--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I am attached to another person…" description: "\"If I am attached to another person because I cannot stand on my own two feet, he or she may be a life saver, but the relationship is not one of love.\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d3/erich-fromm-367_feet_if-i-am-attached-to-another-person-becau_1039613.jpg" --- # If I am attached to another person because I cannot stand… ![“If I am attached to another person because I cannot stand on my own two feet, he or she may be a life saver, but the relationship is not one of love.” quote by Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d3/erich-fromm-367_feet_if-i-am-attached-to-another-person-becau_1039613.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d3/erich-fromm-367_feet_if-i-am-attached-to-another-person-becau_1039613.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d3/erich-fromm-367_feet_if-i-am-attached-to-another-person-becau_1039613.jpg) > “If I am attached to another person because I cannot stand on my own two feet, he or she may be a life saver, but the relationship is not one of love.” [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. Dependence on another for stability is rescue, not love; true love requires independence. **In simple terms:** Love needs self‑reliance. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal autonomy. Themes love dependence self‑reliance Mood thoughtful serene Type psychological philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - therapy - personal growth Key Concepts humanistic psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance support and independence? - What defines love for you? A Different Perspective Total independence can be isolating. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attached](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attached/) [Attached Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attached-person-1245343/) [Feet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feet/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Life Save](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-save/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/) [Relationship love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship-love/) [Saver Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saver-relationship-2423182/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [Never ever get too attached to someone, because when that person leaves, your whole world comes crashing down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-ever-get-too-attached-to-someone-because-when-that-person/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't know how attached you are to a person, until you go without talking to them for a bit:)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-don-t-know-how-attached-you-are-to-a-person-until-you-go-without/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being attached to someone is not about the other person. It is about your own sense of inadequacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/being-attached-to-someone-is-not-about-the-other-person-it-is-about/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [“After all, there’s no sort of guarantee when it comes to love, nor about feeling any sort of way that leaves you attached to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-demers/after-all-there-s-no-sort-of-guarantee-when-it-comes-to-love-nor/) [Cara Demers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-demers/) > [My own son has a congenital heart condition, where his life was saved by a cardiac surgeon stepping in at 11 days of life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atul-gawande/my-own-son-has-a-congenital-heart-condition-where-his-life-was-saved/) [Atul Gawande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atul-gawande/) > [There is no such things as God's word on earth. Or if there is it is not to be found in books. -Then where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/there-is-no-such-things-as-god-s-word-on-earth-or-if-there-is-it-is/) [James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/) > [We need your help. I need your help. We need money for research. It may not save my life. It may save my children's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-valvano/we-need-your-help-i-need-your-help-we-need-money-for-research-it-may/) [Jim Valvano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-valvano/) > [Some people drowned in life just in a thought that someone will come and save him/her, Be your own life saver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/some-people-drowned-in-life-just-in-a-thought-that-someone-will-come/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“And I read something else," Jacob goes on. "There was this discussion of the story of Cain and Abel, from the Bible. 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So save…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-telling-you-a-single-word-can-stop-a-person-from-pulling-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A good friend is like a COMPUTER enters your life saves you in the heart formats your problems, shifts you to opportunity and neva…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mejar-hendrix/a-good-friend-is-like-a-computer-enters-your-life-saves-you-in-the/) [Mejar\_Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mejar-hendrix/) > [“Whoever destroys a single life destroys the whole world. And whoever saves a single life saves the whole world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gidwitz/whoever-destroys-a-single-life-destroys-the-whole-world-and-whoever/) [Adam Gidwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gidwitz/) > [There is an enemy. There is an intelligent, active, malign force working against us. Step one is to recognize this. This recognition alone is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/there-is-an-enemy-there-is-an-intelligent-active-malign-force-working/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“If the pen is mightier than the sword, then what is the laptop? A light saber or a life saver?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-the-pen-is-mightier-than-the-sword-then-what-is-the-laptop-a-light/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Erich Fromm > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Only when man succeeds in developing his reason and love further than he has done so far, only when he can build a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/only-when-man-succeeds-in-developing-his-reason-and-love-further-than/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Freedom does not mean license.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/freedom-does-not-mean-license/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“It is hardly necessary to stress the fact that the ability to love as an act of giving depends on the character development of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/it-is-hardly-necessary-to-stress-the-fact-that-the-ability-to-love-as/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [The pace of science forces the pace of technique. Theoretical physics forces atomic energy on us; the successful production of the fission bomb forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-pace-of-science-forces-the-pace-of-technique-theoretical-physics/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Exploitation and manipulation produce boredom and triviality; they cripple man, and all factors that make man into a psychic cripple turn him also into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/exploitation-and-manipulation-produce-boredom-and-triviality-they/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Well-being is possible to the degree to which one has overcome one's narcissism; to the degree to which one is open, responsive, sensitive, awake,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/well-being-is-possible-to-the-degree-to-which-one-has-overcome-one-s/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“The