3:28:24

Marguerite Duras

Three quotes by Erich Fromm that sum up everything about our world today, politically, emotionally, and socially:

“The main condition for the achievement of love is the overcoming of one’s narcissism…All forms of psychosis show the inability to be objective to an extreme degree. For the insane person, the only reality that exists is that within him; that of his fears and desires.” (The Art of Loving)

“That millions of people share the same forms of mental pathology does not make these people sane.” (The Sane Society)

“The courage of despair is the opposite of the courage of love, just as the faith in power is the opposite of the faith in life…To take the difficulties, setbacks, and sorrows of life as a challenge which makes us stronger and more determined, rather than as unjust punishment, which should not happen to us, requires faith and courage. The practice of faith and courage begins with the small details of daily life. The first step is to notice where and when one loses faith, to look through the rationalizations which are used to cover up this loss of faith, to recognize where one acts in a cowardly way, and again how one rationalizes it. To recognize how every betrayal of faith weakens one, and how increased weakness leads to new betrayal, and so on, in a vicious circle. Then one will also recognize that while one is consciously afraid of not being loved, the real, though usually unconscious fear, is that of loving. To love means to commit oneself without guarantee, to give oneself completely. Love is an act of faith, and whoever is of little faith is also of little love.” (The Art of Loving)