Health and Wellness Forum
Event in New York, NY 10016
Authoritarianism and The Psychosocial: Erich Fromm and the Current Crisis
Date(s)
3/20/2026 – 3/20/2026
Location
New York, NY 10016
Description
Key themes focusing on Fromm’s relevance to the "current crisis" often include:
Escape from Freedom: Fromm’s 1941 work is cited to explain how contemporary anxiety and economic insecurity lead people to surrender their freedom to authoritarian leaders.
The Authoritarian Personality: Analysis centers on how "sadomasochistic" traits—seeking to dominate others while submitting to a higher power—are resurfacing in modern political movements.
Group Narcissism: Fromm's concept of group narcissism is used to understand how shared feelings of superiority and aggression against out-groups are manipulated for political gains.
"Pathology of Normalcy": Fromm argued that societal norms can be inherently destructive (e.g., climate change, social inequality), and that what is "normal" in society is not necessarily healthy.
Graduate Center at City University of New York
365 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY Rooms 9205- 9206
Posted
2/10/2026