Erich Fromm

The Sane Society is a continuation and extension of the brilliant psychiatric concepts Erich Fromm first formulated in Escape from Freedom; it is also, in many ways, an answer to Freud's Civilization and its Discontents. Fromm examines man's escape into overconformity and the danger of robotism in contemporary industrial society: modern humanity has, he maintains, been alienated from the world of their own creation. Here Fromm offers a complete and systematic exploration of his humanistic psychoanalysis. In so doing, he counters the profound pessimism for our future that Freud expressed and sets forth the goals of a society in which the emphasis is on each person and on the social measures designed to further function as a responsible individual.

The key book in our quest for understanding of ourselves and our lives. What differences are there in Eastern and Western thought regarding the nature of the human mind and our role in the cosmos? How can Zen and psychoanalysis help us in our struggle to realise our full potential as human beings and members of society? Erich Fromm's seminal work among contemporary efforts to resolve our spiritual crisis results here in the great achievement of a language to reveal the contributions of Zen and psychoanalysis to our 'struggle to be fully born'. He shows how both can teach us in their different ways to live our lives rather than be 'lived by them'. The book includes material from D. T. Suzuki, who explains with profound and gentle wisdom how Western materialism and intellectualism contrast with the Eastern concept of acceptance as the basis of well-being for the 'whole man'. His illuminating discussion of the unconscious and the self shed fresh light on our understanding of our own nature. Combined with Richard De Martino's clear account of the psychology of Zen, these writings make up a work of brilliance and value that has much to help us in our quest for understanding.

“A daring book to have cast into the midst of the world’s excitements, for it will itself breed new excitements. . . . It is not a book to be missed by those interested in man’s spiritual growth.”—New York Times A noted psychoanalyst assesses the modern issue between traditional religion and a philosophy that takes as the sole aim in life the satisfaction of instinctive and material values.

Kan vi leve godt – uten å ødelegge oss selv og verden vi lever i? I Å ha eller å være stiller Erich Fromm et av de mest grunnleggende spørsmålene i moderne tid: Er vi blitt mennesker som lever for å eie – eller mennesker som lever for å være? Fromm viser hvordan et samfunn bygget på stadig mer forbruk, kontroll og konkurranse ikke bare tærer på naturen, men også på menneskets indre liv. Når identiteten knyttes til det vi har, mister vi kontakten med det som gir livet mening: nærvær, skapende aktivitet, kjærlighet og ansvar. Boken er både en skarp samfunnskritikk og en dyp menneskelig refleksjon. Fromm beskriver to grunnleggende livsholdninger – å ha og å være – og viser hvordan valget mellom dem får psykologiske, sosiale og økologiske konsekvenser. For individet. For samfunnet. For fremtiden. Å ha eller å være ble utgitt i 1976 og er Erich Fromms siste hovedverk. I dag fremstår boken som forbløffende aktuell. Klimakrise, økende fremmedgjøring og et grenseløst forbruk gir Fromms spørsmål ny tyngde: Hva vil det si å være menneske – i en verden som synes å ha mistet retning? Denne utgaven inngår i bokserien Tanker om livet, og er forsynt med et innledende essay som setter Fromms tanker inn i vår egen tid.