What Philosopher Erich Fromm Says About the 'Having or Being' Lifestyle

'To Have or to Be' by Erich Fromm - the leading social psychologist, philosopher and cultural analyst of the 20th century - is not just a book of philosophy or psychology, but a roadmap for those who are yearning for a deeper, more meaningful life.

In a world full of material pressure, when success is sometimes defined by what people have - houses, cars, status, assets - the work To Have or To Be ? by Erich Fromm (recently published by Lao Dong Publishing House and Bach Viet Books) is like an invitation for people to return to the profound nature of life: not to possess, but to be.

Possess or exist as a roadmap for those who yearn for a deeper, more meaningful life.

PHOTO: Publisher

Don't lose yourself looking at the outside world.

In his book To Have or to Be , Erich Fromm argues that in modern culture, we are raised to live according to a model of possession: to possess knowledge, to possess degrees, to possess lovers, to possess material things, even to “own” spiritual experiences. In this model, a person’s worth is tied to what they have. Love becomes the ownership of others. Knowledge becomes the hoarding of information. The self is built on the foundation of possession.

In contrast, the mode of being is a way of life based on presence, authentic experience, the capacity to love and create. In this state, people do not need to possess to feel fulfilled. They live in the moment, open to life, to others and to themselves. They love without possessing, know without hoarding, create without being complacent.

The author argues that most of the crises of modern man - the feeling of loneliness, emptiness, disorientation - come from the loss of the ownership model. We can easily lose ourselves if we only look at external things.

So, to have or to be is an invitation to change. Erich Fromm believed that humans are not bound by fate to the possessive pattern of life. We can choose. And that choice begins with awareness.

Along with Having or Being, author Erich Fromm is also known for The Art of Being .

PHOTO: Bach Viet Books

Living in a mode of being does not mean renunciation of material things or asceticism. It is about resetting our relationship with the world: instead of possessing, we feel; instead of hoarding, we share; instead of controlling, we listen. In love, it is the ability to love someone as they are, without attachment, without possessiveness. In learning, it is the ability to truly understand rather than to memorize. In work, it is creative inspiration rather than just doing it for a paycheck.

Therefore, Possession or Existence is not only a book to read, but also to contemplate, to live with. It is a manifesto for a more humane, more mindful way of life in an era where people are increasingly enslaved by the things they own.

Erich Fromm proves that the most important thing for people to live according to the existing model is to be awake - not to be caught up in the illusions that modern society creates. And to be awake, people must learn to look deeply, must practice living slowly, living fully in a present that is always overwhelmed with work and... work.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/triet-gia-erich-fromm-noi-gi-ve-loi-song-so-huu-hay-hien-huu-185250528134752.htm