Sunday, November 3, 2019

Shifting from having to being


In 1976, an interesting book[1] by psychologist Erich Fromm touched the subject, trying to stimulate readers to understand the consequences of focusing on having instead of being.

The surge and growth of materialism has stimulated intense rebellions and a new way of seeing the world. Not new in the sense that never has happened before; it is new in terms of occurrence as nowadays people are questioning what they are doing and why they are doing it.

And the consequences are clear when we see or hear about climate change or the effects of greed in humanity.

But the desire of having makes us keep on increasing and accumulating possessions. What is the solution? More protests? More laws?

Maybe, reflecting and refocusing could be a shift point in our civilization. For instance, instead of valuing people who attained things like big cars or jewelry, let's value people who ARE.

We could start from ourselves and value more the experience of being well, happy and peaceful, instead of valuing having the last cell phone in the market.

We could start by being an example to others and inspiring them to focus their energy in being instead of just having.

Then, one day we will be able to give more importance to what we really are…


[1] To have or to be? 1976, by Harper and Row.

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