Ambiguousness of Freedom and the Problem of Escape from Freedom in Erich Fromm’s work

Abstract

This paper analyses the meaning of the freedom of a modern man, which is crucial for the present cultural and social crisis. His study of the character structure of the contemporary man comes from understanding of psychological and socio-psychological factors, which are the result of a wide-range research in the fields of psychology and sociology. We assume that human nature is not just a complex of inborn instincts but it is the result of cultural schemes man adapts to during his life – it is the product of human evolution. In his research, Fromm looked into the process of human creation throughout history and he studied why and under what circumstances it comes to the changes of human character during particular historical epochs.