To Have Or to Be? is one of the seminal books of the second half of the 20th century. Nothing less than a manifesto for a new social and psychological revolution to save our threatened planet, this book is a summary of the penetrating thought of Eric Fromm. His thesis is that two modes of existence struggle for the spirit of humankind: the having mode, which concentrates on material possessions, power, and aggression, and is the basis of the universal evils of greed, envy, and violence; and the being mode, which is based on love, the pleasure of sharing, and in productive activity. To Have Or to Be? is a brilliant program for socioeconomic change.
To Have or To Be? (Continuum Impacts)
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About the Author
Born in Frankfurt-am-Main, Erich Fromm (1900-1980) studied sociology and psychoanalysis. In 1933, he emigrated as a member of the Frankfurt School of social thinkers to the United States, moved to Mexico in 1950, and spent his twilight years between 1974 and 1980 in Switzerland. His books Fear of Freedom (1941) and The Art of Loving (1956) made him famous. Other well-known books are Marx's Concept of Man, Beyond the Chains of Illusion, and The Essential Fromm.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By IR
Format:Paperback
I've read the book twice in last year and highly recommend it. The BEING part is basically a description of the world today. Economy is booming, people are having more and more and very few are focusing on being. A very interesting part of the book is Analysis of Being and Having in different religions. The final part where Fromm points out a way to change the society so it would be concentrated on being and WELL-BEING is actually quite utopian, but the value of this book is that it shows how being and having affect our live and how we could change our life. To save the world, the big changes have to start from the level of individuals.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Fromm describes, in very understandable terms, the eternal conflict between the desire to "have" and the desire to "be". He outlines logically that most problems humanity has is the strive for materialism. He compares things to be had as dead and qualities to be as living. Some of his insights are drawn from the Bible and show that God Himslef, by his very name, is the supreme "being", whose wish it is that man becomes like him. Fromm warns against the perils of "have" based societies, and conclusively demonstrates that "be" oriented individuals have one of the major keys to a better and more satisfying life.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I have already read twice this book in the past three years and consider re-reading it again soon. It has become part of me; everyday I remember key sentences from the book which help me make sense of my own life, attitudes, and ideas. Two notions (a) the "being" way of life as opposed to "having", and (b) "matter is in constant flux" help me let go, relieving me of my attachment to things material. Paradoxically, they also give me the courage to experience life in a more proactive way, and to accept and appreciate life as it is without trying to force events. It's a truly spiritual and healing book.
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4.7 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
What every Capitalist should read
This is a great book demonstrating how western civilization has slowly become less interested in becoming acutalized humans but more concerned with amassing items. Read more
Published on Jan 11 2006 by "sum01"
1.0 out of 5 stars
To not
This is easily the worst book I have read recently, although I can see how a lot of people will like it, especially the non-realists. Read more
Published on Nov 7 2003 by Nicholas Antonio
4.0 out of 5 stars
Got worse since then ..
The author argues how the industrial society organized around the captitalistic framework has promoted a culture to want more and more and relies on people wanting more and more... Read more
Published on Nov 22 2002 by Strategysoft
5.0 out of 5 stars
Real Fundamentalism!
There are common threads to all the great religions, although often they get lost in or overpowered by the 'having' part of life. Read more
Published on May 2 2001
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fromm boils it down to this:
will you fall into the Western, mechanistic, and capitalistic mode of Having, or evolve into the perennial Being taught by those whom Fromm calls the Masters of Living? Read more
Published on Jun 3 2000 by Craig Chalquist, PhD, author of TERRAPSYCHOLOGY and DEEP CALIFORNIA
5.0 out of 5 stars
To be instead of to have
The traditional question review and update by Fromm's mastery. As part of his constant and insistent understanding of the world, this book points out again that, the "to... Read more
Published on Sep 17 1999 by R.Brown: linkspain@iname.com
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