Fromm interpreted the death instinct as the need to destroy, diverging from Freud

Evidence

As in his earlier Zeitschrift articles, Fromm began by accusing Freud of cultural narrowness: “The field of human relations in Freud’s sense is similar to the market - it is an exchange of satisfaction of biologically given needs, in which the relationship to the other individual is always a means to an end but never an end in itself.” 59 More strongly than ever, he denounced Freud’s pessimism and his notion of the death instinct. Here he equated the death instinct with the need to destroy, an interpretation that Marcuse was later to challenge. — Martin Jay, The Dialectical Imagination, 346

Categorization

• XREF: Marcuse’s later challenge to Fromm’s reading of the death instinct will resurface in Eros and Civilization — a key divergence between the two Frankfurt School figures worth tracking. — connects to: Fromm argued destructiveness varies across social groups, contradicting Freud — Martin Jay, The Dialectical Imagination: A History…, 346; Fanatical destruction arises from normal psychology under extreme circumstances, not inherent malice; Horkheimer defended Freud against Fromm’s critique of bourgeois elements in his thinking — Martin Jay, The Dialectical Imagination: A History…, 356 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Horkheimer rejected Freud’s death instinct for implying passive acceptance of oppressive social order #responds-to (0.75) — Martin Jay, The Dialectical Imagination, 352
• Fanatical destruction arises from normal psychology under extreme circumstances, not inherent malice #expands (0.72)
• Horkheimer defended Freud against Fromm’s critique of bourgeois elements in his thinking #complicates (0.72) — Martin Jay, The Dialectical Imagination, 356