--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The customer is an object to be…" description: "\"The customer is an object to be manipulated, not a concrete person whose aims the businessman is interested to satisfy.\" — Erich Fromm" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/erich-fromm-367_aim_the-customer-is-an-object-to-be-manipula_667285.jpg" --- # The customer is an object to be manipulated, not a… ![“The customer is an object to be manipulated, not a concrete person whose aims the businessman is interested to satisfy.” quote by Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/erich-fromm-367_aim_the-customer-is-an-object-to-be-manipula_667285.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/erich-fromm-367_aim_the-customer-is-an-object-to-be-manipula_667285.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/erich-fromm-367_aim_the-customer-is-an-object-to-be-manipula_667285.jpg) > “The customer is an object to be manipulated, not a concrete person whose aims the businessman is interested to satisfy.” [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. Treating customers as objects reduces them to tools, ignoring their humanity and needs. **In simple terms:** Seeing customers as objects is dehumanizing. Key Takeaway Respect people as individuals. Themes ethics business humanity Mood critical reflective Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - marketing strategy - customer service - product design Key Concepts objectification customer relations Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure genuine empathy in sales? - What policies reinforce objectification? A Different Perspective Customers may still be treated as numbers despite intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Aims Businessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aims-businessman-5305804/) [Businessman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/businessman/) [Businessman Interested](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/businessman-interested-5305802/) [Concrete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concrete/) [Customer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer/) [Customer Object](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customer-object-5305803/) [Customers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customers/) [Manipulated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manipulated/) [Objects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objects/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) ## Related quotes > [I think what democracy means today, in reality, is to a large extent, manipulated consent - not forced consent, manipulated consent - and manipulated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/i-think-what-democracy-means-today-in-reality-is-to-a-large-extent/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [When people can see a vision and simultaneously recognize what can be done step by step in a concrete way to achieve it, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/when-people-can-see-a-vision-and-simultaneously-recognize-what-can-be/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [We can be seduced...by powerful political groups that promise more wealth and lower taxes. Those with power can use clever, psychological tricks and play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-vanier/we-can-be-seduced-by-powerful-political-groups-that-promise-more/) [Jean Vanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-vanier/) > [“He manipulated love into something perverse, confusing me about what love is, causing me to sexualize friendships and relationships, teaching me without words that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-holloway/he-manipulated-love-into-something-perverse-confusing-me-about-what/) [Monica Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-holloway/) > [I'm not ashamed of my social media following, my Sports Illustrated swimsuit shoot, or the tough time I had in my LPGA debut, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paige-spiranac/i-m-not-ashamed-of-my-social-media-following-my-sports-illustrated/) [Paige Spiranac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paige-spiranac/) > [Propaganda works best when those who are being manipulated are confident they are acting on their own free will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-goebbels/propaganda-works-best-when-those-who-are-being-manipulated-are/) [Joseph Goebbels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-goebbels/) > [There was a company that I did a photo shoot for once that manipulated the photo so much, I was like, "That's not even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-kunis/there-was-a-company-that-i-did-a-photo-shoot-for-once-that/) [Mila Kunis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-kunis/) > [“the chief offense in bad fiction: we sense that characters are being manipulated, forced to do things they would not really do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gardner/the-chief-offense-in-bad-fiction-we-sense-that-characters-are-being/) [John Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gardner/) > [“Regardless of your political orientation, if you are reasonably intelligent, you should strongly resent being manipulated. Guileful scoundrels in business, government, and media smugly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-befumo/regardless-of-your-political-orientation-if-you-are-reasonably/) [Joseph Befumo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-befumo/) > [Never have so many been manipulated so much by so few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/never-have-so-many-been-manipulated-so-much-by-so-few/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“Until you realize how easy it is for your mind to be manipulated, you remain the puppet of someone else's game.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evita-ochel/until-you-realize-how-easy-it-is-for-your-mind-to-be-manipulated-you/) [Evita Ochel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evita-ochel/) > [People are more easily manipulated when they don't have information. If you ensure that kids grow up without basic reading skills, math skills, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/people-are-more-easily-manipulated-when-they-don-t-have-information/) [Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/) > [Uninformed people can be easily manipulated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/uninformed-people-can-be-easily-manipulated/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [It's a political and manipulative industry. Actors vie for the same roles, movies are snatched away. Have I ever been manipulated? Yes. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-a-political-and-manipulative-industry-actors-vie-for-the-same/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The way in which the child is manipulated pulls them into considering the lies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-way-in-which-the-child-is-manipulated-pulls-them-into-considering/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) ## 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 Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. 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