The Anatomy Of Human Destructiveness (Paperback, Reissue)

Hailed as an "original and far-reaching contribution" to psychoanalytic theory and social thought, this is Fromm's ambitious and rather complicated rebuttal of Lorenz' innate aggressive instinct, built upon an amended version of the Freudian dichotomy between Eros and Thanatos. Animals act by instinct but people have "character-rooted passions," an inner map which mediates and is largely formed by physiology and the social environment, which can be either "biophilic" ("life-loving") or necrophilic ("death-loving"); considered as a set they constitute a person's character. Aggressive acts can also be either life-serving and hence "benign" or death-serving, hence "malignant"; while benign aggression is reactive, self-terminating and undertaken in defense of what is deemed to be a "vital" interest, malignant aggression aims at controlling others, destruction and cruelty for its own sake, for the pleasure the aggressor gets. In sane life-loving societies it would be recognized as the pathology that it is; malignant character-types like Stalin, Hitler and Himmler - Fromm's models - would be "harmless" because they wouldn't have a chance to come to power. But one might ask, is it possible to draw a line between these categories? Are passions such as unquestioning patriotism, greed, jealousy and vengeance less destructive to life because the damage done was not consciously or unconsciously intended? Don't we also need a set of standards by which we could decide what "vital interests" to defend? And if the same goals can be achieved by less aggressive means, how can such choices be encouraged? Fromm's latest book - eclectic but. labyrinthine - digs up the roots of man's pathology, but he has no life-promoting prescriptions beyond those offered in his earlier Escape From Freedom, The Sane Society and The Revolution of Hope. (Kirkus Reviews)

In a world in which violence in every form seems to be increasing, Erich Fromm has treated this problem with deep perception in the most original and far-reaching work of his brilliant career.Fromm asks: what is there in the conditions of human existence to lead man to the orgies of destruction and violence in which he has indulged? By drawing on the findings of anthropology, palaeontogy, psychology and history; and including striking character analyses of Stalin, Hitler and Himmler, he shows how the failure to use our capacity for love andreason results in the development of the reverse: we wish to control life absolutely, or to destroy it.

General

Imprint:	Pimlico
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Release date:	September 1997
Authors:	Erich Fromm
Dimensions:	216 x 138 x 28mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback - Trade
Pages:	688
Edition:	Reissue
ISBN-13:	978-0-7126-7489-8
Categories:	Books > Social sciences > Psychology > The self, ego, identity, personality Books > Humanities > History > History of specific subjects > Social & cultural history Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social issues > Violence in society > General Books > History > History of specific subjects > Social & cultural history
LSN:	0-7126-7489-6
Barcode:	9780712674898

Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate? Let us know about it.

Does this product have an incorrect or missing image? Send us a new image.

Is this product missing categories? Add more categories.

Review This Product

No reviews yet - be the first to create one!