Erich Fromm, Ph.D. (Sociology, University of Heidelberg, 1922) was a German-American social psychologist, psychoanalyst, sociologist, humanistic philosopher, and democratic socialist. He was a German Jew who fled the Nazi regime and settled in the United States. He was one of the founders of The William Alanson White Institute of Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis and Psychology in New York City and was associated with the Frankfurt School of critical theory.
Fromm explored the interaction between psychology and society, and held various professorships in psychology in the U.S. and Mexico in the mid-20th century.
Fromm's theory is a rather unique blend of Freud and Marx. Freud, of course, emphasized the unconscious, biological drives, repression, and so on. In other words, Freud postulated that our characters were determined by biology. Marx, on the other hand, saw people as determined by their society, and most especially by their economic systems.
The Forgotten Language: An Introduction to the Understanding of Dreams, Fairy Tales, and Myths, Erich Fromm
Develops the thesis that man needs to analyze his unconscious thoughts, his dreams, and his conscious fantasies, as they reflect a universal and symbolic representation of himself.
In this study, Erich Fromm opens up the world of symbolic language, 鈥渢he one foreign language that each of us must learn.鈥�
Understanding symbols, he posits, helps us reach the hidden layers of our individual personalities, as well as connect with our common human experiences.
脰ncelikle belirtmek isterim ki r眉yalar fizyolojik ve psikolojik olarak farkl谋 tan谋mlan谋rlar. N枚rofizyolojik olarak biyokimyasal fakt枚rler 枚n plana ge莽er. Bu kitap sadece psikolojik yakla艧谋mla ele al谋nd谋臒谋ndan bir baca臒谋 eksik kalmaktad谋r. Kald谋 ki 1951鈥檇e yaz谋lan bir eser olarak yeni bilgilerden yoksundur. 脰rne臒in r眉yadaki REM kavram谋 bu kitab谋n yaz谋lmas谋ndan sonra bilim d眉nyas谋na girmi艧tir.
R眉yalar ile ilgili bir莽ok varsay谋m vard谋r ve 眉zerinde anla艧maya var谋lan bir tan谋m hen眉z yoktur. Kitapta sadece Freud, Jung ve yazar谋n kendi g枚r眉艧leri yer almaktad谋r. Yani t眉m r眉yalar谋n ak谋ld谋艧谋 ve asosyal insan do臒as谋n谋n bir 眉r眉n眉 olarak g枚ren Freud鈥櫭 g枚r眉艧, r眉yalar谋m谋z谋n bilin莽d谋艧谋m谋zda yer alan y眉ce veya ilahi bir bilgeli臒in kendini ortaya koyu艧 bi莽imi olarak g枚ren Jung鈥櫭 g枚r眉艧 ve nihayet r眉yalar谋m谋z谋n ruhsal faaliyetletimiz sonu莽lar谋nda olu艧an ve hem ak谋ld谋艧谋 hem de ak谋lc谋 y枚nlerimizin d谋艧avurumu olarak de臒erlendiren yazar谋n yani Erich Fromm鈥檜n karma g枚r眉艧眉.
Kendi ad谋ma, 艧u ana kadar okudu臒um ve bildi臒im kadar谋yla kitap i莽in r眉ya konusunda olduk莽a eksik bir bilgi kayna臒谋 diyebilirim. Ancak Freud鈥檜n gazab谋na u臒ramaktan da korkuyorum, biliyorsunuz Freud鈥檃 g枚re k枚t眉n眉n iyiye d枚n眉艧t眉r眉lmesi ya 鈥渢epki olu艧mas谋鈥� ya da 鈥測眉celtme鈥� ile oluyor, 鈥測眉celtme鈥� i莽in yazar谋n verdi臒i 枚rne臒e g枚re (buraya dikkat !); insanlar谋 yaralama d眉rt眉s眉ne sahip birinin kendini cerrahiye adamas谋 y眉celtme mekanizmas谋n谋n 眉r眉n眉d眉r. 40 y谋ll谋k cerrah olarak sizleri uyarmak istedim :)
Kitaptan ald谋臒谋m bir ka艧谋k bal ise 艧udur: insanl谋臒谋n en eski yaratt谋臒谋 eserler olan mitlerle r眉yalar谋m谋z谋n 艧a艧谋rt谋c谋 benzerlik g枚stermesi ilgin莽tir. Mitler, efsaneler, masallar kendilerini sembol dili arac谋l谋臒谋yla ifade eden ge莽mi艧 zamana ait eserlerdir. Sembol dili bu nedenle 枚nemlidir, 眉zerinde durulmal谋, mitlere gereken 枚nem verilmelidir. 陌lgi duyanlara yukar谋daki uyar谋lar 谋艧谋臒谋nda 枚neririm.
