On interpretations of "self actualization"
In management lessons, we are taught about " Maslow's hierarchy " that details the different layers of human endeavours. Human needs are layered in this model into five layers: physiological needs , security needs , social needs , esteem needs and finally self actualization . Self actualization is said to be the highest endeavor where the person is concerned with personal growth and with fulfilling one's potential. Self actualized people are less interested in social acceptance or esteem and are more focused towards unleashing their potential. The theory as a whole is profound and very pertinent. The notion of self actualization as the ultimate endeavour is also a profound thought. However, the nuances lie in what constitutes "self actualization" and it is here, where I have some issues about how it is interpreted. Self actualization is often interpreted in a crude sense as the dominance of one's self over the environment. Such an interpretatio...