--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Modern man, if he dared to be articulate…" description: "\"Modern man, if he dared to be articulate about his concept of heaven, would describe a vision which would look like the biggest department store in the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14b/erich-fromm-367_concepts_modern-man-if-he-dared-to-be-articulate_1917653.jpg" --- # Modern man, if he dared to be articulate about his concept… ![“Modern man, if he dared to be articulate about his concept of heaven, would describe a vision which would look like the biggest department store in the world, showing new things and gadgets, and himself having plenty of money with which to buy them.” quote by Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14b/erich-fromm-367_concepts_modern-man-if-he-dared-to-be-articulate_1917653.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14b/erich-fromm-367_concepts_modern-man-if-he-dared-to-be-articulate_1917653.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14b/erich-fromm-367_concepts_modern-man-if-he-dared-to-be-articulate_1917653.jpg) > “Modern man, if he dared to be articulate about his concept of heaven, would describe a vision which would look like the biggest department store in the world, showing new things and gadgets, and himself having plenty of money with which to buy them.” [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. Modern consumer culture equates fulfillment with endless acquisition, reducing spiritual aspirations to material desire. **In simple terms:** We chase possessions instead of deeper meaning. Key Takeaway Seek purpose beyond material wealth. Themes consumerism spirituality materialism heaven culture Mood critical thoughtful analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - financial decisions - personal values - community building Key Concepts philosophy social critique existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What non‑material goals give your life meaning? - How does consumerism shape your idea of “heaven”? A Different Perspective Material wealth alone cannot satisfy spiritual longing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Concept Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concept-heaven-2926054/) [Concepts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concepts/) [Department](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/department/) [Department stores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/department-stores/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Gadgets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gadgets/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Heaven Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven-vision-2926053/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Modern man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-man/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [New things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-things/) [Plenty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plenty/) [Stores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stores/) [Vision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision/) [Vision Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vision-look-2926055/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I think if you ask people what their concept of heaven is, they would say, if they are honest, that it is a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/i-think-if-you-ask-people-what-their-concept-of-heaven-is-they-would/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Man today is fascinated by the possibility of buying, more, better, and especially, new things. He is consumption hungry... To buy the latest gadget,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/man-today-is-fascinated-by-the-possibility-of-buying-more-better-and/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Find your vision, and let it guide you in all that you do. If you lack vision, look inside yourself. Draw on your natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/find-your-vision-and-let-it-guide-you-in-all-that-you-do-if-you-lack/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [Heaven but the vision of fulfilled desire, and Hell the shadow from a soul on fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/heaven-but-the-vision-of-fulfilled-desire-and-hell-the-shadow-from-a/) [Omar Khayyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/) > [I was in a department store and I saw a weird-looking gadget. I asked the young saleslady what it was. She answered, "It doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-berle/i-was-in-a-department-store-and-i-saw-a-weird-looking-gadget-i-asked/) [Milton Berle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-berle/) > [Modern man lives isolated in his artificial environment, not because the artificial is evil as such, but because of his lack of comprehension of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/modern-man-lives-isolated-in-his-artificial-environment-not-because/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I think there's a tendency for modern man to become dominated by gadgets and machines, taking us further and further away from the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-day/i-think-there-s-a-tendency-for-modern-man-to-become-dominated-by/) [Robin Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-day/) > [Modern man lives under the illusion that he knows what he wants, while he actually wants what he is supposed to want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/modern-man-lives-under-the-illusion-that-he-knows-what-he-wants-while-2/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [A new question has arisen in modern man's mind, the question, namely, whether life is worth living...No sensible answer can be given to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/a-new-question-has-arisen-in-modern-man-s-mind-the-question-namely/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [We forget that, although freedom of speech constitutes an important victory in the battle against old restraints, modern man is in a position where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/we-forget-that-although-freedom-of-speech-constitutes-an-important/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Modern man is alienated from himself, from his fellow men, and from nature. He has been transformed into a commodity, experiences his life forces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/modern-man-is-alienated-from-himself-from-his-fellow-men-and-from/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Modern man is assailed on every side and almost without interruption by noise - of the radio, of television, of headlines, of advertising and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/modern-man-is-assailed-on-every-side-and-almost-without-interruption/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Modern man lives under the illusion that he knows 'what he wants,' while he actually wants what he is supposed to want. In order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/modern-man-lives-under-the-illusion-that-he-knows-what-he-wants-while/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Our whole culture is based on the appetite for buying, on the idea of a mutually favorable exchange. Modern man's happiness consists in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/our-whole-culture-is-based-on-the-appetite-for-buying-on-the-idea-of/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“Modern man is exposed to an almost unceasing “noise,” the noise of the radio, television, headlines, advertising, the movies, most of which do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/modern-man-is-exposed-to-an-almost-unceasing-noise-the-noise-of-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) ## 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 Concepts quotes > [Capability is just a concept of what is it we're looking at. Now how far we can go along that and what new capabilities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/capability-is-just-a-concept-of-what-is-it-we-re-looking-at-now-how/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [Our concept of a family holiday was going to a guest house in the Lake district or Wales where walking was part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bannister/our-concept-of-a-family-holiday-was-going-to-a-guest-house-in-the/) [Roger Bannister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bannister/) > [What is music? Music is language. A human being wants to express ideas in this language, but not ideas that can be translated into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-webern/what-is-music-music-is-language-a-human-being-wants-to-express-ideas/) [Anton Webern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-webern/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [I do like talking with friends about big concepts, you know, the stuff that will ruin a party. To me, the party hasn't begun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/i-do-like-talking-with-friends-about-big-concepts-you-know-the-stuff/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [You imagine that I look back on my life's work with calm satisfaction. But from nearby it looks quite different. 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