Summary

To have or to be?

(I add this series to my project „To Have or to Be“)

Although the psychoanalyst Erich Fromm’s book “ To Have or to Be“  was published in 1976 it hasn’t lost its urgency.  The first edition was in English! For myself and my readers to remember, I have chosen quotes from the book to explain and remember the idea of Having and Being and the different consequences. Last time it was about „Having“ , i.e.  : possessions are one’s golden calf, they are one`s aim of life, not only possession of objects, but of people, animals, one’s career etc. It makes people restless and doesn’t give security as all can be lost in a moment and people  haven’t more than that.

Today it’s about Being: It’s all about discovering one’s self, talents, qualities , wishes, ideas etc and sharing them with others. That gives our lives vitality, liveliness, sense, independence, versatilty and enough strengh and resilience to cope with life’s troubles.  Discovering our own sources in ourselves and sharing them with others we don’t lose anything, instead we grow, and with us our sources, too. So in crisis we are more likely to cope than those in the „having“ modus.

Next :consequences for society and our world