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Today the function of psychiatry, psychology and…

“Today the function of psychiatry, psychology and psychoanalysis threatens to become the tool in the manipulation of man.” quote by Erich Fromm
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“Today the function of psychiatry, psychology and psychoanalysis threatens to become the tool in the manipulation of man.”

Erich Fromm

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Psychiatry and related fields risk being misused as tools for controlling people rather than healing.

In simple terms: Therapy can become a means of manipulation.

Key Takeaway

Guard against misuse of psychological knowledge.

Themes

ethics power psychology manipulation

Mood

cautious critical

Type

philosophical ethical

When to use this quote

  • clinical practice
  • political propaganda
  • advertising
  • social engineering

Key Concepts

authoritarianism informed consent therapeutic boundaries

Questions to Reflect On

  • What safeguards protect patients from manipulation?
  • How can professionals ensure ethical use of psychological insights?
A Different Perspective

Complex power dynamics make it hard to separate therapy from control.

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