Erich Fromm's Philosophy of Being

Erich Fromm, philosopher and psychoanalyst, emphasised that our lives can be lived in one of two modes: one centered on having things, and one on being a particular kind of person. Let's explore this idea!
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[@psterud]

Fascinating. I'm an artist and an observer surrounded by materialists who would rather have nice disposable things than know how to see the world around them. It really bothers me, this requirement to have, have, have with no limit, because it is so destructive, so transient, so blind, so poor. I have to wonder which philosopher saw this potential rot in humans first. My guess would be a Hindu, long before the Greeks.

[@dailyphilosophy]

In earlier times, when people were struggling to survive and material goods were scarce, it is understandable that humans developed a preference for material security which, among other things, suggests accumulating stuff that could be useful or life-saving in the future. So I wouldn't necessarily blame the ancients. It is only in recent decades and in affluent places that capitalism has created this empty and meaningless race to own more things, although nobody's survival is dependent on them today. Unfortunately, I don't know much about Hindu philosophy, but among the Greeks, Epicurus comes to mind. But probably, as you say, there were earlier critics of meaningless hoarding. Thank you for your comment!

[@psterud]

@@dailyphilosophy It wouldn't surprise me if hoarding and greed have been present with us for our entire existence and beyond. Even some [other] animals exhibit these qualities. Yes, seems to be related to instances of a combination of excess and fear. Doomsday Preppers are a poignant example of this. Or the Great Depression grannies with overflowing pantries. I ordered a copy of Fromm's first book on having and being. Thank you for the video.

[@RightNowMan]

A great message, cheers!

[@dailyphilosophy]

Thank you. It's a pity Fromm is not very popular today.