“The development of man's intellectual capacities has far outstripped the development of his emotions. Man's brain lives in the twentieth century; the heart of most men lives still in the Stone Age. The majority of men have not yet acquired the maturity to be independent, to be rational, to be objective. They need myths and idols to endure the fact that man is all by himself, that there is no authority which gives meaning to life except man himself.”

German-American social psychologist and psychoanalyst

Erich Seligmann Fromm was a German-American social psychologist, psychoanalyst, sociologist, humanistic philosopher, and democratic socialist. Born in Germany, he later settled in the United States after fleeing the Nazi regime. He is known for his work at the intersection of psychology, philosophy, and social thought. Fromm was one of the founders of the William Alanson White Institute of Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis and Psychology in New York City. He was also associated with the Frankfurt School of critical theory. His writing and thought often concerned human freedom, society, and the conditions of a more humane way of life.