1、Lesson 8The worker as Creator or Machine- by Fromm, Erich (1900-1980)Aims 1.To know the author, Erich Fromm2.To learn the writing technique of causation3.To appreciate the language features Teaching Contentsn1. Erich Fromm n2. Causation and the thesisn2. Detailed study of the textn3. Organizational
2、patternn4. Language featuresn5. Exercises Time allocation1. 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 psychoan
3、alyst and author2.Born in Frankfurt, Germany3.Ph.D. University of Heidelbery 海德堡大学4.In 1934, he came to the US, practiced psychoanalysis and lectured at various institutions. Fromm, ErichnAs a psychoanalyst, he applied psychoanalysis to social, political, religious, moral activities. He was particul
4、arly interested in the study of individual and society. He paid much attention to self human realization. Fromm, ErichnHe took views of Freud and he attempted a synthesis (combination) and reformulation (systematical expression) of Freud and Marx.Fromm, Erichn He is also a self-styled Marxist, but h
5、is idea is against the theory of Marxism, for he used to view things from psychoanalysis, not from class struggle.His point of viewnHe held that man is a product of his culture. Social character is not determined by instinct (biological drive) but rather shaped by cultural training. n个体的人格是文化的产物，而不是
6、生物学的产物。His worksnEscape from Freedom 逃离自由nThe Sane Society 健全的社会nThe Art of Loving 爱的艺术nPsychoanalysis and Religion 精神分析学与宗教His worksnMay Man Prevail 愿人类成功nThe Revolution of Hope 希望革命nThe Anatomy of Human Destructiveness 人类毁灭之分析nBeyond the Chains of Illusions 越过幻想之链His works This piece is an excerpt
7、 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 petition 2.human alienation that accompanies technological development which isolates the workman from the finished product.alienate
8、 estrange, turn away, set against, disunite, separate, divideAnt.- unite, reconcileThe theme of the textnThis text is discussing the workers position in the society. The workers are no longer creator but becoming more and more like machine.nIt is about mens attitude towards work. Work has become an
9、alienating factor.The textThe change of the meaning of worknIn ancient times, work - satisfactory, a pleasurable thingnIn modern times, work - a duty, forced labor, The text deals with the reason and result of this alienationliterary stylenexpositionnThe main thesis is better expressed in the first
10、sentence of the deleted paragraph “ the meaning of work in an alienated society”.The thesis -n “He is part of the machine, rather than its master as an active agent.” (para.6)The methodnThe method the writer uses in the expository writing is causal analysis / causation 因果分析 Causation nIt means somet
11、hing happened is 1) because of sth else2) as a result of sth. elsenIn this lesson, the writer explained the reason why man changes the attitude toward work and its effect.Detailed study of the textnPara.1 - the specific positive values of workPara.1 nWhat are the specific positive values of work?1.
12、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 mans different powers, skills, capacities, personality an
13、d creativity.Para.1 nMan 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 -nall natural objects have been classified into three great divisions
14、1.animal kingdom2.vegetable kingdom3.mineral kingdomHe separates . By becoming natures 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 n
15、ature Mans abilities and powers as a species, and mane 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 abovementioned work shows how man has transforme
16、d nature thought his reason and skill creatively.Para.2 ndetailed description of the meaning of work to man.Work was satisfactionnThe 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 it
17、s height in the late Middle Ages, it enhanced mans productive powers and was a source of great satisfaction to the craftsman.C.Wright. MillsnAn 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 wh
18、ich 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 f
19、igures 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?nBecause the worker is free to
20、control his own working action. He is responsible for the whole production process.Why does the writer use a quotation?nto prove his idea in a more direct waynto 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 wor
21、k” 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 nBackground knowledge why work is a duty?nWhats protestants idea about work? nThey held that all men are born sinful. Th
22、ey must work hard to purify their souls. God then will take them to paradise after they die.newly won freedomnFreedom 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 ou
23、tcome nEarly Protestantism maintained that most souls are predestined by birth by God to eternal damnation and a few to be saved after death. But theres 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 e
24、lect, even though a sign was no guarantee.nIt 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 becam
25、e purely and simply a method to achieve wealth and success.asceticism - a special term in religion self-denying mode of livingna simple, strict way of life with no luxuries or physical pleasures, which people usually lead because of their religious beliefs.Para.41.Work as duty, as a means for saving
