Lesson 8

The worker as Creator or

Machine

--- by Fromm, Erich (1900-1980)

Objectives of Teaching1. To comprehend the whole text

2. To lean and master the vocabulary and expressions

3. To learn to paraphrase the difficult sentences

4. To understand the structure of the text

5. To appreciate the style and rhetoric of the passage.

Aims 1. To know the author, Erich Fromm

2. To learn the writing technique of causation

3. To appreciate the language features

Teaching Contents 1. Erich Fromm 2. Causation and the thesis 2. Detailed study of the text 3. Organizational pattern 4. Language features 5. Exercises

Time allocation

1. The introduction of the author (10 min.)2. Causation and the thesis (10min.)3. Detailed study of the text (115 min.)4. Structure analysis (15 min.)5. Language appreciation (15 min.)6. Exercises (15 min)

Fromm, Erich1. German-American psychoanalyst an

d author2. Born in Frankfurt, Germany3. Ph.D. University of Heidelbery 海德

堡大学4. In 1934, he came to the US, practice

d psychoanalysis and lectured at various institutions.

Fromm, Erich

As a psychoanalyst, he applied psychoanalysis to social, political, religious, moral activities. He was particularly interested in the study of individual and society. He paid much attention to self human realization.

Fromm, Erich

He took views of Freud and he

attempted a synthesis

(combination) and

reformulation (systematical

expression) of Freud and Marx.

Fromm, Erich He is also a self-styled Marxist,

but his idea is against the theory

of Marxism, for he used to view

things from psychoanalysis, not

from class struggle.

His point of view He held that man is a product of his

culture. Social character is not determined by instinct (biological drive) but rather shaped by cultural training. 个体的人格是文化的产物，而不是

生物学的产物。

His works Escape from Freedom 《逃离自由》 The Sane Society 《健全的社会》 The Art of Loving 《爱的艺术》 Psychoanalysis and Religion

《精神分析学与宗教》

His works May Man Prevail 《愿人类成功》 The Revolution of Hope 《希望革命》 The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness

《人类毁灭之分析》

Beyond the Chains of Illusions 《越过幻想之链》

His works This piece is an excerpt from “The

Sane Society” 1955. In this book, Fromm is mainly concerned with the effect of a sociological environment on Americans which exalts (praise) success through

1. competition 2. human alienation

that accompanies technological

development which isolates the

workman from the finished

product.

alienate

– estrange, turn away, set against, disunite, separate, divide

Ant.--- unite, reconcile

The theme of the text This text is discussing the

workers’ position in the society. The workers are no longer creator but becoming more and more like machine.

It is about men’s attitude towards work. Work has become an alienating factor.

The textThe change of the meaning of work

In ancient times, work ---- satisfactory, a pleasurable thing

In modern times, work --- a duty, forced labor,

The text deals with the reason and result of this alienation

literary style exposition

The main thesis is better expressed in the first sentence of the deleted paragraph “ the meaning of work in an alienated society”.

The thesis ---

“He is part of the machine,

rather than its master as an

active agent.” (para.6)

The method

The method the writer uses in the expository writing is causal analysis / causation 因果分析

Causation It means something happened

is 1) because of sth else2) as a result of sth. else

In this lesson, the writer explained the reason why man changes the attitude toward work and its effect.

Detailed study of the text

Para.1 --- the specific

positive values of work

Para.1 What are the specific positive values

of work?1. Work enables human beings to rise from the

animal kingdom.

2. Work liberates men from nature and makes them into social beings and work together in a cooperative way.

positive values:

3. Work molds and changes nature

and himself.

4. Work develops man’s different

powers, skills, capacities,

personality and creativity.

Para.1

Man is first of all an animal, and he

can be differentiated from other

animals in that, among other things

he produces, he makes tools, and

other new things out of the raw

materials he finds around him.

kingdom ---

all natural objects have been classified into three great divisions

1. animal kingdom

2. vegetable kingdom

3. mineral kingdom

He separates ….

By becoming nature’s master, by stationing himself above nature, man separates himself from nature. But at the same time he connects himself once again to nature to further conquer her and develop his understanding of her.

