Destroying Quote by Erich Fromm
“Man represses the irrational passions of destructiveness, hate, envy, revenge; he worships power, money, the sovereign state, the nation; while he pays lip service to the teachings of the great spiritual leaders of the human race, those of Buddha, the prophets, Socrates, Jesus, Mohammed-he has transformed these teachings into a jungle of superstition and idol-worship. How can mankind save itself from destroying itself by this discrepancy between intellectual-technical overmaturity and emotional backwardness?”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Sane Society, 1955
Humanity is caught between advanced intellect and primitive emotions, worshipping material power while neglecting spiritual teachings, leading to self‑destruction.
In simple terms: Intellect outpaces emotion, causing societal harm.
Key Takeaway
Balance reason with emotional growth.
Themes
philos
spirituality
critique
Mood
thought‑provoking
critical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- Education reform
- mental health initiatives
- public discourse on values
Key Concepts
Moral psychology
civilizational critique
ethical paradox
Questions to Reflect On
- What can individuals do to foster emotional maturity?
- How can societies realign values?
A Different Perspective
Changing deep‑seated cultural values is difficult.
![“As for [Amiri] Baraka, he and I have disagreements. I mean, he becomes a demagogue when there's an audience. He's a nice guy in private. I mean I like the guy; he's a terrific writer. I've published two of his books. Baraka is one of these fundamentalists who is prone to idol worship.” quote by Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f16/ishmael-reed-7430_audience_as-for-amiri-baraka-he-and-i-have-disagr_1091138.jpg)
