The Psychology Book (40 page)

nature, and isolated from one

another. Worse still, we have the

unique capacity to ponder the fact

…searching out and devoting ourselves

to the
discovery of our own

ideas and abilities
.

Life is fraught with

anxiety and powerlessness

These feelings

because of our
separation

can be overcome

from nature
and from

through…

…embracing our
personal uniqueness
.

one another.

…developing our
capacity to love
.

PSYCHOTHERAPY 127

See also:
Alfred Adler 100–01 ■ Karen Horney 110 ■ Fritz Perls 112–17 ■ Carl Rogers 130–37 ■ Abraham Maslow 138–39

■ Rollo May 141

The creativity of artists
encourages

them to interpret the world around

them in new ways. The world’s most

highly acclaimed artists have always

essentially been nonconformist.

loved ones. This understanding

creates a chronic source of tension

and an unbearable loneliness that

we are always seeking to overcome;

man’s inherent state of being is one

of anxiety and hopelessness. But

there is hope, Fromm insists,

because man can overcome his

sense of isolation and alienation

through finding his purpose.

However, as we strive to become

free, unique individuals, we still

feel the need for unity with others,

and in trying to balance these

needs we may seek out the comfort

of conforming to a group or an

authority. This is a misguided

We can achieve this by following

is only possible through respecting

approach, says Fromm; it is

our own ideas and passions, and

the separateness and uniqueness

imperative to discover one’s own

through creative purpose, because

of ourselves and of another;

independent sense of self, and one’s

“creativity requires the courage to

paradoxically, this is how we develop

own personal views and value

let go of certainties.”

the ability to create connectedness.

systems, rather than adhering to

One of the critical ways in

Love demands a great amount of

conventional or authoritarian norms.

which man delivers himself from

respect for the other person as an

If we try to hand responsibility for

isolation is through his capacity

individual, and it is based on

our choices to other people or

to love. Fromm’s concept of love

autonomy, not a blending of

institutions we become alienated

is vastly different from popular

personalities. In our overwhelming

from ourselves, when the very

understandings of the word. To

desire to connect and unify, we try

purpose of our lives is to define

Fromm, love is not an emotion, nor

to love but our relationships often

ourselves through embracing our

is it dependent on finding an object

result in an unloving imbalance.

personal uniqueness, discovering

to love. It is an interpersonal

We think we are loving, but in

our own ideas and abilities, and

creative capacity that one must

reality we may be seeking another

embracing that which differentiates

actively develop as part of one’s

form of conformity. We say “I love

each of us from other people. Man’s

personality. He says “it is an

you” when really we mean “I see

main task is to give birth to himself.

attitude, an ordination of character

me in you,” “I will become you,” or

In doing so, he frees himself from

which determines the relatedness

“I will possess you.” In loving, we

confusion, loneliness, and apathy.

of the person to the whole world.”

try to lose our uniqueness, or steal

In terms of personal love for

it from the other person. Our

Creativity and love

another, Fromm says that the main

yearning to exist “as one” makes

Paradoxically, Fromm believes that

tenets are care, responsibility,

us want to see ourselves reflected

the only way we can find the sense

respect, and knowledge—an

in other people, which in turn leads

of wholeness we seek is through

objective knowledge of what other

us to artificially impose our own

the discovery of our individuality.

people truly want and need. Love

traits onto someone else. ❯❯

128 ERICH FROMM

The Four Nonproductive Personality Types

Receptive types
have no

Exploitative types
are

Hoarding types
fight

Marketing types

choice but to accept their

aggressive and self-centered,

to retain what they have, “sell” everything,

roles, and never fight for

and typically engage in acts

and are always seeking

especially their

change or betterment.

of coercion and plagiarism.

to acquire more.

own image.

The only way to love, says Fromm,

most worthy of acceptance, and

unremittingly negative, and a sixth

is to love freely, granting the other

most likely to result in being loved

type—the productive personality—

person their full individuality; to

or desired. This is futile, because

is Fromm’s ideal. In reality, our

respect the other person’s differing

only a person who has a strong

personalities are generally drawn

opinions, preferences, and belief

sense of self, and can stand firmly

from a mix of the four main types.

systems. Love is not found by

within their own understanding of

A person with a “receptive”

fitting one person into another’s

the world, is able to give freely to

orientation is said to live passively

mold, and it is not a question of

others and love in an authentic way.

in the status quo, accepting the

finding the perfect “match.” It is,

Those who tend to orient themselves

lot handed to them. These people

he says, “union with somebody,

toward receiving love instead of

follow rather than lead; they have

or something, outside oneself,

being loving will fail; they will also

things done to them. In extremes,

under the condition of retaining

seek to establish a receiving

this is the stance of the victim, but

the separateness and integrity of

relationship in other ways, always

on the positive side, it is rich in

one’s own self.”

wanting to be given things—

devotion and acceptance. Fromm

Many people spend vast amounts

material or immaterial—rather than

compares this type to the peasants

of time and money attempting to

to give. These people believe the

and migrant workers of history.

cultivate the self that they feel is

source of all good things lies

The “exploitative” orientation

outside themselves, and they

thrives on taking from others;

constantly feel the need to acquire,

exploitative people take what they

though this brings no relief.

need instead of earning or creating.

However, they show extreme self-

Personality types

confidence and strong initiative.

Fromm identified several personality

This type is typified by historical

‘Know thyself’ is one of

types that he called “nonproductive,”

aristocracies who took power and

the fundamental commands

because they enable people to

wealth from indigenous populations

that aim at human strength

avoid assuming true responsibility

to line their own pockets.

and happiness.

for their actions and prevent

“Hoarders” are always seeking

Erich Fromm

productive, personal growth. Each

friends in high places and rank even

of the four main nonproductive

loved ones in terms of their value,

types—receptive, exploitative,

seeing them as something owned.

hoarding, and marketing—have

Power-hungry and ungenerous,

both positive and negative sides.

at best they are pragmatic and

A fifth type, necrophilous, is

economical. Historically, these are

PSYCHOTHERAPY 129

the middle classes, or bourgeoisie,

that rise in great numbers during

economic depressions.

The last of the main types is

the “marketing” orientation. These

people are obsessed with image

Life has an

and with how to successfully

inner dynamism

advertise and sell themselves.

of its own; it

Every choice is evaluated in terms

tends to grow, to be

of reflected status, from the clothes,

expressed, to be lived.

cars, and vacations they buy to

Erich Fromm

marriage into the “right” family.

At worst, they are opportunistic,

tactless, and shallow; at best, they

Erich Fromm

are highly motivated, purposeful,

Erich Fromm was the only

and energetic. This type is most

child of his orthodox Jewish

representative of modern society, in

parents, and grew up in

its ever-growing acquisitiveness

Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

and self-consciousness.

Fromm’s last personality type, the

A thoughtful young man, he

The most negative personality

productive orientation, genuinely

was initially influenced by his

type—necrophilous—seeks only

seeks and finds a legitimate solution

Talmudic studies, but later

to destroy. Deeply afraid of the

to life through flexibility, learning,

turned toward Karl Marx and

disorderly and uncontrollable

and sociability. Aiming to “become

socialist theory, together with

nature of life, necrophilous types

one” with the world and so escape

Freud’s psychoanalysis. Driven

love to talk about sickness and

the loneliness of separation,

by the need to understand the

death, and are obsessed with the

productive people respond to

hostility he witnessed during

need to impose “law and order.”