The Forgotten Language is Erich Fromm鈥檚 elucidation of the symbolic structure of dreams, fairytales and myth.
Fromm refutes the notion that there is a concrete, decodable language of symbols in dreams and myth.
According to Fromm, the specific meaning of said symbolic material is deeply personal and influenced by culture and epoch.
But the broader point that dreams, fairytales and myth have symbolic value is, for Fromm, a natural fact.
Fromm begins with a didactic on the history and theories of dream analysis, paying special (but not exclusive) attention to the ideas of Freud.
Fromm asserts that by understanding the symbolic value of dreams, we not only achieve a clearer vision into our individual nature, but more generally speaking, we gain a deeper understanding of the myths, art, and literature that serve as the psychological fundament of all human culture.
Perhaps most importantly, we gain explicit access to the desires and fears that we, and our society at large work tirelessly to repress, but desperately need to experience and integrate in order to awaken and become truly free.
Why 4 stars?
It鈥檚 a little tedious.
Maybe I鈥檓 simply suffering from a bit of Fromm Fatigue (FF).
R眉yalardaki sembolleri anlamak ve mitlerle aras谋ndaki ba臒谋 yakalamak ad谋na iyi bir kaynak.. Sophokles'in trilojisini okumu艧 ya da okuyacak olanlara, Oidipus mitini 'otorite' kavram谋n谋 merkeze alarak yorumlad谋臒谋 b枚l眉m i莽in de ayr谋ca tavsiye ederim..
Sapnai - seniai mane dominanti tema! Nenoriu skamb臈ti misti拧kai, ar magi拧kai. A拧 tiesiog manau, kad sapnai yra tai, ko m奴s懦 psichika nesp臈ja "suvir拧kinti", apdoroti, paleisti per dien膮, o kartais ir per gyvenim膮. Nebepacituosiu tiklsiai, bet man patinka mintis, kad sapnai yra liku膷iai jausm懦, emocij懦, i拧gyvenim懦. Kartais dienose visko vyksta tiesiog per daug, ka啪kas fiksuojasi ir nus臈da kur nors pas膮mon臈je, ir nors s膮moningai to nesuvok臈me, nerei拧kia, kad tai buvo nesvarbu. O kartais kai kuriuos dalykus slepiame patys nuo sav臋s, ty膷ia ar nety膷ia, truput寞 sau meluojam. Tada sapnai gali atskleist tikruosius jausmus.
"... sapnai i拧rei拧kia bet koki膮 protin臋 veikl膮 ir gali atspind臈t tiek iracionalius tro拧kimus, tiek i拧mint寞 ir dorovingum膮; [...] sapnuose gali pasireik拧ti ir blogiausi ir geriausi m奴s懦 bruo啪ai."
A拧 toli gra啪u nesuprantu visko, k膮 sapnuoju. (Nors tikrai nor臈膷iau suprast!) Bet visad 啪aviuosi tais, kurie nemistifikuoja ir sapnus bando paai拧kint logi拧kai, atsi啪velgami 寞 啪mog懦 ir jo situacij膮, 寞 tai, kas jis, koks, jis ir k膮 patyr臈.
