Erich Fromm

Most Americans believe that our society of consumption-happy, fun-loving ,jet-traveling people creates the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Contrary to this view，I believe that our present way of life leads to increasing anxiety，helplessness and，eventually，to the disintegration of our culture. I refuse to identify fun with pleasure, consumption with joy, busyness with happiness，or the faceless，buck-passing " organization man " with an independent individual.

From this critical view our rates of alcoholism, suicide and divorce, as well as juvenile delinquency，gang rule, acts of violence and indifference to life, are characteristic symptoms of our "pathology of 10 normalcy". It may be argued that all these pathological phenomena exist because we have not yet reached our aim，that of an affluent society. It is true, we are still far from being an affluent society. But the material progress made in the last decades allows us to hope that our system might eventually produce a materially affluent society. Yet will we be happier then? The example of Sweden, one of the most prosperous, democratic and peaceful European countries, is not very encouraging: Sweden, as is often pointed out, in spite of all its material security has among the highest alcoholism and suicide rates in Europe, while a much poorer country like Ireland ranks among the lowest in these respects. Could it be that our dream that material welfare per se leads to happiness is just a pipe dream?...