In molding nature…

Man’s abilities and powers as a species, and man’e individual abilities and powers (of cooperation, reason and sense of beauty) increase and deepen as a result of controlling nature and remaking her to fulfill his needs.

all are expressions…

All the above–mentioned work shows how man has transformed nature thought his reason and skill creatively.

Para.2

detailed description of the meaning of work to man.

Work was …satisfaction The paragraph deals with the subject

of craftsmanship. According to Mills and Fromm craftsmanship involves the control of the work process by the individual worker. At its height in the late Middle Ages, it enhanced man’s productive powers and was a source of great satisfaction to the craftsman.

C.Wright. Mills An American sociologist, known as

one of the very few outstanding social critics during the McCarthy period.his best known work is White Collar (1951), from which his quotation is taken, and The Power and Elite. He died in 1962.

McCarthy American politician. A U.S. senator from

Wisconsin (1947-1957), he presided over the permanent subcommittee on investigations and held public hearings in which he accused army officials, members of the media, and public figures of being Communists. His charges were never proved, and he was censured by the Senate in 1954.

McCarthy

麦卡锡，约瑟夫 · 雷芒德 1908-1957 美国政治家，来自威斯康星州的美国参议员 (1947-1957 年）。他指责许多军队官员、新闻媒介内部工作人员和公众人物为共产党，并指挥一个永久委员会分会对他们进行调查和公开审判。他的指控从未成立， 1954 年他受到议会的谴责

Why work was a pleasure to man?

Because the worker is free to control his own working action. He is responsible for the whole production process.

Why does the writer use a quotation?

to prove his idea in a more direct

way

to give a kind of authority to what he

says

---- A paraphrase would not provide that

directness and authority.

What does “There is no split of work…” mean?

There is a close relationship

between work and pleasure.

They go hand in hand. While the

worker is working, he enjoys

himself. When he is making sth,

he learns sth.

Para.3 Background knowledge – why work is a duty?

What’s protestant’s idea about work?

They held that all men are born sinful. They must work hard to purify their souls. God then will take them to paradise after they die.

newly won freedom

Freedom from feudal restrictions. The craftsman felt safe and secure in his guild and profession, but became afraid now that he was entirely on his own in a highly competitive society.

The outcome … Early Protestantism maintained that

most souls are predestined by birth by God to eternal damnation and a few to be saved after death. But there’s no way that anyone can know which is which. obviously people lived in fear. All one could hope for was a sign from God that he might be among the elect, even though a sign was no guarantee.

It was believed that any form of sinfulness was likely indication of damnation, whereas ceaseless work, especially if it resulted in wealth, could be sign of salvation. Clearly, work lost all the intrinsic positive aspects it formerly had, and instead became purely and simply a method to achieve wealth and success.

asceticism

--- a special term in religion

self-denying mode of living a simple, strict way of life

with no luxuries or physical pleasures, which people usually lead because of their religious beliefs.

Para.4

1. Work as duty, as a means for saving one’s soul exists only for the upper and middle classes.

2. Work as forced labor is for the laboring people.

Para.5

In capitalist society the worker

feels estranged from the work

he is doing.

modern man … With work stripped both of its

craftsmanship quality and meaning and of its sense of religious obligation, it no longer holds any deep attraction. Therefore, people feel themselves at loss, with no purpose or direction. Life is empty. Work becomes merely a time-filler to escape the emptiness and meaningless of one’s life.

This is another psychoanalytic analysis of Fromm. We know the bourgeoisie amassed wealth through the exploitation of worker and the worker were forced to sell their labor in order to survive.

something new … A new ideological driving force for

work has replaced the lost ones. The drive is now for more bigger, and better products. Fromm again misses the real point here. Profit is the real driving force of capitalism.

Para. 6

What role the worker plays in the manufacturing of products?

A passive role, the worker plays a small isolated part in the process of production. He is not concerned with the whole product, because he makes only a part of it. His work can be explained as performing actions which can not be performed by machines.

He is concerned neither with… He doesn’t care about the end

product itself or the part it plays in the overall economy or the way in which it serves the needs of society.

