m, which is internalized until circumstances allow its release. I might add that this kind of family more immediately encourages perfectionism -- living by the rules -- which is also a way of avoiding freedom that Fromm does not discuss. When the rules are more important than people are, destructiveness is inevitable. The social unconsciousFromm emphasizes that we soak up our society with our mother's milk. We often think that our way of doing things is the only way, the natural way. We have learned so well that it has all become unconscious -- the social unconscious, to be precise. So, many times we believe that we are acting according to our own free will, but we are only following orders we are so use to, we no longer notice them. Fromm believes that our social unconscious is best understood by examining our economic systems. In fact, he defines, and even names, five personality types, which he calls orientations, in economic terms. If you like, you can take a personality test made up of lists of adjectives Fromm used to describe his orientations. 1. The receptive orientation. These people expect to get what they need. If they do not get it immediately, they wait for it. They believe that all goods and satisfactions come from outside themselves. This type is most common among peasant populations. It is also found in cultures that have particularly abundant natural resources, so that one need not work hard for one's sustenance. It’s also found at the very bottom of any society: Slaves, serfs, welfare families, and migrant workers... all are at the mercy of others. This orientation is associated with symbiotic families, especially where children are "swallowed" by parents. It is similar to Freud's oral passive, Adler's leaning getting, and Horney's compliant personality. In its extreme form, it can be characterized by adjectives such as submissive and wishful. In a more moderate form, adjectives such as accepting and opti...
