Escape from Freedom

...This book was first published in 1941, just after it started the WW2 and without having the information about it that we all know now. From this point, it gives and excellent analysis about the "mechanics" of the human interaction. To read It is a must to understand any other Fromm's publication.
...If you have been looking for what is the matrix, and would like an approximation but, for REAL, then you may take the red pill by reading this book. ...But regrets arent allowed.

My introduction to the ideas of Erich Fromm was the beautifully enlightening _The Art of Loving_ (1956), a book that, in my opinion, everyone should read and study at an early age, and especially before going into a romantic relationship. As I read that book I found myself nodding at every paragraph. Fromm's insights sounded so true and clear that I wondered why I hadn't thought of them. Few philosophers are able to present ideas to you in such a lucid way that they appear to be common sense. Fromm is often credited with introducing the general reader to psychological and sociological concepts, presenting them in a style that can be understood by non-specialists. Having read _The Art of Loving_ and _Escape from Freedom_, I can say that this view of Fromm's work is a correct one, though I wouldn't say he simplifies the topics he discusses.

_Escape from Freedom_ (1941) is an exploration of the state of aloneness. Freedom is a burden in the sense that it forces an individual to make choices and to take responsibility for those choices. If one belongs to a community that dictates one's actions, one does not have this burden, but then, one is not free. According to Fromm, this sense of aloneness that is the result of freedom in turn causes anxiety, and an individual may respond to this situation in two ways: (1) by submitting to a leader, or (2) by compulsive conformity. In other words, in order to escape freedom, a person will either unite him/herself to authority or become an automaton, in both cases sacrificing his/her individuality. Fascism exemplifies the first path; the second option is prevalent in a capitalist, consumerist society.

Fromm traces the origin of freedom as a problem to the Italian Renaissance, when certain individuals became wealthy and thus attained a sense of personal freedom that had not existed in the Middle Ages. From cooperation, human beings moved towards competition. Making money became an end in itself, as opposed to a means to an end. Religious reforms also figure prominently in the equation. The Protestant Reformation freed the individual from the authority of the Roman Church, thus increasing the sense of freedom and the feeling of aloneness. According to Fromm, then, freedom, alienation, and capitalism are tightly related concepts.

I found the analysis of fascism and that of capitalism equally compelling. The fact that some fascist powers were defeated shortly after this book was published does not mean that that problem is solved. Being free, as Fromm points out, is not the same as exercising one's freedom. We are free, but can we say that we always act freely? We often do not know what we want, or we guide our lives by what we "should want," what we are "expected to want," according to societal norms. We often think we are acting freely, when we are merely following a pre-established path, like actors following a script. This lack of purpose is what makes a horror like fascism a possibility. It is the same lack of purpose and "quiet desperation" (in Thoreau's words) that can be seen in our society today, so the problem is far from solved.

_Escape from Freedom_ is an affirmation of individuality, genuineness, and spontaneity. These are the qualities that make us truly free individuals. It is easy to say, "I live in a free society, I am free, I love freedom," etc., but as Fromm points out, "The right to express our thoughts means something only if we are able to have thoughts of our own" (240). In an age when thoughts and feelings are molded by the media, by "public opinion," by "common sense," by peer pressure, this is truer than ever. Ultimately, only the person who is genuinely him/herself can claim to be truly free, and can exercise to a full extent his/her capacity to love and to work, which are the two areas, Fromm says, in which we can develop our individual expression and at the same time function as productive members of society.

Realizing one's self, being truly oneself; this is the answer to the problem. As long as people continue to fear becoming separate entities, they will continue to sacrifice their individuality to higher authorities, with disastrous results. In _Escape from Freedom_, Fromm explains the problem, establishes its roots, and suggests ways out of it. Everyone should read Fromm. His ideas are clear, ever relevant, and wonderfully life-affirming. _Escape from Freedom_ has helped me to know more about myself and to reach a fuller understanding of our society and its problems. It is only by comprehending these problems and their roots that we will be able to bring about positive change, to build a society in which every person can realize his/her full potential and make decisions based on his/her wants and needs.

My next book by Fromm will be either _The Sane Society_ (1955) or _To Have or to Be?_ (1976).

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the book!

When I first read it I was enlightened. To me most people want freedom, but are afraid of the results of their actions. To avoid a bad chose people will let someone else choose for them. That's the origin of Fascism,Communism and other totalitarianisms. in every[[ASIN:0805031499 Escape from Freedom]] cultures you have people that just "Don't Rock the Boat." or "Go with the flow." It makes them feel safe. To be free you have the right to be right or wrong. That's scary for most people.

I have mixed feelings about this work. Though it does bring up many excellent and rather disturbing points, it is at times a bit redundant. It reads more like a mediocre translation of a great book than a great book in itself. The premises of this book are far greater than the prose which illuminates them. I'd still recommend this book to those with an interest in the subject matter, but I think there are other works which communicate the ideas more poignantly.