Peter Drucher

Reknowned management consultant This quotation is taken from Concept

of the Corporation (1946) p.179

Work appears as something unnatural….

To the worker, work seems like

an intrusion, something which

should not happen. It is an

empty, unpleasant, deadening,

degrading and pointless means

to an end --- the pay check.

devoid of ---- lacking of If someone or sth. is devoid of a

quality of thing, they have absolutely none of it.

--- He was devoid of any talent

whatsoever.

--- Such plans have been almost

entirely devoid of social content.

place /put a premium on ---

重视； 鼓励；助长 I put a premium on punctuality. Work paid according to the amou

nt puts a premium on speed and not on quality.

按件付酬是导致重速度、轻质量的原因。

put a premium on Giving money to beggars may put a pr

emium on idleness. Does high taxation put a premium on

business dishonesty? 高税收是否助长了商业欺诈行为？

No wonder that this puts a premium ..

It’s not surprising that the worker’s objective at work is to do as little as possible to get his pay.

slowdown

--- deliberate decrease in

the speed of production

slovenly

---untidy, as in dress or appearance, sloppy,

Someone who is slovenly is careless, untidy a

nd inefficient in their appearance and behavior 懒散的；草率的

para.7

work is a means of getting

money; worker tries to work

less to get the same pay

para.8

What is the root cause of this?

How do you know?

para.8 The root cause of this alienation is the

capitalist system. From the statement: “The whole social

organization of which he is a part” (para.8)

The worker is not active. He has no responsibility for the work he is doing. He is not interested in the whole product.

capital

----- The capitalist or the money of the capitalists that can hire worker and purchase all the other equipment necessary for production.

human problem of industry

Industry is the main thing and the human worker is part of it. In the capitalists’ eye, the workers are the trouble makers. If the worker’s problem is solved industry would go more efficiently.

industrial problem of human beings

Fromm here attacks the attitude of the capitalists and society towards the workers. He thinks human being is the bigger thing and industry is the only activity of it. Man should be given the priority. Fromm is saying the psychological research should begin from the study of industrial problem among human beings instead of human problem in industry.

formulation

formulate –

to express in short clear form

underlying

--- present but not obvious; implicit

There are underlying similarities between all human beings.

The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.

Para.9 Industrial psychologists are

trying to manage and control the mind of the workers

What problem are the industrial psychologists mainly concerned with?

How to make the worker work more smoothly and efficiently

Taylor, Frederick Winslow (1856-1915)

American engineer, inventor and

efficiency expert who pioneered

the principles of “scientific

management” in industry and

business.

“in the name of ….” Under the guise of improving

relations between people, every possible trick/means is employed on the worker, which is only fit for the worker who is completely disinterested in his work. “Happiness” “human values” are also formulated in order to manipulate the worker.

“in the name of ….”

在人际关系的名义下，他们用适合于对一切完全冷漠的人手段来对付工人就是幸福和人的价值观也是从与公众建立更好的关系这个角度提出来的。

It is going to…

Better relations with the public will yield

larger profits to management. The

management will earn larger profits if it

has better relations with the public.

pay off:

to yield full recompense or return, for

either good or evil

cold dollars and cents

Cold cash; hard cash; nothing but money

attitude --- What’s Fromm’s attitude

toward “human relations” and “happiness”?

1. dehumanizing/robotizing relations --- inhuman relations

2. mechanical repetitive action which is without doubt compulsory

spontaneity

spontaneous ---

done, happening from natural impulse, not caused or suggested by sth or sb. outside.

She made a spontaneous offer of help.

The alienated and profoundly … The two results of alienation

and unsatisfactory character of work are:

one, the desire as a goal in life, not to work;

The other a deep-seated often unconscious hatred of work and everything and everybody connected with it.

Our advertising …

Fromm thinks advertising nowadays appeals more to laziness and passivity than to the sexual appeal of women in order to sell their goods.

But this usefulness….

But such practical use only plays the role which rationalizes the appeal to extreme idleness and willingness to accept things.

但这种实用性往往只起着使追求十足的消极散漫和坐享其成成为合理化的作用。

Many a businessman…

According to Fromm many

businessmen fell trapped by the

system which forces them to

sell whatever they can

regardless of the quality or

usefulness the product.

