Self Actualization
Almost 10 years ago I came across an article by Abraham Maslow delineating the characteristics of self actualized people. I had my brother use a text reading program scan the article and generate a text file which I then manually corrected. Using this text file I converted it into some webpages. Go check it out and tell me what you think of the look of the webpage. I spent about 12-15 hours drawing the image and putting it all together.
I should also note that I believe I am self actualized. Most people that hear me say this role their eyes or think i’m arrogant. However, if you actually bother to read the characteristcs that Maslow describes I think you would be hard pressed to find a characteristic that i don’t meet. I might fail at meeting the humor criteria, but even here its just not that clear sense I really don’t enjoy sophomoric humor and my sarcasm almost always makes reference to something intrinsic to the relationship with that person. At any rate, I personally challenge any reader to argue against my self actualization. This is an argument i’ve been interested seeing fleshed out for a long time. I should note that those simply responding to the challenge without the accompaniment of a legitmate belief that im not self actualized will receive no counter argument.
In a larger sense, I might be sympathetic towards arguments that society should attempt to maximize the generation of self actualized people. I’m not sure about what this actually means or how it should be implemented. And I’m extremely dubious of anyone stating to have the policy that will increase the proportion of self actualized people in the population. However, if such a policy does exist, it most certainly would have to be libertarian in nature. Self actualization can not be attained through liberal coddling and will be stymied by conservative stricture.
Free markets to self actualization. The invisible hand pushes one to actualization.
August 25th, 2006 at 8:50 am
Looks like the Excalibur Castle in Vegas
August 26th, 2006 at 11:41 am
Yes, you are. You are matching almost every section of Maslow’s article (and I can give an example for each and every section). You are what Maslow calls self-actualized.
Now, however, I have TONS of questions, and I want some answers.
One, you actually raise already. You say “that society should attempt to maximize the generation of self actualized people”. Well, but HOW can one generate a self-actualized person. Or better, how does one generate into one? How does one become one? How did you become one? I doubt, that being self-actualized according to Maslows criteria is a trait. A permanent, stable, constant trait - and hence, the development into one needs further clarification. So does the prospective factor, which goes along with that: What happens to self-actualized people in general? Will they be self-actualized for the rest of their lives? What factors may influence their self-actualization?
So many more questions, and objections. For example - who determines the degree of self-actualization? Is there a spectrum of being self-actualized? Is there something like a 80% self-actualization or a 100% self-actualization? Or a 40% self-actualization (well, if there were a 40%, I would certainly qualify for this. wait, no, I’m probably a 30% self-actualized one). You understand my question? Obviously, the article you worked off on does not provide those pieces of information, but I am sure, some have developed it further and I just failed to read about it.
I would love to discuss that more. No time now, and I hate myself for just jotting this down so quickly. But I had to say that - after all - I find Maslows descriptions to be of a very elitarian fashion - it almost makes the audience think that self-actualization equals being the SUPER-HUMAN. Even though he talks about “imperfections” he surely contrasts being self-actualized to being sick. I do not like this contrast, neither do I like the way he idealizes the self-actualized person. There must be something in between: between being the Super-Human and the Sick - there are billions of “ordinary” people - and I’m sure that they equal in their perception of their individual contentness with life.
As I said - I was just quickly jotting this down, but I would love to talk about this MORE (well, and I would love to talk about your organic chemistry paper, which I think, just perfectly fits into Maslow’s description).
August 26th, 2006 at 11:43 am
well, the other question is: You said that you read this article ten years ago. So, I’m wondering what exactly it was that made you write about it now? I mean, you’re carrying around this theory with you for ten years? What exactly is it that you go public with it with such a great effort now?
August 29th, 2006 at 8:22 am
“I should note that those simply responding to the challenge without the accompaniment of a legitmate belief that im not self actualized will receive no counter argument.”
Despite my deepest beliefs of you being self actualized, I have not received any argument whatsoever until now.
NEVER MIND. I’ll send you an email…..