The Sane Society
by Erich Fromm · first published 1955
88% recommend13% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Fromm's psychoanalytic and social critique of modern society is a clear, humane work that helps readers think about alienation and what makes a healthy society. Suits readers curious about psychology and sociology.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Fromm offers a complete and systematic exploration of his "humanistic psychoanalysis." In so doing, he counters the profound pessimism for our future that Freud expressed and sets forth the goals of a society in which the emphasis is on each person and on the social measures designed to further function as a responsible individual.
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…from Freedom (also known as Fear of Freedom) is great, as are a lot of Fromm's books. He's my favourite psychologist, and by a long way favourite Frankfurt School writer. I also love Man for Himself, The Sane Society, To Have or To Be, The Art of Loving. He's wonderfully BS-free, combining insights into psychology, society, work, politics etc.
on “Ask HN: Favorite nonfiction books of 2018?” ↗"Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius, "To Have or to Be?" and "Sane Society" by Erich Fromm, "Origins of Totalitarianism" by Hannah Arendt, and before that several books by Sebastian Haffner about the Nazis, who also had a very keen eye for the things that truly mattered, as…
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗Social philosophy/psychology, or cultural anthropology, is mind-bending to me. Erich Fromm's The Sane Society - on how society impacts people's mental health, and how to build towards a sane society Fromm's The Art Of Loving - an analysis of different kinds of loves, trying to dispel pop culture's lies about…
on “Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before?” ↗…Escher, Bach. I can't say I've found a simple way back, but if you're into detailed psych Eric Fromm's books in English were fascinating to read and helped a bit. (Escape from Freedom, Man for Himself, Sane Society) If you aren't so much into that (or even if you are) professional help is not a bad thing.
on “Why am I here?” ↗Erich Fromm: The Sane Society It's not a new release, but it's the standard by which you might measure new releases once you read it. Screw 2012, do yourself a favour and sit down with a really good book :)
on “Ask HN: Best books you read in 2012” ↗…the shortest amount of time. Then these "orgs" wouldn't need to blame the environment for not accommodating their defects. > Trying to find a good place to start. I can recommend Erich Fromm's "The Sane Society".
on “Inside Uber’s Aggressive, Unrestrained Workplace Culture” ↗Not OP, but a similar author in this vein is Erich Fromm [1]. Some of his earlier english works (Sane Society, Escape from Freedom) I found useful to read when I was also reading Frankl. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_Fromm#Later_works_in_Eng...
on “Man's Search for Meaning” ↗…Weapons Of Maths Destruction - Roman's Writing That Works, non-fiction/memo/email advice from big advertising guys, lots of good advice on getting your point across - Fromm's The Art Of Loving & The Sane Society, two non-fiction books from a sociologist/psychologist on how to work on your relationships (i.e., love as a movie concept doesn't exist, it's mostly very hard work and self-critique), and how society…
on “Ask HN: Which non-programming books are a beneficial read for programmers?” ↗> If you're interested in Weber, you might find Erich Fromm interesting as well I did read his "Sane Society" just recently and he was almost like a revelation to me, I didn't know about "Escape From Freedom" and the story behind it, I'll sure be checking it out, thanks for the recommendation!
on “Against Disenchantment” ↗…Loving. It's about how love (romantic, interpersonal) is not rosy but hard, hard work. All of Fromm's writing is amazing, but this one (for me) had the most personal impact. Another great one is Fromm's The Sane Society. - Kishimi/Koga's The Courage To Be Disliked. It's classified as self-help, but it's more a pop-psychology summary of Adlerian Psychotherapy. We can choose not to be the product of trauma, or our surroundings.…
on “The Tyranny of Structurelessness (1970)” ↗…relationship is constant hard work, love of another is only possible if you first love yourself, and you cannot love another human being if you do not love mankind. A little bit later he published The Sane Society, a Marxist critique of capitalist society, how consumerism leads to self-alienation etc. >Fascism, Nazism and Stalinism have in common that they offered the atomized individual a new refuge and security.…
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗…furthering or hindering the development of mental health. Whether or not the individual is healthy, is primarily not an individual matter, but depends on the structure of his society.” ― Erich Fromm, The Sane Society (1955) “Enclosed within his artificial creation, man finds that there is "no exit"; that he cannot pierce the shell of technology again to find the ancient milieu to which he was adapted for hundreds…
on “The Machine Pauses” ↗