He has a feeling… The businessman knows the

quality of usefulness of his product is not what it should be. He despises the goods he produces, conscious of the deception involved.

fraudulency: deceit, trickery, cheating

Only occasionally comes up… All these feelings, according to

Fromm, generally lie dormant in the unconscious. Only occasionally he becomes aware of them, and he feels upset for a moment and then immediately forget them.

Sum up Fromm’s psychoanalytical approach

becomes quite clear here. There is no trace of class analysis at all. In fact, Fromm sympathizes equally with the worker and the capitalist. Profit and exploitation of the workers as the main driving force of the capitalists are not mentioned at all.

Organizational pattern 5 sections Sect. I para 1-2

The writer deals with general positive values of work

Para.1. the general idea of the meaning of work to man in ancient times.

Organizational pattern Para.2. more specifically states

what work means to craftsman in 13-14th century. Work was satisfactory

pleasurable instructive meaningful

He cites examples of craftsman in 13-14th century to illustrate work.

Organizational pattern

Sect.II para 3-4 He deals with the change in the

meaning of work to man, especially at the beginning of modern society (capitalism)

What does work mean to man then? a duty and obsession ---upper middle

class forced labor --- poor laboring people

Organizational pattern Sect.III para 5-7

He deals with the change in the meaning of work to man now.

Work has become an alienating factor. Work alienates the workers from others, a

nd worker has become part of the machine. He is not a master, but slave of machine.

Organizational pattern

Sect.IV para 8-9 The cause of the changes

The writer makes a general survey in

the research of the causes of the

changes from the industrial

psychological point of view.

Organizational pattern

The relationship between the worker and work is determined by the whole social organization.

1. The worker knows very little about other things.

2. The worker is passive.3. He is isolated (alienated) from

others.

Organizational pattern

Sect.V para 10-13 The effects (results) of this

alienation. The workers have two reactions resulting from alienation.

1. laziness (para 11-12)

2. hostility (para 13)

Language features:

1. long involved sentences2. passive voice3. abstract nouns

Language features

production; attention; formulation; organization; management; isolation; laziness; passivity; receptivity; hostility; rationalization; routinization; spontaneity; manipulation; fraudulency; satisfaction; intoxication

-- ship 加在人称名词上表示“作为 …的身份或

状态” authorship 著者身份 friendship 友谊 citizenship 公民权 membership 会籍；党籍

注：1. 在封建尊称中的用法

your Lordship 殿下2. nonce-words 临时造的词

dogship sonship3. bachelorship

注：5 lordship6 deanship10 trusteeship12 seamanship15 marksmanship

注：17 township18 censorship20 citizenship10 princeship 王子身份（职位）

--dom1. 表示等级、领土、集体或状态

freedom; martyrdom 殉道 ; kingdom; officedom ( 政界 ) ； wisdom

2. 表示集体，构成许多 nonce-words bourgeoisdom

Paraphrase1. Because of the fact that man

produces, he has evolved beyond all other animals.

2. Work liberates human being from nature and makes him cooperate with other people and be independent from nature.

Paraphrase3. All the work mentioned above are

the examples of how man has transformed nature creatively through his intelligence and skill.

4. While man is working, he enjoys himself and the cultural development of the worker also goes together with the work he is doing.

Paraphrase5. According to Weber, work became

the chief element in a thinking system of a very strict and self-denying way of life in the mind of people. Work was the only relief to those who felt alone and isolated.

6. The worker is alienated /estranged/ separated from the work he is doing.

Paraphrase7. Work helps man to earn money,

which is only an activity without much significance.

8. Money cannot bring out the worker’s self-respect.

9. Most industrial psychologists are mainly trying to manage and control the mind of the worker.

Paraphrase10. Better relations with the

public will yield larger profits to management. / or Capitalists will earn a lot profits if it has better relations with the public.

Paraphrase11. The usefulness of many small appliances

is often used by advertisers as reasonable means to appeal to extreme idleness and willingness to accept things.

12. The businessman knows he is deceiving the customers into his product and he shows secret contempt for it.