Anatomy of Human Destructiveness

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating
Review: Although Fromm seems ignorant of much of the work done by the Jungians and post-Freudians, he brings out a supremely important thesis and develops it well with his extensive research sources: human beings become destructive, not as a basic death drive (Freud) or innate urge toward evil, but because their tendencies toward wholeness and fulfilling important needs become frustrated. This bears reflection, for people can't be evil, as is traditionally taught in the Christianized West, in the same way that dirt is brown... although believing so has salved quite a few consciences and put a good deal of self-inquiry into one's own less spectacular destructiveness asleep.

Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ FOR PSYCH TYPES
Review: Fromm's text discussing and analyizing human destructiveness through comparisson and psycholanalysis. From Konrad Lorenz to B.F. Skinner to Stanley Milgram. Covering agression theories; behaviorism; narcissism; and necrophilia. Giving fairly objective views of all and conluding with a wonderful psychoanalysis of Adolf Hitler defining his as a malignant necrophiliac. (Need to be read to fully understand those implications; can be misleading). The book was written well enough for just about anyone to read without it ever becoming dry. Invaluble reference as well! A very thorough read without being overwhelmed, Fromm has definately understood, probably better than most, human nature and human destructiveness.

Rating:
Summary: It's a destructive culture, not a destructive species
Review: I encountered this book in 1988 or so, and it changed my life. It is I think Fromm's best and most important book. This is the book that first let me know that the violence of the dominant culture is not biological in its origin.

The book is centered around the question, obviously, of why humans commit atrocities. Fromm begins this book by exploring many of the theories, such as the notion that we are biologically overdetermined to be so violent. But he conclusively shows that cannot be the case. He then gives examples of nonviolent cultures, and explores why these cultures are the way they are. He then concludes with a powerful and detailed exploration of Hitler, showing how Hitler manifests the essence of this awful civilization that is killing the planet. A powerful book that helped form the foundations of my thinking.

Rating:
Summary: It's a destructive culture, not a destructive species
Review: I encountered this book in 1988 or so, and it changed my life. It is I think Fromm�s best and most important book. This is the book that first let me know that the violence of the dominant culture is not biological in its origin.

The book is centered around the question, obviously, of why humans commit atrocities. Fromm begins this book by exploring many of the theories, such as the notion that we are biologically overdetermined to be so violent. But he conclusively shows that cannot be the case. He then gives examples of nonviolent cultures, and explores why these cultures are the way they are. He then concludes with a powerful and detailed exploration of Hitler, showing how Hitler manifests the essence of this awful civilization that is killing the planet. A powerful book that helped form the foundations of my thinking.

Rating:
Summary: It's nurture not nature.
Review: If your questioning the sanity of this culture this book is a must read. I've seen this book recommended on Derrick Jensen's book list. Who probably is the best cultural critic I have read.

In my mind this book has put to rest the myth that the destruction and violence done by civilized man is instinctual. It takes a culture like ours to condition us into hating ourselves and the rest of life around us.

Fromm explores non-violent cultures to show us that humans havn't always been so hell bent on destruction and death. That there actually was life affirmative cultures. Fromm's final final chapter has really stuck with me. One of his suggestions for our survival is that the biophiliacs(life loving)people have to have their voices heard and object to the sadistic tendancies of this culture. A must read for anybody who is trying to imagine a better way.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating
Review: This is a fascinating book. This book and THE TIPPING POINT seem to present firm evidence that humans have become "civilized" away from the environment we are emotionally wired for. We are emotionally wired to deal with small groups (THE TIPPING POINT stresses 150 as the maximum number a group should be), and to have no one have a lot more materially than the rest of us. Envy, violence, etc., did not/do not exist in small hunter/gatherer groups. We are economically and population-wise at the point of no return. It's a shame. But there was a time when humans were not violent, etc., in human history. Before "civilization." Machiavelli in THE PRINCE says that, "War is the normal state, peace the abnormal state." It's the normal state in an abnormal world. It's a shame we can't return to the world we were wired for. The only thing I'm truely grateful for in modern-society is anesthesia. I'd hate to live without that. But every thing else I could do without, if it also meant doing without genocide and murder and rape etc. A brilliant--I would say necessary--book.