"Man is the only animal for whom his own existence is a problem which he has to solve"
- Erich Fromm
About this Quote
This quote by Erich Fromm recommends that human beings are the only types that understand their own death and the concept of death. This awareness of our own death produces an issue that we must solve. We should find a method to understand our existence and find significance in our lives. This is something that other animals do not need to stress over. We are the only species that need to face the concept of our own mortality and the implications of our presence.
Humans have actually developed various methods to manage this problem. We have actually produced faiths, approaches, and other belief systems to help us understand our lives and find meaning in our existence. We have actually also established numerous forms of art, literature, and music to express our thoughts and sensations about our lives.
This quote by Erich Fromm functions as a pointer that humans are distinct because we are the only types that must face the idea of our own mortality and the implications of our presence. We should discover a method to make sense of our lives and discover meaning in our presence. This is something that other animals do not need to fret about.
"Often and often afterwards, the beloved Aunt would ask me why I had never told anyone how I was being treated. Children tell little more than animals, for what comes to them they accept as eternally established"
"Certainly it is wrong to be cruel to animals and the destruction of a whole species can be a great evil. The capacity for feelings of pleasure and pain and for the form of life of which animals are capable clearly impose duties of compassion and humanity in their case"
