Camryn Milton
Philosophy 110
9/19/17
Paper 1
1. Based on Escape from Freedom, I have an understanding that the concept of social
character is an important part in the “social process.” The social character is
developed by common life experiences with the people who surround you. The
social character learns and adapts to one’s environment, giving themselves the
capability to carry out tasks and achieve goals. Human nature inside the social
character actively revolutionizes the “social process”.
2. Philosophy should play a role in the social process. Fromm continually touches on
the significance of social interaction when it comes to the development of the
social character. Philosophy is all about asking questions and looking at things
from other’s perspectives. As humans, we tend to do that naturally, by interacting
with the people and environment around us. Philosophy should play a role in the
social process by being the driving force of the development of the social
character.
3. Fromm claims that the basis of all character traits is one’s desire to receive
everything one wants to obtain, (love, protection, knowledge, material things). He
also says that man is primarily a social being, and not primarily self-sufficient, as
others would argue. I also think man is generally self-motivated, meaning one will
do what it takes to thrive in society. All of these elements one one’s character
directly serve the social process.
4. Fromm discusses the nature of man in a more optimistic perspective than others.
The premise of his viewpoint is that man is kind and good, and is always willing
to help others. He says that there is no biologically fixed human nature, but man is
born good.
4a. I believe that the nature of man is selfish. After a class discussion in where the
idea that every relationship/interaction is self-beneficial, I decided to agree that man is
