Throughout Escape from Freedom, Fromm describes how his conception of human nature differs from that of Sigmund Freud. While Freud believed human nature to be instinctual and biologically determined, Fromm argues that human nature is largely created by society. Is human nature biological or socially constructed? Use examples from Escape from Freedom to support your argument. 

Fromm argues that modern democracies have yet to achieve true freedom, as people largely obey conformist thinking. Do you agree with Fromm’s assessment of democratic societies? How could a society prevent individuals from becoming conformists?

An important concept throughout Escape from Freedom is that of a social character structure. Fromm repeatedly analyzes how the structure of a given society—whether Reformation Europe or Nazi Germany—impacted the personality of its members. Choose a different society not mentioned in Escape From Freedom and analyze its character structure: What is the structure of this society, and how does the structure impact people’s personality and behaviors? 

How did Protestant religious ideologies, such as Lutheranism and Calvinism, impact the overall development of capitalism? Can Protestant conceptions of the “individual” be found within today’s society?

Though Fromm is a psychoanalyst, he uses ideas from a variety of disciplines—including history, sociology, and biology—to develop his argument. How does an interdisciplinary analysis allow Fromm to develop his argument in ways he would be unable to if he only focused on a single academic discipline?

In what ways does the authoritarian character exhibit both sadistic and masochistic tendencies? Do you agree with Fromm’s analysis that Hitler displayed an authoritarian character? Why or why not?

Consider Fromm’s notion of automaton conformity in light of recent technological advancements. How has the advent of the internet and social media impact the ways in which we relate to each other? Has it increased or decreased conformist behavior?

Fromm argues that schools must teach students critical thinking skills in order to combat society’s tendency towards conformism and authoritarianism. How can our education system be changed to encourage critical thinking?