Being strong means having the courage to live. Erich Fromm teaches us that the greatest aspiration for man is the achievement of the fullness necessary to face fears with confidence and to find the courage to build a more humane and altruistic society.
Written and verified by the psychologist GetPersonalGrowth.
Last update: February 19, 2022
The ideal of strength according to Erich Fromm invites us to an important exercise of reflection. In a world so complex that tends to destructiveness, to a purely technological society (as the psychologist had already anticipated), the only hope for man is to achieve complete development. This implies finding fullness in responsibility, freedom and self-knowledge.
Pioneer of the current that he himself called radical humanism, Fromm was an important psychologist and philosopher of the last century but also one of the most brilliant minds of the modern era. His values ​​continue to guide the struggle towards a more altruistic society oriented towards solidarity. In this article we analyze the interesting definition of force according to Erich Fromm.
The psychoanalyst of Jewish origin went beyond Freudian theories by embracing a broader, more sensitive, but also critical perspective on humanity and its problems. Unlike Viktor Frankl, he did not formulate a therapy to treat pain and suffering.
Fromm's was, is and will always be the voice of conscience that pushes us to appreciate the circumstances in which we find ourselves and to aspire to something more.
"A complete humanization requires the development of our strength to be able to move from selfishness to solidarity and altruism."
-Erich Fromm-
What is strength according to Erich Fromm?
The definition of force according to Erich Fromm appears in several of his most renowned works, one among all The revolution of hope. In this book he talks about the need to transform ourselves into activists of humanity, into people capable of claiming values ​​that challenge the society of the technological age.
To better understand his perspective, it is necessary to shed light on the context in which he lived. Erich Fromm was forced to flee Germany in 1934 after the Nazi party took power. The horror and events of World War II shaped much of his perspective.
Emigrated to the United States, here he became the leader of various pacifist movements, fought against the war in Vietnam and declared himself a supporter of a radical and humanistic socialism.
For much of his life he felt disappointed in the society he lived in, first in 30s Germany and then in Nixon's United States. In his book The revolution of hope he urges the population to implement an individual transformation to change the paradigms of a purely technological society. The change also involved learning to be strong.
There are three types of strength (not all positive)
The definition of strength according to Erich Fromm spurs us to make a concrete commitment with hope and faith. But also to know how to react in the face of violence, submission, abuse and selfishness.
From all this comes the need to learn to be responsible, both towards ourselves and towards society. Fromm highlights three types of strength, two of which help us neither to progress nor to achieve happiness:
- Based on violence, the taste in giving proof of worth (selfishness) with arrogance.
- Exercised through the imposition of an authority figure that pushes others to act out of compulsion or fear.
Finally, we find the central idea of ​​Fromm's theory about the kind of force we should aspire to. It is a state of courage that it favors our development to transform society starting from optimism, faith and hope.
“The purpose of life is to grow optimally to reach your maximum potential. Who will be able to demonstrate the will and determination necessary to break down the walls of the prison of narcissism and selfishness, having achieved the courage to fully control anxiety, will experience the first glimpses of joy and strength ".
-Erich Fromm-
Erich Fromm's idea of ​​strength urges us to reach fullness
Erich Fromm's definition of force is very reminiscent of Spinoza's. According to the Dutch philosopher of Sephardi origin, being strong has little to do with physical endurance, much less with courage. Strength is a virtue linked to resolve and generosity.
- Fromm takes up this idea and adds the concept of faith to it as a commitment that the person must undertake for individual and social growth. In The Revolution of Hope he describes the human being as trapped in a state of despair and resignation. This is a danger as resignation implies captivity, loss of freedom and submission.
- Man needs impulses, faith and enthusiasm. How does he explain to us in his book to have or to be?, we must turn on the joy and spontaneity. Only spontaneously can we demonstrate our freedom.
- The definition of strength according to Erich Fromm encourages us to personal development, a getting to know each other thoroughly to achieve enlightenment that will make us feel full. In short, to become intrepid and daring people in taking advantage of the opportunities that life offers us.
Being bold means leaving aside idols, preconceptions and irrational thoughts to fight for the authentic values ​​that will allow us to build a more just, altruistic, lonely society.