艩ioje knygoje pateikta 寞vairi懦 sapn懦 ai拧kinimo kriterij懦 ir teorij懦, ir nors ne viskam pritariau, kai kurios j懦 prapl臈t臈 akirat寞. I拧samiai analizuojamos Froido, Jungo ir paties Frommo mintys apie sapnus. Kartais savoti拧kai gin膷ijamasi tarpusavy. 馃檪 O taip pat pateikta sapn懦 samprata istorijos b臈gyje.
Knyg膮 paskai膷ius jau膷iuosi taip, tarsi b奴t懦 atsiv臈r臋 nauji horizontai ir temos pam膮stymams! O pabaiga, kurioje yra analizuojami mitai ir pasakos atrod臈 kaip visai kita dimensija! 馃榾 A拧 pati niekad tiek nepamaty膷iau, bet kit懦 nuvesta visad susi啪aviu. Nes pasakose, mituose, legendose yra to pirmyk拧膷io pasaulio suvokimo ir supratimo, kur寞 kartais gali labiau pajaust nei i拧m膮styt. Ir ten slypi i拧minties klodai.
O skaitydama atsiminiau paauglyst臈j sapnuot膮 sapn膮, kuris vis kartojojosi ir staiga atsiminus jis tapo ai拧kus. Kod臈l ir kaip! Nerealus atradimas. Pasitvirtinau sau, kad net jei pas膮mon臈 turi man ka啪koki懦 啪ini懦, galb奴t turi ateit laikas toms 啪inioms priimti. 馃挍
Buvo be galo 寞domi kelion臈 su 拧ia knyga! Pasi啪ym臈jau Kafkos "Procesas" - noriu perskaityt.
Chiar si introductiva, asa cum se proclama, cartea e o bijuterie a simbolurilor. Diferenta dintre Freud si Jung, analiza 鈥榣imbajului ascuns鈥� in trilogia lui Sofocle si, mai ales, interpretarea miturilor si povestilor prin prisma valorilor matriarhale vs patriarhale. Scrisa intr-un limbaj clar, alert intelectual, fara fraze in plus si cuvinte savant cautate.
Kitab谋n baz谋 kitap karakterlerini (Joseph K., Oidipus vb.) 莽枚z眉mlemesi ho艧tu. Onun d谋艧谋nda Lacan, Freud at谋flar谋 benim i莽in 莽ok tan谋d谋kt谋. Kendi c眉mlelerinden 莽ok di臒erleri ne diyor 眉zerine yo臒unla艧m谋艧t谋. Bu a莽谋k莽as谋 Erich Fromm'da 莽ok da s谋k g枚rd眉臒眉m眉z bir tutum de臒il.
Compared to the amount of nuance Fromm had with Freud鈥檚 thought (generally accepting the idea of wish-fulfullment for dreams and challenging the idea of the Oedipus complex within the context of the Oedipus trilogy), his treatment of Jung鈥檚 thought was quite brief and superficial.
Fromm鈥檚 discussion of Bachofen鈥檚 theories about matriarchal religion was interesting but overall a fairly dry read.
El autor, psiquiatra freudiano y marxista, aborda con maestr铆a el heterodoxo mundo de la interpretaci贸n on铆rica desde una perspectiva psicoanal铆tica que resulta muy interesante en su contexto sociol贸gico y temporal; sali茅ndonos de dicho contexto es complicado encontrarle traslaci贸n a gran parte de sus opiniones (porque hay bastante opini贸n y no tanta ciencia como parecer铆a al principio) al momento actual: como buen freudiano, est谩 obsesionado con la diferenciaci贸n entre sexos mediante el concepto de envidia de pene y as铆 no vamos a ninguna parte; tambi茅n menciona de pasada un caso de homosexualidad desde la perspectiva de enfermedad que puede acometerse. Insisto: es una obra de un tiempo determinado donde estas cuestiones se ve铆an de forma diferente y como tal debemos valorarla; si intentamos entenderla desde nuestra perspectiva actual, podr铆amos caer en el error de juzgarla err贸nea en toda su extensi贸n por una cuesti贸n que, a nuestra manera, tambi茅n ser铆a un prejuicio.
