THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIETY
There has been an emphasis, recently, on the possibility that society itself, or
the group culture, may be producing the mental illness, emotional instability and
distortions of personality which apparently are widespread. Various writers have
pointed out that man's basic needs are being extensively thwarted by the demands
of society. According to this view, man no longer may be an individual or develop his
imagination, reason, and creative powers; and he is prevented, because of society's
compartmentalizing, from achieving feelings of relatedness - of loving and being
loved. Because of the competitive demands of civilization, man now strives for
"things" rather than for his own development. He feels himself to be merely a pawn
rather than a contributing member of society. If he rebels, he is subject to
punishment by society; but if, on the other hand, he submits, he may become simply
a stereotyped, pedestrian member of society and thus lose much of his urge toward
creativity and individuality. As an example, the psychologist Erich Fromm suggests
that society produces in its members what he calls "a socially patterned defect."
Dostları ilə paylaş: