--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We live in a world of things, and our…" description: "\"We live in a world of things, and our only connection with them is that we know how to manipulate or to consume them.\" — Erich Fromm" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/erich-fromm-367_consume_we-live-in-a-world-of-things-and-our-onl_106117.jpg" --- # We live in a world of things, and our only connection with… ![“We live in a world of things, and our only connection with them is that we know how to manipulate or to consume them.” quote by Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/erich-fromm-367_consume_we-live-in-a-world-of-things-and-our-onl_106117.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/erich-fromm-367_consume_we-live-in-a-world-of-things-and-our-onl_106117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/erich-fromm-367_consume_we-live-in-a-world-of-things-and-our-onl_106117.jpg) > “We live in a world of things, and our only connection with them is that we know how to manipulate or to consume 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. Human connection to material objects is mediated through our ability to manipulate or consume them, suggesting a transactional relationship rather than an intrinsic bond. **In simple terms:** We relate to things by using or consuming them. Key Takeaway Material ties are functional, not intrinsic. Themes materialism relationship consumption manipulation Mood critical analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - shopping habits - technology use - environmental impact decisions Key Concepts existential alienation consumer culture critique Practical Applications - Adopt mindful consumption - Cultivate non‑material relationships Questions to Reflect On - How does your use of objects shape identity? - Can objects hold meaning beyond utility? A Different Perspective May understate emotional significance people attach to objects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“There are people who are so smart they know how to manipulate you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/there-are-people-who-are-so-smart-they-know-how-to-manipulate-you/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I don't know how to manipulate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-don-t-know-how-to-manipulate/) [Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/) > [When you're young, you can be mislead by older people, who know how to manipulate you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-clayton/when-you-re-young-you-can-be-mislead-by-older-people-who-know-how-to/) [Garrett Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-clayton/) > [If you're going to lead people, you better know how to manipulate people, and you have to be pretty smart to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-purefoy/if-you-re-going-to-lead-people-you-better-know-how-to-manipulate/) [James Purefoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-purefoy/) > [What you might call the "symbol pushers" - that is to say, all of the people who deal with figures, with paper, with men,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/what-you-might-call-the-symbol-pushers-that-is-to-say-all-of-the/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [There is undoubtedly a difference between people who manipulate other people and people who create things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/there-is-undoubtedly-a-difference-between-people-who-manipulate-other/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Reason is man's faculty for grasping the world by thought, in contradiction to intelligence, which is man's ability to manipulate the world with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/reason-is-man-s-faculty-for-grasping-the-world-by-thought-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [Believe what you believe and it will be, believe what others believe and they will consume you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/believe-what-you-believe-and-it-will-be-believe-what-others-believe/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [Fashion pictures show people looking glamorous. Travel pictures show a place looking at its best, nothing to do with the reality. In the cookery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/fashion-pictures-show-people-looking-glamorous-travel-pictures-show-a/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [After coming from a major label, I realized the entire business has been decimated, and you can't look to labels to try to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/after-coming-from-a-major-label-i-realized-the-entire-business-has/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [The first information I consume in the morning is probably 'The New York Times' and then my Twitter feed. I think Twitter is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uzo-aduba/the-first-information-i-consume-in-the-morning-is-probably-the-new/) [Uzo Aduba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uzo-aduba/) > [I don't worry about chemicals. There are enough chemicals entering my body through all the fizzy drinks I consume to worry if my lip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-campbell/i-don-t-worry-about-chemicals-there-are-enough-chemicals-entering-my/) [Edie Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-campbell/) > [“To consume the Eucharist is an act of anticonsumption, for here to consume is to be consumed, to be taken up into participation in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-cavanaugh/to-consume-the-eucharist-is-an-act-of-anticonsumption-for-here-to/) [William T. Cavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-cavanaugh/) > [I think I approach my choices much the way I approach the way I consume movies and TV and stuff. I like everything, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pare/i-think-i-approach-my-choices-much-the-way-i-approach-the-way-i/) [Jessica Pare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pare/) > [Women consume, and they must be directed what to consume, or they may identify you as lunch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-patrick-shanley/women-consume-and-they-must-be-directed-what-to-consume-or-they-may/) [John