I’ve been fortunate to spend some time with a dear friend Jim Wolfston from CollegeNET over the past few years.  Jim is the founder of CollegeNET, an American Corporation heavily involved in social activism and developing tools to support higher education.  He is a deep and brave thinker.

One of our latest conversations in light of the huge geo-political challenges the world is facing was centred around current challenges with President Donald Trump in the U.S. and the big question:  how did we get here?  Jim proposed something that was quite simple: the “me” generation(s). 

Interestingly, I happened to be reading a book by Victor J. Stretcher called “Life on Purpose”.  In this book, Stretcher references Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of human needs.  Maslow’s hierarchy is a pyramid of human needs beginning with basic safety, food, shelter and then moves up to “self-actualization” with a focus on “self-realization” and “self-fulfilment” 

Stretcher writes: “This emphasis on an individual’s own actualization heralded the “me generation”-baby boomers intent on jogging, dieting, and meditating (or navel gazing, in the words of their detractors) to reach this “self-realization and self-fulfillment”.  

Stretcher proposes that in the words of Viktor Frankl this “self-focus” was narcissistic and ultimately detrimental to the self.”

Stretcher continues: 

“ Real fulfillment in life occurs only when a person transcends the self”. 

Maslow changed his mind towards the end of his life about the “self-actualization”.  Maslow wrote: 

“The fully developed human being working under the best conditions tends to be motivated by values which transcend his self.  They are not selfish anymore in the old sense of that term.”  

Stretcher points out that Maslow then began to study “transcenders”.  Maslow found that transcenders demonstrated “humility, a sense of ignorance, a feeling of smallness, awe before the tremendousness of the universe”.  Stretcher points out that Maslow admitted that his original model was wrong. 

Stretcher writes:

“These individuals were better able to see connections between disparate ideas, making them better innovators and discoveries.”

This shift from “self-actualization” now considers “purpose”. Purpose considers making contributions to the lives of others.

Jim Wolfston is right.  The me generation has resulted in the erosion of interdependence, the caring about and for others.  This focus on self and what “I can get” out of life has whittled away at the social safety net and promoted individual greed. 

Let’s cultivate a new generation of “transcenders”.  People with purposed that will help us solve humanity’s greatest crisis. We are at crossroads as a species.  It’s time to work together and benefit “everyone” and not just the “one”.