wealth of data to be found in social and political life. The belief that people do not want to make sacrifices is notoriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-wealth-of-data-to-be-found-in-social-and-political-life-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [By equality, one once understood equality in the very same sense in which the Bible speaks of equality: that we are all equal, inasmuch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/by-equality-one-once-understood-equality-in-the-very-same-sense-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Human beings had two basic orientations: HAVING and BEING HAVING: seeks to acquire, posses things even people BEING: focuses on the experience; exchanging, engaging,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/human-beings-had-two-basic-orientations-having-and-being-having-seeks/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Most people are not even aware of their need to conform. They live under the illusion that they follow their own ideas and inclinations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/most-people-are-not-even-aware-of-their-need-to-conform-they-live/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Just as modern mass production requires the standardization of commodities, so the social process requires standardization of man, and this standardization is called equality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/just-as-modern-mass-production-requires-the-standardization-of/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [To respect a person is not possible without knowing him; care and responsibility would be blind if they were not guided by knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/to-respect-a-person-is-not-possible-without-knowing-him-care-and/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Love is an active power in man; a power which breaks through the walls which separate man from his fellow men, which unite him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/love-is-an-active-power-in-man-a-power-which-breaks-through-the-walls/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Perhaps most trivial talk is a need to talk about oneself; hence, the never-ending subject of health and sickness, children, travel, successes, what one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/perhaps-most-trivial-talk-is-a-need-to-talk-about-oneself-hence-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) [Explore all 558 Erich Fromm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) ## More Attached quotes > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“With no name attached to it, the place somehow declared itself nowhere and everywhere at the same time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-p-knave/with-no-name-attached-to-it-the-place-somehow-declared-itself-nowhere/) [Adam P. Knave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-p-knave/) > [“Sometimes, we are so attached to our way of life that we turn down a wonderful opportunity simply because we don't know what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/sometimes-we-are-so-attached-to-our-way-of-life-that-we-turn-down-a/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“For the creator must be a world for himself, and find everything within himself, and in Nature to which he has attached himself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/for-the-creator-must-be-a-world-for-himself-and-find-everything/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [I don't want to get attached to anyone anymore. It only destroys me in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-want-to-get-attached-to-anyone-anymore-it-only-destroys-me-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I definitely feel more attached to Kolkata than anywhere else in India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-guha/i-definitely-feel-more-attached-to-kolkata-than-anywhere-else-in-india/) [Isa Guha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-guha/) > [“When you think it is you who are doing something, that is when you get attached to how it all works out in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-viljoen/when-you-think-it-is-you-who-are-doing-something-that-is-when-you-get/) [Edward Viljoen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-viljoen/) > [I get emotionally attached to someone if I talk to them on the street corner for five minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-lance-black/i-get-emotionally-attached-to-someone-if-i-talk-to-them-on-the-street/) [Dustin Lance Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-lance-black/) > [People always leave as soon as you get attached.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-always-leave-as-soon-as-you-get-attached/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I farm - there is something visceral about being attached to the land. I am a recording engineer. I do my own laundry most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-lerner/i-farm-there-is-something-visceral-about-being-attached-to-the-land-i/) [Sandra Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-lerner/) > [The problem with getting attached to someone: When they leave, you just feel lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-problem-with-getting-attached-to-someone-when-they-leave-you-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/when-one-tugs-at-a-single-thing-in-nature-he-finds-it-attached-to-the/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [I'm a big advocate of a work-for-pay setup rather than an allowance that isn't attached to chores - it's a great way to impart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-m-a-big-advocate-of-a-work-for-pay-setup-rather-than-an-allowance/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [The longer we stay in Hell, the more we become attached to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-longer-we-stay-in-hell-the-more-we-become-attached-to-it/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I'm very attached to my family and protective of them and miss them, and that situation, my connection with that can make me become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-cliff/i-m-very-attached-to-my-family-and-protective-of-them-and-miss-them/) [Jimmy Cliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-cliff/) [Browse all 425 Attached quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attached/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I am attached to another person because I cannot stand on my own two feet, he or she may be a life saver, but the relationship is not one of love.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erich Fromm" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/if-i-am-attached-to-another-person-because-i-cannot-stand-on-my-own/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attached" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/if-i-am-attached-to-another-person-because-i-cannot-stand-on-my-own/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d3/erich-fromm-367_feet_if-i-am-attached-to-another-person-becau_1039613.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d3/erich-fromm-367_feet_if-i-am-attached-to-another-person-becau_1039613.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d3/erich-fromm-367_feet_if-i-am-attached-to-another-person-becau_1039613.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I am attached to another person because I cannot stand on my own two feet, he or she may be a life saver…” — Erich Fromm", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Erich Fromm", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I am attached to another...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/if-i-am-attached-to-another-person-because-i-cannot-stand-on-my-own/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/if-i-am-attached-to-another-person-because-i-cannot-stand-on-my-own/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```