Fromm's Escape From Freedom

The first foreword to this book provides an interesting view of Fromm's decision to publish the work at the time that he did. He was responding to the Nazi advances in the world, primarily, and the retreat from freedom that totalitarianism represented. As he noted, to understand the actions of human beings is at least partially a psychological problem and, in this book, he sought to analyze the results of the change from the medieval, preindividualistic society of the past to the modern, individualistic society of the 20th century.

According to Fromm, medieval times had the advantage of offering a certain kind of emotional and psychological freedom to human beings. Although there were many problems in the medieval world, including war and plague, Fromm indicated that the belief structure and institutions of that time were so strong that human beings experienced themselves as inextricably embedded in their world and connected to each other. They did not have choices. They did not have unlimited freedom. They had a narrow path to follow, but the rewards were clearly mapped out for them and they believed in those rewards.

Yet, at the same time, the impulse was toward greater freedom. Human beings sought to free themselves from economic, political, and religious slavery and from the limits of disease. The impulse toward freedom is a genuine one. By the early 20th century, a great deal of freedom had been gained. There were na

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ever, as cultures changed and individuals separated out from common hunting grounds, or gathering places, or rituals, moving away or adopting other ways, those individuals perceived themselves as distinct from other members of their clan or tribal grouping. As culture moved into the modern era, individuals perceived themselves increasingly as separate, as individuals, rather than as members of the Bear Clan, or as Helga, daughter of Else, daughter of Thora. They stood on their own, in relative isolation. This is an incredible weight on the human being. Who is responsible for the wellbeing of that person? Themselves. Who is responsible for their education, their marriage, their parenting, their spirituality, their health? All of these things are fundamentally the sole responsibility of the individual, rather than of the group. In addition, questions of belief, meaning, and value are primarily vested in the individual, rather than the group. The individual's salvation is the individual's responsibility. In this responsibility, the individual must frequently stand alone against others in the community, reaching a place of isolation and moral aloneness. This was not required of most people throughout human history, nor ex

Category: Psychology - F