Muy curiosa la 煤ltima parte del libro, donde aborda la interpretaci贸n simb贸lica de la literatura mediante an谩lisis de obras cl谩sicas (la trilog铆a ed铆pica de ), modernas (Caperucita Roja) y contempor谩neas (), tras cuyas explicaciones no podr茅 volver a ver de la misma manera; la primera y la tercera pasen, pero la de Caperucita, con todos mis respetos, es propia de una mente enferma y aviesa que piensa demasiado y demasiado mal y oscuro. Me encanta.
Judging by its title, I expected a syntactic analysis of the dreamworld. A concise yet fairly exhaustive list of symbols, memes and myths. Something along the lines of what 'The Seven Basic Plots' by Christopher Booker did for my understanding of storytelling. What I got was yet another synthesis of Freud and Jung. I guess I will have to read Jung next.
De symbolische taal is erg boeiend evenals de analyses van verschillende sprookjes, mythen en 鈥淗et Proces鈥� van Kafka, echter bestaat de andere helft van het boek uit kritiek op Jung en Freud. Dit was minder interessant.
Good introduction before getting into Carl Jung. It triggered some high quality dreams on nights between reading, I suspect I'm headed for more of the same.
To me, it was actually 3 stars but I had to make it 4 for the people who has gone on this journey of dreams and myths for the first time.
So since the Turkish edition decided to omit "the introduction ..." part from the cover page and as an admirer of some Fromm's existentialist ideas, I thought this will bring a new perspective to my psychological understanding. Alas, I already knew 90% of the content. That's why the editor, the translator, the cover designer etc. are all very important as well as the fact that you might not like all the books of someone whom you respect their opinions on a particular subject of the field.
Else, I expected to dive into Fromm's mind but found a summary of Freudian and Jungian point of views - even though Fromm stated his own beliefs a couple of times, it was inadequate-until the last part of the book. As to that last part, it was the useful part of the book for me. Although there still were some Freud references throughout the stories, there was this unique (and maybe a bit extraordinary) analysis of the myths, stories and novels about symbolism.
My ultimate reason for buying this book was dreams. So apart from the content I already knew, the examples were not quite satisfying either. Dreams are very subjective most of the time, so if we need to understand what a dream is trying to express, we need to know more about a person-or ourselves. Giving the background reasons and saying "so that's why that person saw that dream" doesn't help you to be enlightened to interpret your own dreams. I expected more depth and in my opinion, they were very superficial. But for someone who never has thought about the meaning of their dreams, who has just started learning more about "insight", this book might be a good start.
I think I need to look for a different work of Fromm to find the content I need and those who are new to the analysis of dreams, this can be a nice beginning.
This book is my latest read from Fromm's writings. One of his first assertions was that "most of our dreams have one characteristic: they do not follow the laws of logic that govern our waking thought" (Fromm, 1951, p. 4). He also asserted that "all myths and dreams have one thing in common: they are all 'written' in the same language, the symbolic language" (Fromm, 1951, p. 7). According to Fromm's (1951) definition, "Symbolic language is a language in which inner experiences, feelings, and thoughts are expressed as if they were sensory experiences, events in the outer world" (p. 7). An important insight that Fromm concluded was that we can decipher the degrees of rationality and irrationality in our dreams, but we cannot determine the quantities of the dream contents or their symbolic meanings. For example, I may believe that I dreamed about being naked in a shopping mall, which ultimately leads to an underlying feeling of shame perhaps experienced in waking life. But, I cannot determine quantify how much of the dream is directly caused by felt shame versus, say, a latent desire to fully express my inner self without religious beliefs causing shame or from social conventions. Fromm pulled data from the Talmud, Biblical books, and writings from Aquinas's Summa. He mentioned that even Aquinas admitted to some dreams being merely byproducts of the imagination.