Erich Fromm explored the idea that humans naturally have freedom, especially the freedom to make choices, but sometimes this freedom feels overwhelming or scary.
To cope, people often use what he called “escape mechanisms”—ways to avoid facing the responsibilities and uncertainties that come with freedom.
The first of these is “automaton conformity,” which means a person changes who they are just to fit in with what they think everybody else wants, letting society make choices for them instead of deciding for themselves.
Second is “authoritarianism,” where someone gives up control over their life to another person or authority figure, effectively handing over their freedom so they don’t have to deal with difficult decisions.
The third escape is “destructiveness,” where a person reacts to the pressure of freedom by wanting to destroy others or the world, hoping that by doing so they can avoid being crushed by it themselves.
These escape mechanisms help people avoid the anxiety of making choices but come at the cost of losing their true self and healthy relationship with freedom.
Online Resources
- Erich Fromm / Wikipedia
Please Note: This is my personal summary of the topic, shared both for my own records and in the hope it may be helpful to you. AI was used in parts to assist with the process.