis on the philosophical and sociological postulates of Gilles Lipovetsky, Zygmunt Bauman, Erich Fromm and anthropological one of Marc Augé, as well as on the proposal of how to read a novel by Javier del Prado Biezma in order to describe the nature of all these mentioned problems and expose the criticism of Homo consumericus concealed in the novel.
私がここで試みるのは,フランクルとフロムとの対話を想像することである.実際には両者は対話を行っていない.しかし,両者は有意義な対話を生む十分な理由を持つ.二人は同時代のユダヤ人であり,反ナチスの勇敢な闘士であり,それぞれの仕方でフロイトの精神分析学から「実存的精神分析」を生みだそうとした思想家であった.二人は,人間が抱く根本的な欲求はリビドーではなく,自分の人生を有意義な人生として実現しようとする「意味への欲求」であると考えた.フランクルは言う.「人生が君に投げかける問いに一つ一つ真摯に応えようとする営為が君に人生の意味を発見させるだろう」と.フロムは言う.「責任感とは,《自分には応答する力がある,だから応答する,応答したい》という自発的意識にほかならない」と.そして,フロムは指摘した.生き生きした豊かな応答関係の再生,これこそ今日の精神的課題である,と.
Ist das Verhalten der gehorsamsbereiten Teilnehmenden des Milgram-Experiments unter dem Begriff des autoritären Charakters nach Erich Fromm zu subsumieren? Um diese These bestätigen beziehungsweise widerlegen zu können, wird als erstes ein allgemeiner Überblick über den Aufbau und Ablauf des besagten Experiments gegeben. Anschließend erfolgt eine Betrachtung der im Buch aufgeführten, gehorsamswilligen Versuchspersonen. Milgram veröffentlichte einige Aufzeichnungen zu den Nachgesprächen, um herauszufinden, wie sich die Funktion des Gehorsamsprozesses zusammensetzt. Daran schließt sich eine Schilderung dessen nach seinem Verständnis an. Im nächsten Kapitel folgt ein Umbruch und der autoritäre Charakter nach Erich Fromm wird typisiert. Nach getaner Vorarbeit findet ein Vergleich der beiden Konzepte und somit die Prüfung der These statt. Letzen Endes werden im Fazit die zentralen Ergebnisse zusammengefasst und durch meine eigene Meinung ergänzt. [Amazon.de]