Some of Fromm's greatest works as he breaks down the common man in every society he's been placed and the psychological factors that have molded him over time. Beautiful

Written in 1941, ESCAPE FROM FREEDOM was Erich Fromm's analysis of the psychological character of certain social groups that had been swayed by the Fascist message. By using psychoanalytic techniques, he presents his case by showing how economic and social conditions had molded different groups within that society to be particularly amenable to the fascist message: changes in the existing socio-economic structure freed man from bonds that may have limited his individual freedom, but had also provided a firm foundation of security. Rather than having a positive effect, this new freedom left man feeling isolated and alone, setting up an anxious striving for a return to that primitive security. In this state, the social character of certain groups was receptive to fascist ideology, as that ideology seemed to relieve the existing anxiety.

Fromm's techniques may seem quaint by today's standards--though I'm certainly no expert. As far as where the practice of psychology is today, or Fromm's relevance to it, I can't begin to touch on. What I can say is that as a complete outsider, I found some of the discussions in ESCAPE fascinating, and some tedious and dry. Similar to Bruno Bettelheim's USES OF ENCHANTMENT, I found that some of Fromm's conclusions resonated with me, regardless of how he arrived at them. In fact, I found the first four chapters of ESCAPE to be very interesting--covering nearly half of the book, I read them in one sitting. Unfortunately, the next hundred pages felt like an interminable slog. I was glad that I stuck with it though, as the last chapter again felt fresh and insightful.

This first section that I mentioned is an analysis of the social structure at the end of the Middle Ages, when capitalism first started chipping away at the feudal system. According to Fromm, under feudalism, every man knew his place, and while this rigid structure severely inhibited man's ability to be an individual, it also provided him with a sense of security and a place in the universe. But as the forms of feudalism began to erode, man was cut adrift from those old sureties, and experienced fear and isolation. With nothing in place to encourage his new freedoms, man became desperate for a new message, which men like Martin Luther and John Calvin were ready to provide.

Whether the term 'Marxist' specifically applies to Fromm or not is probably splitting hairs--in ESCAPE he certainly draws from that tradition; hence, capitalism, more than just a means of production, is also the wellspring of social changes--in this case, the Protestant Reformation. Thus, economic and social forces set in motion changes to the social character which lead to demands for new conventions, which tend to reinforce the psychological underpinnings that led to the demand in the first place. This pattern repeats itself in the 1930's: although social and economic changes following the First World War had freed large sections of people from old bonds, people experienced this as freedom FROM security, and feelings of isolation and fear returned. This was fertile soil for figures such as Hitler to sow his message of nationalism and racial superiority.

I'm not sure if it takes an in-depth study such as Fromm's to arrive intuitively at this conclusion, yet I do think it helps clarify it some. Again, it isn't necessary to agree with Fromm's techniques for me to see that his ideas bear looking into (others are free to disagree), and that is where I think the value of books such as ESCAPE comes from, regardless of whether they are dated or not. The question then becomes one of relativity--is the amount of insight gleaned worth the time spent, and are there other, more recent works that cover this ground in a more effective manner.

To the first part, I can answer yes; that for me, the drudgery involved was worth it in the end, but not by a wide margin. The second part I'm unable to answer, having little experience in that regard. What I can say about ESCAPE FROM FREEDOM is that with it's first half and final chapter, I picked up insights that I thought were helpful to me--helpful in the sense that I thought they gave me more ways of looking at the social character, from both the time of the Reformation and also from today's time.

This is an important book that examines the character structure of modern man that is faced with the dilemma, "How can mankind save itself from destroying itself by this discrepancy between intellectual-technical overmaturity and emotional backwardness?" The author explains it from the political, cultural, economic and social psychological and historical context and uses the examples of Nazism to explain the authoritarian character---simultaneous presence of masochistic and sadistic drives based on the need for a symbiotic relationship to overcome the aloneness and powerlessness. He analyzes very important but often neglected characteristics of modern man--inability to "think" and "will" and the phenomenon of "pseudo-thinking", and the "despair of human antomaton" which set man up for conformity and "fertile soil for Fascism. The author emphasizes the importance of spontaneity through "love"(affirmation) and "work"(creation as a process, not as an end product). The message is extremely relevant to our current time.

Is freedom always positive? Is it the same for every human being? According to Fromm, the society in which we live in leaves men in their own more than ever before in history. This situation can generate a desire to escape from this "loneliness" adopting some of the mechanism of escape described in the book. For example, authoritary regimes can be explained as a consequence of this, where people want to be part of a greater "self" under the leadership of a führer. Another way of escaping is to become an "authomaton", that is to resign to your own self and turn into what others expect from you.
The concepts developed in the book are really interesting and will undoubtedly leave you thinking.

With authoritarianism rising across the world I decided to pick this book up to understand why. It is a fascinating read which goes back to the roots of why freedom can be an anxiety-inducing burden which we sometimes try to rid ourselves of. Whatever side of the political spectrum you are on there is something to be learned and introspection to be gained.

A bit scary, but it does present another side to the argument for "freedom".