--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man is gifted with reason; he is life…" description: "\"“Man is gifted with reason; he is life being aware of itself he has awareness of himself, of his fellow man, of his past, and of the possibilities of h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/erich-fromm-367_1956_man-is-gifted-with-reason-he-is-life-bei_2952546.jpg" --- # Man is gifted with reason; he is life being aware of… ![“Man is gifted with reason; he is life being aware of itself he has awareness of himself, of his fellow man, of his past, and of the possibilities of his future. This awareness of himself as a separate entity, the awareness of his own short life span, of the fact that without his will he is born…” quote by Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/erich-fromm-367_1956_man-is-gifted-with-reason-he-is-life-bei_2952546.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/erich-fromm-367_1956_man-is-gifted-with-reason-he-is-life-bei_2952546.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/erich-fromm-367_1956_man-is-gifted-with-reason-he-is-life-bei_2952546.jpg) > ““Man is gifted with reason; he is life being aware of itself he has awareness of himself, of his fellow man, of his past, and of the possibilities of his future. This awareness of himself as a separate entity, the awareness of his own short life span, of the fact that without his will he is born and against his will he dies, that he will die before those whom he loves, or they before him, the awareness of his aloneness and separateness, of his helplessness before the forces of nature and of society, all this makes his separate, disunited existence an unbearable prison. He would become insane could he not liberate himself from this prison and reach out, unite himself in some form or other with men, with the world outside.”” [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. Human self‑awareness creates isolation, and only through connection can one escape existential prison **In simple terms:** Isolation stems from self‑awareness; connection offers liberation Key Takeaway Seek meaningful relationships to overcome loneliness Themes existentialism psychology humanism Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - community building - therapy - spiritual practice Key Concepts philosophy social connection mental health Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to deepen connections? - How does self‑awareness both help and hinder personal freedom? A Different Perspective Connection can be hindered by fear of vulnerability and societal pressures ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Fellow man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fellow-man/) [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Self -awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-awareness/) [Short life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-life/) ## Related quotes > [I learned that our deepest need is to overcome our aloneness and our separateness. We seek to escape from separateness in various ways. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-jaworski/i-learned-that-our-deepest-need-is-to-overcome-our-aloneness-and-our/) [Joseph Jaworski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-jaworski/) > [“We Japanese, on the other hand, know our egos are nothing. We bend our egos, all of the time, and that is where we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guterson/we-japanese-on-the-other-hand-know-our-egos-are-nothing-we-bend-our/) [David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guterson/) > [“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/) > [“Modern man is actually close to the picture Huxley describes in his Brave New World : well fed, well clad, satisfied sexually, yet without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/modern-man-is-actually-close-to-the-picture-huxley-describes-in-his/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Modern capitalism needs men who co-operate smoothly, and in large numbers; who want to consume more and more; and whose tastes are standardized and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/modern-capitalism-needs-men-who-co-operate-smoothly-and-in-large/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Equality today means “sameness,” rather than “oneness.” It is the sameness of abstractions, of the men who work in the same jobs, who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/equality-today-means-sameness-rather-than-oneness-it-is-the-sameness/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Love is possible only if two persons communicate with each other from the center of their existence, hence if each one of them experiences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/love-is-possible-only-if-two-persons-communicate-with-each-other-from/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Love is the active concern for the life and the growth of that which we love. Where this active concern is lacking, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/love-is-the-active-concern-for-the-life-and-the-growth-of-that-which-2/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“ Hitler reacted primarily in a sadistic fashion toward people, but masochistically toward fate, history, the “higher power” of nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/hitler-reacted-primarily-in-a-sadistic-fashion-toward-people-but/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“What does one person give to another? He gives of himself, of the most precious he has, he gives of his life. This does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/what-does-one-person-give-to-another-he-gives-of-himself-of-the-most/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Love is not primarily a relationship to a specific person; it is an attitude, an orientation of character which determines the relatedness of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/love-is-not-primarily-a-relationship-to-a-specific-person-it-is-an/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Cellar Christians!" Foyle exclaimed. He and Robin peered through the window. Thirty worshipers of assorted faiths were celebrating the New Year with a combined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/cellar-christians-foyle-exclaimed-he-and-robin-peered-through-the/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [“We prattle about free will, but we're nothing but response . . . mechanical reaction in prescribed grooves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/we-prattle-about-free-will-but-we-re-nothing-but-response-mechanical/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [“Mrs. May winced. She thought the word Jesus should be kept inside the church building like other words inside the bedroom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/mrs-may-winced-she-thought-the-word-jesus-should-be-kept-inside-the/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“You pigs, you. You rut like pigs, is all. You got the most in you, and you use the least. You hear me, you?