9.14.2010

"The Art of Loving" by Erich Fromm


I finished reading "The Art of Loving" by Erich Fromm, a classical book on love which has been translated into 28 languages.

I this book, From says, "Mature love is union under the condition of preserving one's integrity, one's individuality." By quoting Spinoza, Fromm discusses the differentiation of the affects; between active and passive, "actions" and "passions."

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Infantile love follows the principle; "I love because I am loved." Mature love follows the principle: "I am loved because I love." Immature love says: "I love you because I need you." Mature love says: "I need you because I love you."
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This statement of Fromm is very clear, and follows perfectly on the logic of Spinoza.

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"In erotic love, two people who were separate become one. In motherly love, two people who were one become separate. The mother must not only tolerate, she must wish and support the child's separation."
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Fromm also points out that Paradoxical logic in China and India such as "I am the two, the life force and the life material, the two at once" in Rig-Veda leads to the conclusion that the love of God is neither the knowledge of God in thought, nor the thought of one's love of God, but the act of experiencing the oneness with God. This statement of Fromm reminds me Heidegger's "In-der-welt-sein".

"Love for God cannot be separated from the love for one's parents."
"Love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence."

If there are any of you who want to know more about love in logical sense, I highly recommend you to read this book.

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