26、 ones soul exists only for the upper and middle classes.2.Work as forced labor is for the laboring people.Para.5 nIn capitalist society the worker feels estranged from the work he is doing.modern man nWith work stripped both of its craftsmanship quality and meaning and of its sense of religious obli
27、gation, 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 ones life.nThis is another psychoanalytic analysis of Fromm. We know the bourgeoisie am
28、assed wealth through the exploitation of worker and the worker were forced to sell their labor in order to survive.something new nA 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
29、 is the real driving force of capitalism.Para. 6What role the worker plays in the manufacturing of products?nA 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
30、as performing actions which can not be performed by machines.He is concerned neither withnHe doesnt 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 DruchernReknowned management consultantnThis quotation is taken f
31、rom Concept of the Corporation (1946) p.179Work 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 nIf someone or sth. is
32、 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 - n重视； 鼓励；助长nI put a premium on punctuality.nWork paid according to the amount puts a premium on speed and n
33、ot on quality.按件付酬是导致重速度、轻质量的原因。put a premium on nGiving money to beggars may put a premium on idleness.nDoes 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 .nIts not surprising that the workers objective at work is to do as little as possible t
34、o get his pay. slowdown - deliberate decrease in the speed of productionslovenly -untidy, as in dress or appearance, sloppy, Someone who is slovenly is careless, untidy and 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 t
35、he same paypara.8nWhat is the root cause of this?nHow do you know?para.8nThe root cause of this alienation is the capitalist system.nFrom 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 n
36、ot 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 industrynIndustry is the main thing and the human worker is part of it. In the capitalists eye, the workers
37、are the trouble makers. If the workers problem is solved industry would go more efficiently.industrial problem of human beingsnFromm 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 sh
38、ould 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 formunderlying - present but not obvious; implicitnThere are underlying sim
39、ilarities between all human beings. nThe underlying theme of the novel is very serious.Para.9 nIndustrial psychologists are trying to manage and control the mind of the workersnWhat problem are the industrial psychologists mainly concerned with?nHow to make the worker work more smoothly and efficien
40、tlyTaylor, Frederick Winslow (1856-1915)nAmerican engineer, inventor and efficiency expert who pioneered the principles of “scientific management” in industry and business.“in the name of .” nUnder the guise of improving relations between people, every possible trick/means is employed on the worker,
41、 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 .”n 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 tonBetter relations with the public will yie
42、ld larger profits to management. The management will earn larger profits if it has better relations with the public.pay off:nto yield full recompense or return, for either good or evil cold dollars and centsCold cash; hard cash; nothing but moneyattituden- Whats Fromms attitude toward “human relatio
43、ns” and “happiness”?1.dehumanizing/robotizing relations - inhuman relations2.mechanical repetitive action which is without doubt compulsoryspontaneity spontaneous - done, happening from natural impulse, not caused or suggested by sth or sb. outside.nShe made a spontaneous offer of help.The alienated
44、 and profoundly nThe two results of alienation and unsatisfactory character of work are: none, the desire as a goal in life, not to work; nThe other a deep-seated often unconscious hatred of work and everything and everybody connected with it.Our advertising Fromm thinks advertising nowadays appeals
45、 more to laziness and passivity than to the sexual appeal of women in order to sell their goods. But this usefulness.nBut such practical use only plays the role which rationalizes the appeal to extreme idleness and willingness to accept things. n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 businessmann
46、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 feelingnThe businessman knows the quality of usefulness of his product is not what it should be. He despises the goods he produces,
47、conscious of the deception involved.nfraudulency: deceit, trickery, cheatingOnly occasionally comes upnAll 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
48、nFromms 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 p
49、atternn5 sectionsnSect. I para 1-2 nThe writer deals with general positive values of work nPara.1. the general idea of the meaning of work to man in ancient times.Organizational patternnPara.2. more specifically states what work means to craftsman in 13-14th century. nWork was satisfactorynpleasurab
50、leninstructivenmeaningfulnHe cites examples of craftsman in 13-14th century to illustrate work.Organizational patternnSect.II para 3-4nHe 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?na duty and obsessi