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/you-pigs-you-you-rut-like-pigs-is-all-you-got-the-most-in-you-and-you/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) ## 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 1956 quotes > [“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/) > [“Mrs. May winced. She thought the word Jesus should be kept inside the church building like other words inside the bedroom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/mrs-may-winced-she-thought-the-word-jesus-should-be-kept-inside-the/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“Love is not primarily a relationship to a specific person; it is an attitude, an orientation of character which determines the relatedness of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/love-is-not-primarily-a-relationship-to-a-specific-person-it-is-an/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“We prattle about free will, but we're nothing but response . . . mechanical reaction in prescribed grooves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/we-prattle-about-free-will-but-we-re-nothing-but-response-mechanical/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [“What does one person give to another? He gives of himself, of the most precious he has, he gives of his life. This does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/what-does-one-person-give-to-another-he-gives-of-himself-of-the-most/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Cellar Christians!" Foyle exclaimed. He and Robin peered through the window. Thirty worshipers of assorted faiths were celebrating the New Year with a combined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/cellar-christians-foyle-exclaimed-he-and-robin-peered-through-the/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [“ Hitler reacted primarily in a sadistic fashion toward people, but masochistically toward fate, history, the “higher power” of nature.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/hitler-reacted-primarily-in-a-sadistic-fashion-toward-people-but/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“You pigs, you. You rut like pigs, is all. You got the most in you, and you use the least. You hear me, you?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/you-pigs-you-you-rut-like-pigs-is-all-you-got-the-most-in-you-and-you/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [“Wesley, the younger child, had had rheumatic fever when he was seven and Mrs. May thought this was what had caused him to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/wesley-the-younger-child-had-had-rheumatic-fever-when-he-was-seven/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“Make it a human war,' she said fiercely. 'You're the first not to be deceived by my looks. Oh God! The boredom of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/make-it-a-human-war-she-said-fiercely-you-re-the-first-not-to-be/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [“Love is possible only if two persons communicate with each other from the center of their existence, hence if each one of them experiences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/love-is-possible-only-if-two-persons-communicate-with-each-other-from/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“No," Foyle roared. "Let them hear this. Let them hear everything." "You're insane, man. You've handed a loaded gun to children." "Stop treating them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/no-foyle-roared-let-them-hear-this-let-them-hear-everything-you-re/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [“Equality today means “sameness,” rather than “oneness.” It is the sameness of abstractions, of the men who work in the same jobs, who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/equality-today-means-sameness-rather-than-oneness-it-is-the-sameness/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Millions for defense, but not one cent for survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-bester/millions-for-defense-but-not-one-cent-for-survival/) [Alfred Bester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-bester/) > [“I think a lot of this kind of work goes on at other (to say lower, deeper, or higher introduces a false gradation) levels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/i-think-a-lot-of-this-kind-of-work-goes-on-at-other-to-say-lower/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) Browse all 21 1956 quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Man is gifted with reason; he is life being aware of itself he has awareness of himself, of his fellow man, of his past, and of the possibilities of his future. This awareness of himself as a separate entity, the awareness of his own short life span, of the fact that without his will he is born and against his will he dies, that he will die before those whom he loves, or they before him, the awareness of his aloneness and separateness, of his helplessness before the forces of nature and of society, all this makes his separate, disunited existence an unbearable prison. He would become insane could he not liberate himself from this prison and reach out, unite himself in some form or other with men, with the world outside.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erich Fromm" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/man-is-gifted-with-reason-he-is-life-being-aware-of-itself-he-has/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "1956" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/man-is-gifted-with-reason-he-is-life-being-aware-of-itself-he-has/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/erich-fromm-367_1956_man-is-gifted-with-reason-he-is-life-bei_2952546.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/erich-fromm-367_1956_man-is-gifted-with-reason-he-is-life-bei_2952546.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a8/erich-fromm-367_1956_man-is-gifted-with-reason-he-is-life-bei_2952546.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Man is gifted with reason; he is life being aware of itself he has awareness of himself, of his fellow man…” — 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": "“Man is gifted with reason; he...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/man-is-gifted-with-reason-he-is-life-being-aware-of-itself-he-has/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/man-is-gifted-with-reason-he-is-life-being-aware-of-itself-he-has/#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 } } ] } ```