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Fromm's Disobedience As A Psychological And Moral Problem

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In Fromm 's essay "Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem" he talks about the reason why people are obedient. Fromm states that they are obedient because most people do not have enough courage to be alone. Whey they are obedient, it makes them feel secure because they are accepted by society. On the other hand, disobedience is not accepted by society, so if people disobey, they become an outsider. For instance, if a person is raised to think that stealing is wrong, they have also witnessed how others who do steal are treated by society. Because they know that they will be treated badly by the society they are less likely to steal. Overall, I agree with what Fromm says because I am less likely to be disobedient because I do not want to be looked down upon by society.

He means that disobedience sets individuals free and opens their eyes. A person is able to evolve from acts of disobedience because they are able to break primary bonds with nature and authority. If Adam and Eve had not committed that first act of disobedience, then man as we know him today would not exist. When people are acting disobediently, they are able to rely on their own powers and become fully human. Therefore, Fromm means that disobedience is the first step into independence and freedom because an individual is breaking away from what is right and is acting in ways that he feels are appropriate.

By saying that history began with an act of disobedience and will likely end with an act of
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