--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is hardly necessary to stress the fact…" description: "\"“It is hardly necessary to stress the fact that the ability to love as an act of giving depends on the character development of the person. It presuppo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/erich-fromm-367_ability-to-love_it-is-hardly-necessary-to-stress-the-fac_17137.jpg" --- # It is hardly necessary to stress the fact that the ability… ![“It is hardly necessary to stress the fact that the ability to love as an act of giving depends on the character development of the person. It presupposes the attainment of a predominantly productive orientation; in this orientation the person has overcome dependency, narcissistic omnipotence, the…” quote by Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/erich-fromm-367_ability-to-love_it-is-hardly-necessary-to-stress-the-fac_17137.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/erich-fromm-367_ability-to-love_it-is-hardly-necessary-to-stress-the-fac_17137.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/erich-fromm-367_ability-to-love_it-is-hardly-necessary-to-stress-the-fac_17137.jpg) > ““It is hardly necessary to stress the fact that the ability to love as an act of giving depends on the character development of the person. It presupposes the attainment of a predominantly productive orientation; in this orientation the person has overcome dependency, narcissistic omnipotence, the wish to exploit others, or to hoard, and has acquired faith in his own human powers, courage to rely on his powers in the attainment of his goals. To the degree that these qualities are lacking, he is afraid of giving himself - hence of loving.”” [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. Love as a giving act requires personal maturity, self‑reliance, and a productive orientation beyond selfish dependence. **In simple terms:** Mature love stems from self‑growth. Key Takeaway Love needs self‑confidence, not need. Themes personal development self‑reliance productive orientation dependency narcissism courage Mood reflective hopeful serious Type philosophical psychological motivational When to use this quote - therapy sessions - relationship counseling - self‑help workshops - leadership training - spiritual retreats Key Concepts character development human powers overcoming exploitation faith in self goal attainment Practical Applications - coaching for healthy relationships - designing personal growth programs Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑confidence shape one's capacity to love? - What practices foster a productive orientation? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability to love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-to-love/) [Character development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-development/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [“The teacher is taught by his students, the actor is stimulated by his audience, the psychoanalyst is cured by his patient—provided they do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-teacher-is-taught-by-his-students-the-actor-is-stimulated-by-his/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Loving becomes, and the ability to love, becomes one of the most important things in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/loving-becomes-and-the-ability-to-love-becomes-one-of-the-most/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Paradoxically, the ability to be alone is the condition for the ability to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/paradoxically-the-ability-to-be-alone-is-the-condition-for-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [I have never experienced being madly in love the way most people seem to have been, although it is not something I would miss.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/astrid-lindgren/i-have-never-experienced-being-madly-in-love-the-way-most-people-seem/) [Astrid Lindgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/astrid-lindgren/) > [How long can a man live on the outside before he loses his ability to love? How long before there's no more hope?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-lowell/how-long-can-a-man-live-on-the-outside-before-he-loses-his-ability-to/) [Elizabeth Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-lowell/) > [“In this universe we are given two gifts: the ability to love, and the ability to ask questions. Which are, at the same time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/in-this-universe-we-are-given-two-gifts-the-ability-to-love-and-the-2/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“the ability to love; the courage and strength it takes to love a person, no matter how different they are. Forgiving that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-sevilla/the-ability-to-love-the-courage-and-strength-it-takes-to-love-a/) [J.M. Sevilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-sevilla/) > [“We find our humanity—our will to live and our ability to love—in our connections to one another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/we-find-our-humanity-our-will-to-live-and-our-ability-to-love-in-our/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) > [“they had an instictive ability to love, so that when they encountered each other, they fitted together in a way that made the two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/they-had-an-instictive-ability-to-love-so-that-when-they-encountered/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“What is emotional freedom? It means increasing your ability to love by cultivating positive emotions and being able to compassionately witness and transform negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-orloff/what-is-emotional-freedom-it-means-increasing-your-ability-to-love-by/) [Judith Orloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-orloff/) > [“It is our ability to love that makes us most like the Creator…but to love in the face of loss and pain makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-patten/it-is-our-ability-to-love-that-makes-us-most-like-the-creator-but-to/) Douglas Patten > [“With practice, you will find that not resisting holds the secret to many spiritual experiences, including the ability to love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/with-practice-you-will-find-that-not-resisting-holds-the-secret-to/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“ No more. The yin fen has taken so much from me: my family, the years of my life, the strength in my body,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/no-more-the-yin-fen-has-taken-so-much-from-me-my-family-the-years-of/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [What makes us human is not our mind but our heart, not our ability to think but our ability to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-makes-us-human-is-not-our-mind-but-our-heart-not-our-ability-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In this universe we are given two gifts: the ability to love and the ability to question. Which are, at the same time, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/in-this-universe-we-are-given-two-gifts-the-ability-to-love-and-the/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) ## 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/) > [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. 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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/) > [Love is a power which produces love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/love-is-a-power-which-produces-love/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) [Explore all 558 Erich Fromm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) ## More Ability to love quotes > [In this universe we are given two gifts: the ability to love and the ability to question. 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It’s the inability to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-yates/do-you-know-what-the-definition-of-insane-is-yes-it-s-the-inability/) [Richard Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-yates/) > [“With practice, you will find that not resisting holds the secret to many spiritual experiences, including the ability to love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/with-practice-you-will-find-that-not-resisting-holds-the-secret-to/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The greatest gift God gave us is also our greatest curse, which is the free will. We are made in God's image, the Bible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-greatest-gift-god-gave-us-is-also-our-greatest-curse-which-is-the/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“Higley was here.” “James Higley?” Thomas’s expression went flat. “You jest.” Nathaniel shook his head. “He was here after church services.” The memory stabbed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-lynn-perry/higley-was-here-james-higley-thomas-s-expression-went-flat-you-jest/) [Amber Lynn Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-lynn-perry/) > [“It sickens me to think of you a prevalence of void unholy immovable damned. gifts. an overblown sense of his own importance. I wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/it-sickens-me-to-think-of-you-a-prevalence-of-void-unholy-immovable/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [The solution for mankind is of a spiritual nature. It is not a political or religious solution. 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Clinton [Browse all 161 Ability to love quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-to-love/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is hardly necessary to stress the fact that the ability to love as an act of giving depends on the character development of the person. It presupposes the attainment of a predominantly productive orientation; in this orientation the person has overcome dependency, narcissistic omnipotence, the wish to exploit others, or to hoard, and has acquired faith in his own human powers, courage to rely on his powers in the attainment of his goals. 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