--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People think that to love is simple, but…" description: "\"People think that to love is simple, but that to find the right object to love - or to be loved by - is difficult.\" — Erich Fromm" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/erich-fromm-367_art-of-loving_people-think-that-to-love-is-simple-but_1895132.jpg" --- # People think that to love is simple, but that to find the… ![“People think that to love is simple, but that to find the right object to love - or to be loved by - is difficult.” quote by Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/erich-fromm-367_art-of-loving_people-think-that-to-love-is-simple-but_1895132.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/erich-fromm-367_art-of-loving_people-think-that-to-love-is-simple-but_1895132.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/erich-fromm-367_art-of-loving_people-think-that-to-love-is-simple-but_1895132.jpg) > “People think that to love is simple, but that to find the right object to love - or to be loved by - is difficult.” [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 is complex; finding the right object or being loved is challenging. **In simple terms:** Love is not simple. Key Takeaway Seek authentic connections, not easy answers. Themes love relationships psychology Mood thoughtful philosophical Type psychological emotional When to use this quote - dating - friendship - therapy Key Concepts attachment theory existentialism self‑actualization Questions to Reflect On - What does “right object” mean to you? - How can you love without seeking perfection? A Different Perspective Idealizing love can cause disappointment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art of loving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-of-loving/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-does/) [Love is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-is/) [Love Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-simple/) [Object Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/object-love/) [Objects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objects/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Think Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-love/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [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/) > [Society must be organized in such a way that mans social, loving nature is not separated from his social existence, but becomes one with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/society-must-be-organized-in-such-a-way-that-mans-social-loving/) [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/) > [Giving is the highest expression of potency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/giving-is-the-highest-expression-of-potency/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [In the act of giving lies the expression of my aliveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/in-the-act-of-giving-lies-the-expression-of-my-aliveness/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [...in spite of the deep-seated craving for love, almost everything else is considered to be more important than love: success, prestige, money, power-almost all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/in-spite-of-the-deep-seated-craving-for-love-almost-everything-else/) [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.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/love-is-the-active-concern-for-the-life-and-the-growth-of-that-which/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [I love in you everybody, I love through you the world, I love in you also myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/i-love-in-you-everybody-i-love-through-you-the-world-i-love-in-you/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [The sadistic person is as dependent on the submissive person as the latter is on the former; neither can live without the other. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-sadistic-person-is-as-dependent-on-the-submissive-person-as-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Most people see the problem of love primarily as that of being loved, rather than that of loving, of one's capacity to love. Hence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/most-people-see-the-problem-of-love-primarily-as-that-of-being-loved/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Love, experienced thus, is a constant challenge; it is not a resting place, but a moving, growing, working together; even whether there is harmony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/love-experienced-thus-is-a-constant-challenge-it-is-not-a-resting/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Equality today means ‘sameness’, rather than ‘oneness’.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/equality-today-means-sameness-rather-than-oneness/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Giving is more joyous than receiving, not because it is a deprivation, but because in the act of giving lies the expression of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/giving-is-more-joyous-than-receiving-not-because-it-is-a-deprivation/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [The devil take me, if I think anything but love to be the object of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/the-devil-take-me-if-i-think-anything-but-love-to-be-the-object-of/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) ## 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 Art of loving quotes > [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/) > [Equality today means ‘sameness’, rather than ‘oneness’.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/equality-today-means-sameness-rather-than-oneness/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [If you love yourself, you love everybody else as you do yourself. As long as you love another person less than you love yourself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/if-you-love-yourself-you-love-everybody-else-as-you-do-yourself-as/) [Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/) > [Living is the art of loving. Loving is the art of caring. Caring is the art of sharing. Sharing is the art of living.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/living-is-the-art-of-loving-loving-is-the-art-of-caring-caring-is-the/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [Love, experienced thus, is a constant challenge; it is not a resting place, but a moving, growing, working together; even whether there is harmony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/love-experienced-thus-is-a-constant-challenge-it-is-not-a-resting/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Most people see the problem of love primarily as that of being loved, rather than that of loving, of one's capacity to love. Hence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/most-people-see-the-problem-of-love-primarily-as-that-of-being-loved/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [The sadistic person is as dependent on the submissive person as the latter is on the former; neither can live without the other. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-sadistic-person-is-as-dependent-on-the-submissive-person-as-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [I love in you everybody, I love through you the world, I love in you also myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/i-love-in-you-everybody-i-love-through-you-the-world-i-love-in-you/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [The art of loving creates the unity which has unlimited spiritual strength, and that is the greatest need in the world today. Each one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/the-art-of-loving-creates-the-unity-which-has-unlimited-spiritual/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [Love is the active concern for the life and the growth of that which we love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/love-is-the-active-concern-for-the-life-and-the-growth-of-that-which/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [The art of loving creates the unity which has unlimited spiritual strength, and that is the greatest need in the world today, and each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/the-art-of-loving-creates-the-unity-which-has-unlimited-spiritual-2/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [Literature has neglected the old and their emotions. The novelists never told us that in love, as in other matters, the young are just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/literature-has-neglected-the-old-and-their-emotions-the-novelists/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [It is only when you have mastered the art of loving yourself that you can truly love others. it's only when you have opened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-only-when-you-have-mastered-the-art-of-loving-yourself-that-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [...in spite of the deep-seated craving for love, almost everything else is considered to be more important than love: success, prestige, money, power-almost all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/in-spite-of-the-deep-seated-craving-for-love-almost-everything-else/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) [Browse all 24 Art of loving quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-of-loving/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People think that to love is simple, but that to find the right object to love - or to be loved by - is difficult.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erich Fromm" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/people-think-that-to-love-is-simple-but-that-to-find-the-right-object/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art of loving" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/people-think-that-to-love-is-simple-but-that-to-find-the-right-object/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/erich-fromm-367_art-of-loving_people-think-that-to-love-is-simple-but_1895132.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/erich-fromm-367_art-of-loving_people-think-that-to-love-is-simple-but_1895132.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/50e/erich-fromm-367_art-of-loving_people-think-that-to-love-is-simple-but_1895132.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People think that to love is simple, but that to find the right object to love - or to be loved by - is…” — 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": "People think that to love is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/people-think-that-to-love-is-simple-but-that-to-find-the-right-object/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/people-think-that-to-love-is-simple-but-that-to-find-the-right-object/#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 } } ] } ```