Erich Fromm’s Conception of the Art of Being

Fromm situates the role of aff suitable psychology as attempting to resolve the Marxian dialectical contradiction that history constructs objet dart while placing man as the main source of such a construction that worldly concern the construction of history. In addition to this, Fromm foc characters on the manner in which iodin can understand how passions and anxieties are molded by the well-disposed process. The impressiveness of social psychology, at bottom this context is thereby evident if virtuoso considers that the form of social psychology is to show how those energies passions and anxieties become productive forces capable of contrive the social process that of the social construction of man as healthful as mans construction of history. Fromm recognizes that social character refers to that originate of the character structure of somebodys which is common to most members of a particular social group, developed in response to their conditions of sustenance. Char acter is shaped by the propelling adaptation of needs to social reality, and, in its turn, character conditions the thinking, feeling, and acting of mortals.Despite his use of the word determines, Fromm consistently stresses the dynamism of human race existences nature whereby someones and groups are able to resist the seduction of certain enslaving adaptations and open up the possibility of validatory freedom with and through egotism-realization. The concept of social character helps to explain the wed between the corporal floor of society and the ideological superstructure. It is, in this sense, the go-between between the socio-economic structure and the imaginations and ideals prevalent in society. The economic basis conditions social character, which determines the ideas and ideals of a class or a group. In turn, these ideas help to mould the social character and, indirectly, influence the economic structure.In comparison to Freuds feel of human psychology, Fromm was able to keep open the possibility that, on the basis of what we all in all share as human cosmoss, we are capable of creating a society in which the prevalent sexual relationship of domination and submission is spurned in favor of a relationship of solidarity (Fear 228). His analysis of the psychology of socio-economic substitute in various(a) social classes from the time of the Reformation through to the ordinal century reveals a variety of ways of suppressing the freedom which was on broaden as a result of the break from the political, economic, and spiritual shackles that bound mass in pre-modern times. According to Fromm, modernity involves a breakdown of old securities which is so frightening that different social groups resort to belief systems and movements which bind them to hot forms of domination and submission.In relation to Fromms conception of human existence indoors the context of the aforesaid(prenominal) conditions, Fromm considers the notion of existe nce ethical existence in terms of virtuosity. Fromm notes, The guileless or vicious character rather than single equitys or vices is the square(a) subject matter of ethical inquiry (Man 33). Character ethics create back to the philosophy of Ancient Greece, and Fromms debt to Aristotle is freely acknowledged.The abandonment of the idea of an essential human nature striving towards a telos leaves conventional example philosophy the impossible task of deriving moral precepts from a sentiment of untutored human nature (MacIntyre 54-55). Fromm explicitly criticizes this internalized authoritarianism wherein the pursuit of ones own happiness has no positive ethical mensurate as supreme happiness can scarce be make in the fulfillment of ones duty (Man 121-3).This idea that there is a natural propensity for offensive and that the moral law is infallible to suppress it is anathema to Fromm, for whom attractive ones self and loving ones neighbor is not a phenomenon transcending hu manity just now rather an inherent attri providede of that humanity (Fear 98-99). Fromm notes that it is the power by which we cerebrate to and enable solidarity with our fellowmen. Within this contextual background what is human nature for Fromm.In The graphics of Being, he poses the question of what it is that distinguishes the human being from other animals. For Fromm self-awareness, reason and imagination merely disrupt the harmony which characterizes animal nature. The human being is at once part of nature and yet transcends the rest of nature. Reason drives us to endless striving for new solutions to the problems which we continuously need to confront.The human life is one of unavoidable disequilibrium in which there can be no return to a pre-human state of harmony with nature but only a development of reason towards mastery of nature, including human nature. Only by recognizing that the only meaning to life is that which is given by humans through productive living can the possibility develop of achieving happiness through the full realization of the faculties which are peculiarly human. In Man for Himself, he cites Aristotle and Spinoza as the leading humanist philosophers, but also endorses Marxs comment in Capital that it is vital to distinguish between human nature in general and human nature as modify in each historical period.For Fromm, humanistic ethics is based on the principle that good is what is good for us as human beings and evil is what is detrimental to us, and the sole criterion of ethical value is human welfare. hefty is regarded as the affirmation of life through the unfolding of mans powers and virtue is regarded as responsibility to our own existence, whereas evil is perceived as the crippling aspect of our power and vice is an instance of our irresponsibility toward ourselves.Drawing on Aristotle and Spinoza, Fromm commends productiveness and the productive orientation, involving the full development of the human capacities for creativity, love, and reason. bereavement to live in this way results in dysfunction and unhappiness for the soulfulness the occurrence of which leads to a socially patterned defect. Hence, in the aforementioned work The Art of Being Fromm notes that it is important to recognize the existing law universal law that governs all forms of human relations. Such a law ensures the necessity that we should be careful that there is no contact between human beings that does not repair all human beings (13).In To Have or To Be? he contrasts the being mode with the having mode. The being mode is a situation in which activities are productive in the sense of being consciously say at the enrichment of human existence, as opposed to the having mode in which activity is directed to acquiring wealth and power over others (33). Although he accepts that the having mode is socially dominant, he argues that, only a small minority are governed completely by it. There are still aspects of most peopl es lives in which they are genuinely touched by non-instrumental feelings for their fellow human beings.One of the problems in establishing pictures of the productive individual and the being mode is that psychoanalysis has traditionally focused on neuroses rather than well-being. The problem is made more multiplex by the theoretical move from the consideration of the mental health of the individual to that of society. Utopian thinking traditionally addresses the possibility of a happy society, but often this is seen merely as the removal of anxiety caused by material oppression or deprivation. Despite these difficulties, a clear picture of the turn individual in thefree society does emerge from Fromms work, with the fierceness on a productive disposition and social relations infused with solidarity and love.In relation to this, how is it possible to understand Fromms conception of the necessity to enable the individual to live a life of virtue and hence to realize his being or h is existence within a world dominated by various forms of simulacra enabled by mass media? In order to ensure the realization of an individuals existence and hence that of his being psychologys role, in this sense, involves the product and implementation of various methods that will enable an individual to develop his virtue and as a result of this develop the existence of solidarity and love within society.Such methods include that of enabling self-awareness amongst individuals. Self-awareness in this sense must be soundless in relation to the manner in which man stands as a social constructor of both man and culture and hence society beyond being a mere political, ideological, or religious individual. Art of Being, in this sense, in relation to and along Fromms philosophy opts to enable the realization and the affirmation of the self through the development of virtue in order to ensure the existence of solidarity within the human community.Works CitedFromm, Erich. The Art of Bei ng. London Routledge, 1993.The Fear of Freedom. New York Routledge, 1984.Man for Himself An interrogative into the Psychology of Ethics. New York Routledge, 1990.To Have or to Be? London Routledge, 1993.McIntyre, Alasdaire. afterwards Virtue A Study in Moral Theory. London Np, 1995.