Between inside and outside – From self-actualization and social involvement

25 Min., SWR2

How should one live? What makes a meaningful life? Traditional ideas about this can only convince a few people. But how should one orient himself today? An especially spread out life orientation in the western world is the modern self-actualization individualism, which the philosopher and sociologist Alexander Ulfig occupied himself with. His conviction leads the path that many self-actualization individuals walk to a dead-end. A "meaning vacuum" threatens those who want to follow the goals of their ego disregarding the society they belong to. According to Ulfig, the negative consequences of individualism can only be overcome when the individual person gives up inner orientation in favor of outer orientation. An outward orientation can be social involvement, for example. Socially-involved people often achieve incidentally what the self-actualization individuals are looking for: a strengthened self and, not uncommonly, a "flow state" of happiness and contentment.


with Anselm Grün and Alexander Ulfig