"We live in a world of things, and our only connection with them is that we know how to manipulate or to consume them"
- Erich Fromm
About this Quote
In this quote, Erich Fromm highlights the alienation of the modern human being from the world they inhabit. The materialistic and consumeristic culture we reside in has actually made us detached from the important things around us. We don't appreciate these things for what they are, however just for what we can do with them. Our relationship with the world is reduced to one of utility, where whatever is determined by its financial value. We have forgotten to value the natural world around us, and rather, we have actually ended up being focused on our own requirements and desires. Fromm is ultimately welcoming us to reconsider our relationship with the world, to value it beyond its economic or practical worth, and to recognize that we become part of a larger neighborhood that requires to be supported and taken care of.
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