disobedience as a psychological and moral problem thesis statement

Enter Your Search Terms to Get Started! Disobedience: Virtue or Vice? Disobedience: Virtue or Vice? Throughout history, sociologist have analyzed the characteristics of human behavior. They each write essays giving their educated opinion about a certain situation. Erich Fromm first published the essay “Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem” in 1963. It was also published in the textbook Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. He wrote this essay hoping to educate the general public on his ideas about disobedience. Fromm believes that disobedience has caused the human civilization to advance. He begins by stating his thesis which says, “human history began with an act of disobedience, and it is not unlikely that it will be terminated by an act of obedience” (377). Fromm develops his ideas using a variety of rhetorical strategies. In the introduction to the essay Fromm explains that for centuries humans have thought of obedience as a virtue and disobedience as a vice. He then goes on to give his thesis. Fromm begins paragraph two by giving the example of Adam and Eve ushering in human history with an act of disobedience to God. Saying “Their act of disobedience broke the primary bond with nature and made them individuals” (378). He believes that man was not truly human until he got banned from the Garden of Eden. Humans would now have to rely on their own resources to get food, clothing , and shelter. In the third paragraph Fromm uses example again. He states in this paragraph, “that he[man] had not been corrupted by his ‘sin,’ but freed from the fetters of pre-human Virtue or Vice 3 harmony” (378). Man would now search for a “new paradise” to replace the “Old Paradise” that he was forced to leave. In the paragraph four, we see yet again Fromm’s use of example. Fromm explains that there would be “no human history” were it not for the disobedient act of.
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Rick Gorski English 101 Professor Stepanek 7, October, 2011 Critique for “Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem” Erich Fromm wrote the essay Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem discussing his views on how blind obedience is destructive to all of mankind. Fromm believes that blind obedience to unnecessary orders by authority is not by any means superior, but rather horrific in every way possible. I agree with Fromm in that someday, a very long time from now, our world will end by blind obedience to a country or government. However, when Fromm wrote his essay expressing his views in 1963 he thought 5 years after that the human race would just be cut off. These views were of great concern because it was right after the Cuban Missile Crisis and fears of a world war three ran high. I do not believe that anytime soon there will be a war bad enough to terminate the world. I do believe, however that when that time does come, which it will, it will most certainly exterminate the human race. Erich Fromm's take on obedience to authority is that human history will soon be terminated by one simple act if the world continues to obey unnecessary orders. The biblical myth of Adam and Eve proves that man had to disobey an order, of God, in order to become fully human and to create the human race. The Prophets believed that man was right in disobeying because they were not necessarily punished for their sins , but rather forced to leave their present paradise and to create their own, new paradise. There would be no human history if it.
In: English and Literature DISOBEDIENCE AS A PSYCHOLOGICAL AND MORAL PROBLEM                       2     “Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem”         Erich Fromm Erich Fromm’s essay “Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem” suggests that humankind’s evolution has, and continues to rely on man’s capability to exercise disobedience. While discussing the positions of disobedience being considered a vice, and obedience being a virtue, Fromm reflects upon the history of Adam and Eve believing that “eating the forbidden fruit” was man’s first act of disobedience. This is the point that broke the bond between man and nature requiring man to be dependant upon his own powers, while rewarding him with his “complete” humanity, freedom, and independence.   Another example Fromm discusses is the Greek myth of Prometheus’ defiance of the gods. Prometheus proclaimed that he “would rather be chained to this rock than be the obedient servant of the gods.” These are just a couple acts of defiance throughout the course history that have contributed to man’s evolution.   Through acts of disobedience, man has continued to evolve spiritually, as well as intellectually. In addition, Fromm goes on to explain that just as disobedience has been the construct for humankind, blind obedience has the power to wipe it out it altogether. Fromm believes that the driving force catapulting man into the position of ultimately destroying all civilization is that, while currently living in the Atomic Age, he is emotionally anchored to the Stone Age. Although Fromm is steadfast in his belief that disobedience is essential for humanity’s progression, he is not arguing that disobedience is always a virtue, or that all obedience is considered a vice, but acknowledges the dialectical relationship between the two. DISOBEDIENCE AS A PSYCHOLOGICAL AND MORAL PROBLEM   3 With ignorant.
Clean your room, do your homework, got to college and get a good education ¦  These are rules, rather orders that people are given the choice to obey or suffer the consequences. Despite people not knowing the consequences, many will choose to obey the order without hesitation. However, the question is should people obey all the orders that are given to them, despite having moral or ethical problem(s) with the order(s) given to them? Why are people so open to obedience, despite the person having difficulties carrying out the order? These questions, and many more, are further observed by psychoanalytical historian Erich Fromm in his literary essay Disobedience as a Psychological and Moral Problem . In this essay, Fromm argues that it is because an act of disobedience that human history began and it is unlikely that human civilization will be terminated by an act of obedience. Before reading the article, I had no idea where Fromm was going with the essay, however Fromm reasoned why a person would obey certain orders when morally, the person feels the order is wrong. Fromm also explains how human history began with an act of disobedience; however Fromm did not adequately explain how the world can possibly end by an act of obedience. Overall, I agreed with the presentation of the essay, however I disagreed with part of the thesis. I disagree with Fromm's perspective of beginning human civilization and I felt the world ending by an act of obedience is too dramatic, and cannot be explained outright. Fromm begins the essay by explaining how an act of disobedience allowed human history to begin by further explaining the story of Adam and Eve and the Greek myth of Prometheus. He then continues by further defining obedience (heteronomous obedience) as submission; it implies the abdication of autonomy and the acceptance of a foreign will or judgment in place of the person's.