To Have or To Be?

This is a reprinting of Erich Fromm's classic examination of acquisitive culture written for a general audience. He offers psychoanalytically, philosophically, historically and (circa mid-20th century) empirically informed observations about what it means to have versus what it means to be. The book is organized into three parts. First, he generally reviews the differences between having and being with both examples from everyday life and from the New and Old Testaments. Part two turns to analyzing the differences between these two modes of existence, focusing on acquisition, asceticism, and insecurity, but also giving, sharing, and the existential import of sacrifice. The last section explores elements of a new kind of humanity and society that attends to social needs historically expressed by, though all too often corrupted, by religion. This forward thinking book places acquisitive culture at the center of modern anomie and environmental destruction. Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
To Have Or to Be? is one of the seminal books of the second half of the 20th century. Nothing less than a manifesto for a new social and psychological revolution to save our threatened planet, this book is a summary of the penetrating thought of Eric Fromm. His thesis is that two modes of existence struggle for the spirit of humankind: the having mode, which concentrates on material possessions, power, and aggression, and is the basis of the universal evils of greed, envy, and violence; and the being mode, which is based on love, the pleasure of sharing, and in productive activity. To Have Or to Be? is a brilliant program for socioeconomic change.