{"id":21418,"date":"2026-04-27T04:16:48","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T08:16:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/?p=21418"},"modified":"2026-04-27T05:01:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T09:01:22","slug":"paul-goodman-a-patron-of-anarchism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/eternal-21418-paul-goodman-a-patron-of-anarchism","title":{"rendered":"Paul Goodman: A Patron of Anarchism"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Paul Goodman can fairly be described as a man who built his own reputation from scratch. A writer, philosopher, critic, playwright, and psychologist, his range of pursuits was nearly limitless &#8211; and he left a mark in each of them. The idea of \u201cless is more\u201d simply didn\u2019t apply to him. From his extensive body of work, it was the book Growing Up Absurd that brought him widespread recognition. Throughout his career, Goodman operated under the banner of anarchism, actively promoting it in society. His ideas sparked both admiration and backlash. He was at once a welcome and an unwelcome guest at public events. Over time, his personality became just as contradictory as his statements. So who was Paul Goodman, really? You\u2019ll find out in this article on<a href=\"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\"> i-new-york.com<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a0db82dbe993\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a0db82dbe993\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/eternal-21418-paul-goodman-a-patron-of-anarchism\/#Writer_Critic_and_Philosopher\" >Writer, Critic, and Philosopher<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/eternal-21418-paul-goodman-a-patron-of-anarchism\/#Growing_Up_Absurd\" >Growing Up Absurd<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/eternal-21418-paul-goodman-a-patron-of-anarchism\/#Goodmans_Achievements\" >Goodman\u2019s Achievements<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/eternal-21418-paul-goodman-a-patron-of-anarchism\/#A_Contradictory_Personality\" >A Contradictory Personality<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Writer_Critic_and_Philosopher\"><\/span>Writer, Critic, and Philosopher<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Paul Goodman gained what might be called recognition in niche circles. But in a place like New York City, that \u201cniche\u201d was anything but small. It was here, in 1911, that a man of many roles was born &#8211; writer, psychologist, thinker, literary figure, teacher, and a favorite among young people. Goodman grew up in a Jewish family that, while not wealthy, was comfortably middle class. From an early age, he was surrounded mostly by women. His father left before he was born, so he was raised by his aunts and sister, while his mother worked constantly to support the family. He discovered his love for creativity in high school. That\u2019s when his path began to take shape, driven by a deep interest in the humanities. Even then, it was clear he wouldn\u2019t be confined to a single profession. Still, writing was the first thing that truly captured his attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Goodman experimented with writing, excelled academically, and enrolled at the City College of New York. There, he focused on classical literature and took up philosophy as an additional field of study. His student years marked the beginning of something that would define his entire life &#8211; a relentless hunger for knowledge and discovery. He had strong opinions on social issues and wasn\u2019t afraid to voice them. Before that drive for change turned into something larger, Goodman immersed himself more deeply in writing. After graduating, he moved between universities, searching for engaging courses and inspiring professors. Much of his early poetry and fiction went unpublished, so he welcomed job opportunities when they appeared. He began teaching, contributing to various <a href=\"https:\/\/newyork1.one\/en\/eternal\/new-york-post-a-new-york-tabloid-7474\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">publications<\/a>, writing plays, and discovering his voice as a critic. Each of these roles expanded both his worldview and his network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although writing remained his greatest passion, Goodman explored a wide range of interests. People turned to him when they wanted a fresh perspective on complex issues. He gave lectures, attended gatherings of fellow thinkers, worked on his dissertation, and studied psychology. At times, it seemed there was no topic he couldn\u2019t tackle. Goodman became a well-known figure in New York\u2019s intellectual circles and took pride in every title he earned. Still, his biggest breakthrough was yet to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"448\" height=\"293\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-86.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21419\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-86.jpeg 448w, https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-86-300x196.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 448px) 100vw, 448px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Growing_Up_Absurd\"><\/span>Growing Up Absurd<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>By 1960, Paul Goodman had already built a reputation across several fields &#8211; writing, philosophy, psychology, and criticism. Still, he couldn\u2019t shake a sense of dissatisfaction. Despite his many essays, lectures, and publications, nothing had yet secured him a lasting place in history. His ideas were often dismissed as unconventional, largely because of his commitment to anarchism and his tendency to challenge nearly everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That changed in 1960, when he received another request to write for publication &#8211; this time on juvenile delinquency. What the editors didn\u2019t anticipate was just how far Goodman would push the conversation. He delivered the manuscript, but true to form, it surprised &#8211; and unsettled &#8211; his audience. The original publisher refused to print it. Another stepped in, and that\u2019s how the world got his most famous work: Growing Up Absurd. In classic anarchist fashion, Goodman rejected the entire education system and offered his own alternative &#8211; one many today would call utopian. But for students in the 1960s, the book struck a nerve. It quickly became a bestseller and earned the nickname \u201cthe Bible\u201d of the New Left. Young readers saw their own frustrations reflected in Goodman\u2019s ideas. At the time, they were pushing for expanded civil rights, freedom of thought, and an end to war &#8211; all causes he strongly supported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The book\u2019s impact came down to one key point: students felt that Goodman understood them. He argued that juvenile delinquency wasn\u2019t a personal failure, but a systemic one. Society, he said, simply wasn\u2019t offering young people a future worth striving for. He pointed to a deeper issue &#8211; those who didn\u2019t fit into society\u2019s expectations were pushed aside. Yet Goodman believed that these difficult, often painful experiences could be more meaningful than traditional schooling. His solution was bold: reform education to meet individual needs. He advocated for smaller, community-based schools, personalized learning paths, diverse experiences, and the freedom to choose real-life learning over rigid classroom structures. In many ways, Goodman gave a voice to a generation fueled by rebellion, a hunger for change, and growing frustration with outdated systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"794\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-87.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-87.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-87-300x199.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-87-768x508.