Patrick Shanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-patrick-shanley/) ## 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 Consume quotes > [Women consume, and they must be directed what to consume, or they may identify you as lunch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-patrick-shanley/women-consume-and-they-must-be-directed-what-to-consume-or-they-may/) [John Patrick Shanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-patrick-shanley/) > [I think I approach my choices much the way I approach the way I consume movies and TV and stuff. I like everything, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-pare/i-think-i-approach-my-choices-much-the-way-i-approach-the-way-i/) [Jessica Pare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-pare/) > [“To consume the Eucharist is an act of anticonsumption, for here to consume is to be consumed, to be taken up into participation in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-t-cavanaugh/to-consume-the-eucharist-is-an-act-of-anticonsumption-for-here-to/) [William T. Cavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-t-cavanaugh/) > [I don't worry about chemicals. There are enough chemicals entering my body through all the fizzy drinks I consume to worry if my lip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-campbell/i-don-t-worry-about-chemicals-there-are-enough-chemicals-entering-my/) [Edie Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-campbell/) > [The first information I consume in the morning is probably 'The New York Times' and then my Twitter feed. I think Twitter is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uzo-aduba/the-first-information-i-consume-in-the-morning-is-probably-the-new/) [Uzo Aduba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uzo-aduba/) > [After coming from a major label, I realized the entire business has been decimated, and you can't look to labels to try to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-reznor/after-coming-from-a-major-label-i-realized-the-entire-business-has/) [Trent Reznor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-reznor/) > [Fashion pictures show people looking glamorous. Travel pictures show a place looking at its best, nothing to do with the reality. In the cookery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/fashion-pictures-show-people-looking-glamorous-travel-pictures-show-a/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [Believe what you believe and it will be, believe what others believe and they will consume you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/believe-what-you-believe-and-it-will-be-believe-what-others-believe/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [“How dull would it be to consume my meat with only one variety of sauce? My body and spirit would whither, being fed on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-de-maupassant/how-dull-would-it-be-to-consume-my-meat-with-only-one-variety-of/) [Emmanuelle de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-de-maupassant/) > [“You are treating that thing as if it is a great treasure," he said. Well, yeah. Because it was. "You have something against cookies?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/you-are-treating-that-thing-as-if-it-is-a-great-treasure-he-said-well/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [Hate will consume more of your time and happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/hate-will-consume-more-of-your-time-and-happiness/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [The only way to overcome sadness is to consume it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/the-only-way-to-overcome-sadness-is-to-consume-it/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [We live in a world that tells us not to care, to consume everything in sight. It tells us that being cool and being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-butterfly-hill/we-live-in-a-world-that-tells-us-not-to-care-to-consume-everything-in/) [Julia Butterfly Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-butterfly-hill/) > [“When you put your passion into your desire, when it becomes a fire that threatens to consume you unless you have it, then your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/when-you-put-your-passion-into-your-desire-when-it-becomes-a-fire/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [Economists use the word consume to mean "utilize economic goods," but the Shorter Oxford Dictionary's definition is more appropriate to ecologists: "To make away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-thein-durning/economists-use-the-word-consume-to-mean-utilize-economic-goods-but/) [Alan Thein Durning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-thein-durning/) Browse all 259 Consume quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We live in a world of things, and our only connection with them is that we know how to manipulate or to consume them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Erich Fromm" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/we-live-in-a-world-of-things-and-our-only-connection-with-them-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Consume" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/we-live-in-a-world-of-things-and-our-only-connection-with-them-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/erich-fromm-367_consume_we-live-in-a-world-of-things-and-our-onl_106117.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/erich-fromm-367_consume_we-live-in-a-world-of-things-and-our-onl_106117.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/erich-fromm-367_consume_we-live-in-a-world-of-things-and-our-onl_106117.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We live in a world of things, and our only connection with them is that we know how to manipulate or to…” — 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": "We live in a world of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/we-live-in-a-world-of-things-and-our-only-connection-with-them-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/we-live-in-a-world-of-things-and-our-only-connection-with-them-is/#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 } } ] } ```