Based on immense technology upgrades as one of important factors of how we perceive life around us, which also ensure way more connected world with way more chance to survive as species, we all experience further needs of “self realization”.
For example humanistic psychologist A. Maslow was concerned with questions such as, “Why don’t more people self-actualize if their basic needs are met?” To prove that humans are not blindly reacting to situations, but trying to accomplish something greater, Maslow studied mentally healthy individuals instead of people with serious psychological issues.
He focused on self-actualizing people. Self-actualizing people indicate a coherent personality syndrome and represent optimal psychological health and functioning.
He realized that all the individuals he studied had similar personality traits. All were “reality centered,” able to differentiate what was fraudulent from what was genuine. They were also “problem centered,” meaning that they treated life’s difficulties as problems that demanded solutions. These individuals also were comfortable being alone and had healthy personal relationships.
They had only a few close friends and family rather than a large number of shallow relationships.
Self-actualizing people tend to focus on problems outside themselves; have a clear sense of what is true and what is false; are spontaneous and creative; and are not bound too strictly by social conventions.
Maslow noticed that self-actualized individuals had a better insight of reality, deeply accepted themselves, others and the world, and also had faced many problems and were known to be impulsive people. These self-actualized individuals were very independent and private when it came to their environment and culture, especially their very own individual development on “potentialities and inner resources”.
Maslow based his theory partially on his own assumptions about human potential and partially on his case studies of historical figures whom he believed to be self-actualized, including Albert Einstein and Henry David Thoreau. Consequently, Maslow argued, the way in which essential needs are fulfilled is just as important as the needs themselves. Together, these define the human experience.
To the extent a person finds cooperative social fulfillment, he establishes meaningful relationships with other people and the larger world. In other words, he establishes meaningful connections to an external reality—an essential component of self actualization.
In contrast, to the extent that vital needs find selfish and competitive fulfillment, a person acquires hostile emotions and limited external relationships—his awareness remains internal and limited.
We are living in times, where first time in history we are able to really discuss needs of human potential on a scale of the whole society. While consumerism is still diminishing efforts of individuals and society as such, by instilling fear and anxiety to further drive consumer behavior to its limits, we are now obviously approaching the mature level of previously wild and undirected consumerism, devoid of any real meaning but a momentary dopamine kick, which of course vanishes within minutes of the purchase.
Below pyramid presentation is based on Maslow’s concept of hierarchy of needs with vectorized “self realization” as all inclusive concept of Unity.
This rat race of undirected behavioral consumerism is looking at its own end, while we are more and more plagued with questions of what does it all mean and where does this all lead. It is now obvious more than ever that consumerism and it’s supporting anxiety producing support network mechanisms are a driving force for a looming depression on an epidemic scale.
Modern individual is mentally more than ever forced into pathological and addictive behaviors, while consumerism devoid of any larger framework of meaning is leaving everyone empty of both meaning and contentment.
Generational overview gives us a glimpse of insight into how the story line of the future will be forged and who is more likely candidate to adopt the new paradigm. As an old saying nicely puts it … “Don’t philosophy on an empty stomach”, but to do nothing more of it once your stomach is full, is yet another wasted potential waiting to be explored.
We have more than enough means to create a society of healthy and happy individuals, but we must apply rules of flow philosophy in order to give a human mind a starting ground for non pathological worldview, which will in conjunction with evolution of modern technology and ability of humanity to systematically survive with relative ease (hard won battle over ensuring enough food and safety without wars and famine) drive not also economic change but also worldview paradigm change.
They must go hand in hand, since there is no use of all the “goodies” of modern civilization” if there is a proven negative influence and severe decline in overall perceived happiness.
It is now time and space for us to create a society of fulfilled individuals, a time for a paradigm change. Without it, future generations devoid of mental framework enjoyed by previous generations (religions that had a way stronger hold in the past is now diminishing), leaving a completely empty space of fragmented confusion based on fragmented worldviews.
The information overload further contributes to creation of mental perception of reality where isolation, individualism and disconnection are rampant, both on an individual body & mind level as well as diminished or almost completely absent feeling of unity on a level of society.