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-87-696x461.jpeg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Goodmans_Achievements\"><\/span>Goodman\u2019s Achievements<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Growing Up Absurd brought Paul Goodman widespread recognition, but it was far from his only accomplishment. Writing remained the passion of his life &#8211; a calling he had followed since childhood. Early on, his work went largely unnoticed, but over time publishers began to take interest in the persistent young poet. Goodman wrote both poetry and prose. In those works, readers encounter a very different side of him &#8211; one that contrasts sharply with his public image as an eccentric philosopher. On the page, he was deeply personal and emotionally open. His poetry often feels intimate, even vulnerable. He addressed God, even while grappling with his own understanding of faith. He also reflected on his sexual orientation and the challenges of its acceptance in society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1941, he published his first collection of poetry, followed by his debut novel a year later. From that point on, he consistently released new work, often year after year. Some titles &#8211; like Communitas, The Empire City, and The Politics of Being Queer &#8211; were well received, while others faded into obscurity. What set Goodman apart was his independence. He didn\u2019t follow public opinion; he followed his own convictions. That mindset allowed him to produce a wide range of work &#8211; from practical guides on urban planning to essays that offered support to men of diverse sexual orientations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His intellectual curiosity naturally led him into<a href=\"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/eternal-21112-a-place-where-the-human-mind-is-studied-the-new-york-state-psychiatric-institute\"> the field of psychology<\/a>. Goodman offered private consultations, led group sessions, and delivered lectures, always unafraid to share his views. During this period, he collaborated with Fritz Perls and Laura Perls on the book Gestalt Therapy. Published in 1951, it became a foundational text for what is now known as Gestalt therapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Criticism was another arena where Goodman thrived. He seemed to have an opinion on everything &#8211; and expected others to have one too. Politics, education, psychology, literature &#8211; nothing escaped his attention. He contributed to various publications, lectured at schools and universities, and spoke at public gatherings and private events alike. Even when his views were controversial or dismissed as flawed, he continued to be invited to speak &#8211; often precisely because he offered a different perspective. Over time, Goodman evolved as a critic. He moved beyond heated arguments and toward more constructive analysis, offering not just critique but also practical solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1250\" height=\"839\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-88.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21425\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-88.jpeg 1250w, https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-88-300x201.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-88-768x515.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-88-696x467.jpeg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1250px) 100vw, 1250px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Contradictory_Personality\"><\/span>A Contradictory Personality<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Paul Goodman\u2019s drive for variety extended beyond his work &#8211; it shaped his character as well. He was known for his contradictions. Although he was raised by women, he didn\u2019t show much appreciation for them in adulthood. Goodman was married twice and had three children, yet many of his public statements downplayed women\u2019s roles and opportunities in society. When he tackled social issues, his focus often centered on men\u2019s experiences. At the same time, he openly identified as bisexual, and his partners accepted his views on open relationships. The paradox is striking: despite his dismissive tone toward women, he initiated both of his marriages and took his roles as a husband and father seriously. His children remembered him at his best. He was attentive and caring, deeply involved in their lives. He shared in their struggles and celebrated their successes. His two daughters and son embraced many of his ideas and remained supportive of his philosophy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, that\u2019s only part of the picture. For every admirer, there was someone he clashed with. Goodman rarely avoided confrontation. He thrived on debate and often pushed discussions to the edge &#8211; raising his voice, defending his views to the very end, and brushing aside opposing opinions. When he didn\u2019t find admiration among his peers, he turned to younger audiences, where he was often seen as a role model. He enjoyed being the center of attention and freely flirted with both men and women. That charm made him a magnetic conversationalist. Yet the question remains: who was the real Paul Goodman? Some saw him as open and expressive; others described him as a loner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His work sparked just as much debate. Critics labeled him a pseudo-intellectual and dismissed his writing as overly simplistic. Goodman disagreed. He argued that his goal was clarity &#8211; to explain complex ideas in a way people could actually understand. Criticism didn\u2019t faze him. As a committed supporter of anarchism, he was used to standing apart from the mainstream. He faced job losses, public backlash, ridicule over his sexuality, and more. Still, he refused to back down. For Goodman, defending his ideas meant standing up to the world &#8211; and he did exactly that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"2005\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-89.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-21428\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-89.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-89-300x294.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-89-768x752.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-89-1536x1504.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.i-new-york.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2026\/04\/image-89-696x681.jpeg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Paul Goodman can fairly be described as a man who built his own reputation from scratch. A writer, philosopher, critic, playwright, and psychologist, his range of pursuits was nearly limitless &#8211; and he left a mark in each of them. The idea of \u201cless is more\u201d simply didn\u2019t apply to him. From his extensive body [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":405,"featured_media":21431,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4818],"tags":[8979,8980,8986,8981,8988,8989,8977,8978,8976,8987,8982,8984,8985,8813,8983],"motype":[4825],"moformat":[83],"moimportance":[35],"class_list":{"0":"post-21418","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cultural","8":"tag-anarchism","9":"tag-bisexuality","10":"tag-education-system","11":"tag-gestalt-therapy","12":"tag-goodmans-character","14":"tag-growing-up-absurd-3","15":"tag-new-left-3","16":"tag-paul-goodman","17":"tag-philosopher","18":"tag-philosophical-criticism","19":"tag-poetry","20":"tag-popular-books","21":"tag-urban-planning","22":"tag-writer","23":"motype-eternal","24":"moformat-longread-short","25":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/405"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21418"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21434,"href":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21418\/revisions\/21434"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21418"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=21418"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=21418"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/i-new-york.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=21418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}