Nationalism killed humanism

Earlier, when "Nationalism killed humanism" happened, Fromm was addressing groups conjured during the war. Groups that began during the time of war made everyone feel as if they were contributing and being a patriot; in reality they were stealing the member's individuality. "The "organization man" is not aware that he obeys; he believes that he only conforms with what is rational and practical." (Fromm/Jacobus 332)

The men and women in the war groups believed they were doing the rational and practical thing by joining a group to contribute to the war. This is where their freedom went out of the window. Just like the war groups, Fromm uses the industrial system as an example of humanism perishing by nationalism; or in this case, standard of living killed humanism. He mentions how industrialist corporations contain thousands of employees that are organized in a hierarchically bureaucracy. "Each person turns into a small-or large-cog in this machine. He lives under the illusion of being an individual-while he is turned into a thing." (331)

He continues by saying that the illusion of individualism, caused by the corporations, had decreased adventurousness and increased the image of the safe path in life. The idea of individualism was persuading people to be concerned with "satisfactory retirement provisions" and marrying young to have that safety net. These people were tricked; with the war groups making people believe they were rational and corporations making people feel free. 

Although Fromm has points that society tricks people into fleeing from their freedom, "he understood man's nature as something created through relatedness to the world and interaction to others, According to Martin Jay." (Weiner 61) There is another analyzer of the individual that says something similar. Ruth Benedict, "No individual can arrive even at the threshold of his potentialities without a culture in which he participates.

Conversely, no civilization has in it any element which in the last analysis is not the contribution of an individual. Where else could any trait come from except from the behavior of a man or a woman or a child?" (Benedict/Jacobus 306) One of Fromm's 'heroes' agrees as well. Karl Marx, "He [Marx] believed that our individual thoughts are patterned after the ideas any given society develops, and that these ideas are determined by the particular structure and mode of functioning of the society. (Fromm Beyond 14) 

As for our society tricking us in the twenty-first century, it is very common. Instead of war groups, we have tons of cliques and movements. Cliques are so common in schools, they are overlooked. Like the industrial system, most of the time, cliques have a hierarchical organization to them. This is regularly seen on television shows and sometimes in reality. In recent times, we see more movements than a politician's fibs. The most popular unofficial movements are the "peace" and "go green" movements. These movements have splashed peace signs and the go green phrase on clothes, accessories, house hold items, and much more.

They have been erected to bring awareness and promote the coming times of peace and change and environmental awareness, respectively. It sounds like it would really help America and every wholesome person would join in, right? That seems like society's tricks being played. Although these movements are not evil, they can easily steal your individuality, especially when everyone is wearing it. Two unofficial movements that go a bit deeper are the scene and pop movements. These have severely altered the average teenager's appearance and mental tracks. The scene movement has introduced skinny jeans and skater and Converse shoes to the everyday dress. It has spiked an interest in displaying bright, neon colors on clothes and even in hair colorings California v Acevedo.

Piercings have rooted themselves into the sunlight as well. It is now common for a person to see lip rings, nose rings, and cartilage piercings more than once in a day. This movement has not only altered the outside, but the inside of teenagers as well. It is popular for teenagers to have therapists and medication for their mental stability. There has also been a rise in emotional problems which, most of the time, result in bodily harm. It is beyond me why that would be so popular. 

As the scene movement mainly altered appearances, the pop movement has told not only teens, but everyone, what good music is. These bands may be classified as alternative or pop, but nevertheless, they all seem to display the scene movement quite well. The bands on my list of pop movement are All Time Low, The Academy is..., Paramore, Cobra Starship, and maybe even Green Day.

The music they produce and countless other bands like them have, no doubt made the music industry more popular. Now, I see "Music is my life" on many, many personal profiles on the sites I visit. However, when the music they listen to is listed, it includes bands such as the ones above. With the knowledge of a classical instrument (flute) it is sometimes offensive that people consider this 'real music.'

Of course bands use instruments such as guitars and drums, and it requires the same amount of rehearsal as a symphony orchestra, it just is not the same. Guitar players and drummers are less likely to know how to read actual notes on a page than the guitar and percussion in a symphony. The pop movement has encouraged music, which is fabulous, but they have given people the wrong idea about really beautiful music. The lyrics of pop/alternative groups are they only thing that could move someone, while listening to a symphony could bring tears to your eyes. Not only has society tricked the population into going along with the pop movement, it has almost destroyed their knowledge of real music.