The Sane Society

In the first part of his article the author discusses Erich Fromm’s diagnosis of contemporary civilization as a sui generis supplementation of Fromm’s historiosophy, whose leitmotif is the birth of human individuality. He also presents Fromm’s criticism of capitalism from the second half of the 20th century and communism as the ailing societies. In the second part, the author argues that Fromm’s utopian conceptions went distinctly against the current of trends dominating in contemporary culture, whose tone was granted not by the notions of a holistic reconstruction of the world, but rather the celebrated books of his contemporaries. He describes the utopia as gradualist and nonrevolutionary. Presenting critical remarks on Fromm’s utopianism, the author states that Fromm’s utopian proposals showed a lack of moderation, modesty and skepticism, which seems to collide with the workshop rigors of scientific endeavors, and harmonizes well with the prophetic pathos of many of Fromm’s writings.