The Definition Of Strength According To Fromm: The Path To Perfection

The definition of strength, according to Erich Fromm, is an exercise of inner reflection that we should all perform. In a complex world, with a tendency towards self-destruction, heading towards a purely technological society as Fromm also expected, our only hope is to truly develop as human beings.

This development means that we succeed in taking responsibility, freedom and self-awareness.

Fromm was a pioneer of what he called psychoanalysis of radical humanism, and he was a philosopher and social psychologist who we would have benefited from being able to consult on a regular basis.

He is not only one of the most enlightened people of our time. He is constantly at the forefront of the intellectual struggle that seeks to shape a type of altruistic society focused on more solidary values.

This psychoanalyst of German-Jewish origin went beyond Freud’s theories and chose a broader, sensitive and even critical perspective to analyze the general condition of humanity and its problems. However, he did not create any form of therapy to treat people’s pain and suffering, as, for example, Viktor Frankl would do.

But Fromm was, is and will always be the voice of conscience that encourages us to value the situation we are in and in turn what we should strive for. His ideas about human strength are very interesting. We analyze these below.

What is the definition of strength according to Erich Fromm?

The definition of strength according to Erich Fromm appears in several of his most prominent works. One of them, the most interesting, is The Revolution of Hope . In this book, he talks about the need for us to become activists for humanity. People who have the ability to assert their right to values ​​that challenge the risks of modern technological society.

To understand this perspective, we must put it in context. Erich Fromm was forced to flee Germany in 1934 after the Nazi party took power. Much of his perspective is rooted in the horror and futility of World War II.

He later emigrated to the United States, where he led several peace movements. He stood up to the Vietnam War and defined himself as an idealist for a radical and humanistic form of socialism.

For much of his life he was disappointed with the kind of society he had lived in; first in Germany in the 1930s and later in the United States during the Nixon era.

Thus, in his book The Revolution of Hope, he urges people to an individual transformation with the aim of creating a paradigm shift in our technological societies. One of these changes, he says, is based on the need to learn to be strong.

There are three types of strength (and not all are good)

Erich Fromm’s definition of strength urges us to do two things. First, to commit ourselves to hope and faith. Second, to know how to react to violence, submission, meaninglessness and selfishness. From all this comes the need to learn to take responsibility, both for ourselves and in our commitment to society.

However, it is also interesting to note that Fromm distinguishes between three types of strengths. Two of them are not useful to us because they do not help us to develop or achieve happiness. They are as follows:

• When people show a sense of strength based on violence and aggression facing challenges just to show their own worth (or rather their selfishness).
• When people exhibit a type of strength that arises as a result of the introduction of an authority figure. That is, we are forced to do things and act as a result of fear.

Finally, we find the central idea in Fromm’s theory regarding the type of strength we should strive for. It is a state of fearlessness where we can develop and transform our society with optimism, faith and hope.

The definition of strength according to Erich Fromm urges us to reach perfection

The definition of strength according to Erich Fromm is very similar to the one that Spinoza talked about. According to this Dutch philosopher of Sephardic origin , strength has nothing to do with physical endurance or even courage. Strength is a virtue that is related to perseverance and generosity.

• Fromm takes this idea and adds the concept of faith as the commitment that a person must show for their own and society’s progress. Something he points out in his book The Revolution of Hope is that people carry a shell of despair and despair. This is dangerous because abandonment leads to captivity, loss of freedom and submission.
• We need drive, faith and enthusiasm. Thus, as he explains in his book Having or Being , we must ignite our joy and spontaneity. It is only when we are spontaneous that we can show our freedom.
• The definition of strength according to Erich Fromm urges us to self-development, to get to know ourselves in order to achieve the enlightenment that will lead to fulfillment. That is when we become fearless people who open the door to another exceptional dimension: boldness.

To be bold means to renounce idols, shackles and irrational thoughts in order to instead fight for authentic values with which we can create a more just, altruistic and supportive society.