Summary of “The Art of Being”

By Muhammad Danial Shad (20192-25005)

Saad Hamid

The main idea that is discussed in the book “The art of being” by Erich Fromm, is to live rather than exist.
In addition to that, the book also tends to explain the difference between having a spiritual wellbeing
rather than possessing a “beautiful car”.

This book tends to explain how commercialization and industrialization has a toll on what is actually
considered as self-actualization and success by humans. The book also tends to explain the narcissist
tendencies fed into our bodies by the industrialization and commercialization, whereby the level of
respect is decided on the basis of possessions, rather than spiritual upbringing. The increase in
materialism has shifted the focus from “being” to “having”. The book helps in understanding through
the comparison of the modern society with the previous ones about what actually got wrong which
shifted the focus to individual narcissism. The book has a vast focus on the increased dependence of
personal growth on industrialization.

The book has a strong message about the hazards of continuous use of technology. The reduced
attention span of youngsters entices the use, tends to rob them of the individual creativity and increase
the fragility of a growing adult. The increased use of technology tends to have shifted the focus from
being intelligent and sharp to being fast and key board friendly to carry out the same work every day,
killing the creativity involved in the process. Society as a whole has shifted its focus on valuing
possessions rather than people, placing more emphasis on individualism. The development of the new
roles and duties have not only added multiple job levels, but has started a main focus on the
development of “assembly line style” workers, whereby, a person is specialized in performing a single
task, rather than placing a proper thought process and place his intelligence and creativity towards
discovery and delivery of best value.

The book also places a strong emphasis on the importance of meditation. The development of
industrialization has converted a man into a mode of investment, whereby every single activity is passed
under the “cost-benefit” analysis scanner, relationships are based on the basis of the value that can be
derived from them and the essence of the human relationship has somehow diminished among profits
and revenue.

One of the major mentions in the book is about the complications created by developments rather than
proving to be an ease for the overall humanity.

Thread

Material Possessions over human interaction The use of human activities as capital

Suppression of creativity Focus on monotony

Materialism over affection