Love is generally confused with dependence; but in point of fact, you can love only in proportion to your capacity for independence.
Rollo MayRead
Mass communication--wonder as it may be technologically and something to be appreciated and valued--presents us wit a serious daner, the danger of conformism, due to the fact that we all view the same things at the same time in all the cities of the country. (p. 73)
Interpretation
What this quote means
Mass communication has both positive and negative aspects; while it connects us, it can also lead to conformism.
Rollo May highlights the dual nature of mass communication in this quote. While technological advancements in communication can bring people together and foster appreciation for shared experiences, there is a significant danger in this connectivity: the risk of conformism. When we all consume the same messages simultaneously, it can stifle individuality and promote a herd mentality, causing critical thinking and personal expression to be overshadowed by societal pressures.
Themes
Mass CommunicationConformismTechnologyIndividualitySociety
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the impact of media on society, one might refer to this quote to highlight the potential loss of individuality.
More from Rollo May
All quotes →To love means to open ourselves to the negative as well as the positive - to grief, sorrow, and disappointment as well as to joy, fulfillment, and an intensity of consciousness we did not know was possible before
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Terrorism and the whole drug scene are vivid examples of the fact that what persons abhor most of all in life is the possibility that they will not matter.
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Humor is the healthy way of feeling "distance" between one's self and the problem, a way of standing off and looking at one's problem with perspective.
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Beauty is the experience that gives us a sense of joy and a sense of peace simultaneously.
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The poet, like the lover, is a menace on the assembly line.
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