--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once the primary bonds which gave…" description: "\"“Once the primary bonds which gave security to the individual are severed, once the individual faces the world outside of himself as a completely separ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/erich-fromm-367_cybersecurity_once-the-primary-bonds-which-gave-securi_3043567.jpg" --- # Once the primary bonds which gave security to the… ![“Once the primary bonds which gave security to the individual are severed, once the individual faces the world outside of himself as a completely separate entity, two courses re-open to him since he has to overcome the unbearable state of powerlessness and aloneness. By one course he can progress…” quote by Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/erich-fromm-367_cybersecurity_once-the-primary-bonds-which-gave-securi_3043567.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/erich-fromm-367_cybersecurity_once-the-primary-bonds-which-gave-securi_3043567.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b06/erich-fromm-367_cybersecurity_once-the-primary-bonds-which-gave-securi_3043567.jpg) > ““Once the primary bonds which gave security to the individual are severed, once the individual faces the world outside of himself as a completely separate entity, two courses re-open to him since he has to overcome the unbearable state of powerlessness and aloneness. By one course he can progress to “positive freedom”; he can relate himself spontaneously to the world in love and work, in the genuine expression of his emotional, sensuous and intellectual capacities; he can thus become one again with man, nature, and himself, without giving up the independence and integrity of his individual self. The other course open to him is to fall back, to give up his freedom, and to try to overcome his aloneness by eliminating the gap that has arisen between his individual self and the world. This second course never reunites him with the world in the way he was related to it before he merged as an “individual,” for the fact of his separateness cannot be reversed; it is an escape from an unbearable situation which would make life impossible if it were prolonged. This course of escape, therefore, is characterized by its compulsive character, like every escape from threatening panic; it is also characterized by the more or less complete surrender of individuality and the integrity of the self. Thus it is not a solution which leads to happiness and positive freedom; it is, in principle, a solution which is to be found in all neurotic phenomena. It assuages an unbearable anxiety and makes life possible by avoiding panic; yet it does not solve the underlying problem and is paid for by a kind of life that often consists only of automatic or compulsive activities.”” [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. When individuals feel isolated, they can either develop authentic, loving freedom or retreat into compulsive, neurotic escape that sacrifices individuality. **In simple terms:** Choose authentic freedom over escape. Key Takeaway Embrace love and work, avoid compulsive avoidance. Themes freedom authenticity loneliness neurosis individuality Mood reflective hopeful serious Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - personal crisis - therapy - relationship building - career development - creative projects Key Concepts existential psychology self-actualization psychological health Questions to Reflect On - How can you transform loneliness into creative love? - What habits keep you from authentic freedom? A Different Perspective Compulsive escape may provide temporary relief but deepens alienation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aloneness Eliminating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aloneness-eliminating-5028141/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Individual Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-self-341972/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Love And Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-work/) [Overcome Aloneness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcome-aloneness-5028140/) [Separateness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separateness/) [Sociology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sociology/) [Surrender Individuality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender-individuality-3353618/) ## Related quotes > [Also in contemporary Western society the union with the group is the prevalent way of overcoming separateness. It is a union which the individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/also-in-contemporary-western-society-the-union-with-the-group-is-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [I want no heaven for which I must give my reason; no happiness in exchange for my liberty, and no immortality that demands the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/i-want-no-heaven-for-which-i-must-give-my-reason-no-happiness-in/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [The person who gives up his individual self and becomes an automaton, identical with millions of other automatons around him, need not feel alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-person-who-gives-up-his-individual-self-and-becomes-an-automaton/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Man, the more he gains freedom in the sense of emerging from the original oneness with man and nature and the more he becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/man-the-more-he-gains-freedom-in-the-sense-of-emerging-from-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“The frightened individual seeks for somebody or something to tie his self to; he cannot bear to be his own individual self any longer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-frightened-individual-seeks-for-somebody-or-something-to-tie-his/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“The deepest need of man, then, is the need to overcome his separateness, to leave the prison of his aloneness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-deepest-need-of-man-then-is-the-need-to-overcome-his-separateness/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [The deepest need of the human being is to overcome our separateness, to leave the prison of our loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-deepest-need-of-the-human-being-is-to-overcome-our-separateness/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Erotic love begins with separateness, and ends in oneness. Motherly love begins with oneness, and leads to separateness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/erotic-love-begins-with-separateness-and-ends-in-oneness-motherly/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [The experience of separateness arouses anxiety; it is, indeed, the source of all anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-experience-of-separateness-arouses-anxiety-it-is-indeed-the-2/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“But in many individuals in whom separateness is not relieved in other ways, the search for the sexual orgasm assumes a function which makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/but-in-many-individuals-in-whom-separateness-is-not-relieved-in-other/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Basically, there can only be two answers. One is to overcome separateness and find unity by regression to the state of unity which existed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/basically-there-can-only-be-two-answers-one-is-to-overcome/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Love is union with somebody, or something, outside oneself, under the condition of retaining the separateness and integrity of one's own self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/love-is-union-with-somebody-or-something-outside-oneself-under-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [“The experience of separateness arouses anxiety; it is, indeed, the source of all anxiety. Being separate means being cut off, without any capacity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-experience-of-separateness-arouses-anxiety-it-is-indeed-the/) [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/) > [“We don't have to defeat any individual but our own self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/we-don-t-have-to-defeat-any-individual-but-our-own-self/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) ## 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 Cybersecurity quotes > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [“Every select man strives instinctively for a citadel and a privacy, where he is FREE from the crowd, the many, the majority-- where he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-select-man-strives-instinctively-for-a-citadel-and-a-privacy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Our engagement through international economics, trade, these trade agreements, is vital and is linked to our national security. This is a lesson we learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/our-engagement-through-international-economics-trade-these-trade/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [“Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you...it means that you do not treat your body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/responsibility-to-yourself-means-refusing-to-let-others-do-your/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [I'm OK with guns in schools, if it's a security, trained security personnel. But every teacher having a gun, I don't know if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/i-m-ok-with-guns-in-schools-if-it-s-a-security-trained-security/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [I'm also the chairman of the board of Symantec, which is the world's largest cybersecurity - software cybersecurity company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schulman/i-m-also-the-chairman-of-the-board-of-symantec-which-is-the-world-s/) [Dan Schulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schulman/) > [Our security depends on having good relationships with our allies. Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Fraud will always exist. Enforcement of anti-fraud laws is a useful deterrent, but in the end there's no substitute for investor vigilance. Government regulations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stossel/fraud-will-always-exist-enforcement-of-anti-fraud-laws-is-a-useful/) [John Stossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stossel/) > [As president, things that you're supposed to focus on, things like the economy, like energy policy, which is completely tied to national security, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-burgum/as-president-things-that-you-re-supposed-to-focus-on-things-like-the/) [Doug Burgum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-burgum/) > [The U.S. cannot impose freedom, security, and unity in Iraq by force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-defazio/the-u-s-cannot-impose-freedom-security-and-unity-in-iraq-by-force/) [Peter DeFazio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-defazio/) > [Men who have lived significant lives are men who never waited: not for money, security, ease, or women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deida/men-who-have-lived-significant-lives-are-men-who-never-waited-not-for/) [David Deida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deida/) > [I've always said that I benefit, as an actor, from not having the illusion of security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/i-ve-always-said-that-i-benefit-as-an-actor-from-not-having-the/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [I don't want to have anything to do with that: just the fame without personal respect for your privacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-till/i-don-t-want-to-have-anything-to-do-with-that-just-the-fame-without/) [Lucas Till](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-till/) > [The purpose of the military is to close with and destroy the enemy on behalf of our national security priorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-wilcox/the-purpose-of-the-military-is-to-close-with-and-destroy-the-enemy-on/) [Todd Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-wilcox/) [Browse all 6,947 Cybersecurity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Once the primary bonds which gave security to the individual are severed, once the individual faces the world outside of himself as a completely separate entity, two courses re-open to him since he has to overcome the unbearable state of powerlessness and aloneness. 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