Beyond Egocentrism

Green Motivation

A finite amount of resources in the world, resulting in scarcity, and the need to make hard choices, is usually defined as being the economic problem, which pits demand against supply, determining commodity prices that reflect so-called market forces. Our wants are unlimited, and the means of satisfying those wants are very strictly limited, is the mantra which has fuelled so much economic thinking, yet this rather simplistic view has been accepted as a fundamental fact about human nature, rather than looking more closely and carefully at the psychological realities which this image portrays. Examining the desires which engage most of us in so much karmic activity, through honest introspection, could reveal to us that curbing our consumption should really cause us no great psychological discomfort. Having experienced real wealth, the many millions of people now in positions of influence or power, as well as the CEOs in international organisations now functioning in mature democracies, are, today, in a position to admit to themselves that welfare for all would be preferable to the privation experienced by a multitude of “others”, and that rather than continuing to fatten ourselves to states of obesity, for example, which is now causing consternation from a public health point of view, we could adjust our own behaviour, and put welfare for all at the forefront of our collective endeavours. With greed does not come happiness or fulfilment, and the executive and administrative jobs which many of  us have to do are often stripped of function, and are, in truth, merely positions which require much political struggle to try to secure oneself. So, to hoard for ourselves, and to waste resources, while so many millions starve, or go without, must surely come to an end, even if the start of the intervention is motivated by the desire to reduce obesity in our children, who do not know better, while also striving to reduce the consumption of meat and dairy, for the sake of the planet. The Covid-19 pandemic brought us to a watershed, and it is surely now time to deal with the environmental crisis head on, with a new perspective that looks beyond our limited egos, both at home and in the workplace.   

Conspicuous consumption has been the cultural norm since the dawn of the industrial era. As individuals, we have become attached to status, and have been inclined to take a fixed view about our identity, with undue reference to the social standing of other people. Pride, vanity, greed and self-interest are individual psychological components of a social psychological phenomenon that has given rise to unsustainable consumption of the world’s natural resources, in modern throwaway societies. These human tendencies have led to wars and conflict and great inequalities of wealth amongst and between the various peoples within the nations around our planet. Detachment is the psychological discipline which can help humankind overcome the motivation to be seen to be superior, and more successful, in a competitive way, than those around us. Competition can help to improve individual and organisational standards, but it does not lead to quality in our everyday lives, from the perspective of psychological well-being, or, indeed, very often from the point of view of levels of service to customers who are in receipt of various goods and services. Winning generally overrides the human sentiment of compassion towards those who are in a less fortunate position than ourselves, causing us to lose sight of the higher spiritual values which could help direct us in a qualitatively different way, as well as bringing true meaning to our lives, and genuine happiness to a multitude of others.

      We have now reached a point at which the materialist way of life, which the rich nations have been enjoying for decades, is now no longer sustainable, and climate change is threatening us all as a species on this planet, whilst other species are facing mass extinction.  Dangerous levels of air pollution; deforestation; plastic waste in our rivers, seas and oceans; and the pandemic and war in Ukraine, which are now all causing us to have to reappraise the economic model that has been the dominant mode of our functioning, could lead to a general global cleansing, and also be the environmental lever that makes conspicuous consumption give way to a broader, more inclusive and responsible vision for action than the zero-sum economic growth model. A Green New Deal, for all inhabitants on this planet, is an achievable possibility, with the right collective will amongst the majority of us. It is not just systemic changes that are needed, with fossil fuels being replaced with renewable energy, and organisations aiming to reduce their carbon footprint. We, as individuals, do also need to embrace a new vision about ourselves, our behaviour, and the world around us.