Identifying the Famous (or Infamous) Self-Actualized (or Nearly Self-Actualized) Individual

To help kids understand self-actualization, we must find examples of people who have attained that level of consciousness. Then our students can examine them. Historical figures are good of course, but we have to be extremely selective. Not every famous person of the past who is credited with revolutionary ideas was a self-actualized person. Not every successful person is "self-actualized," (least of all business moguls). Also, it is a horrible idea to select religious leaders. Many Christians see Buddha as a soul in hell. Many Muslims believe Christians are members of the rabble known as "infidels."

Religious leaders are, in fact, pretty good examples of "self-actualized" individuals. But they're buried in modern religion, and the topic of modern religion is a minefield. Best to stay clear.

I believe self-actualization can be a momentary, "peak" experience. Maslow defines it as the "highest" level of human needs. I therefore propose a synonym for "self-actualization": "transcendence," which literally means the state or condition of having "risen above." I will use both terms interchangeably.

I believe a person can, in a flash of brilliant transcendence, obtain credit for some magnificent advancement without fully deserving the label of "self-actualization." A perfect example is Henry Ford, who exerted tremendous influence, with all its favorable and unfavorable results, on American culture when he transformed the auto industry in the early 20th Century. He did indeed have his moments of transcendence, and he was financially rewarded for his insights at those critical times of life, but he wasn't a perfect human being.

Of course, human perfection does not mean the same as self-actualization. In fact, the truly self-actualized person will admit to being imperfect.

But Henry thought he was mighty close to perfection. And with that assumption as his excuse, he intruded on the private lives of his employees, took credit for achievements that were not his (in particular, the creation of the Model A Ford, which was almost entirely his son's idea), and generally imposed his power and influence far beyond the realm of his own expertise and talents in an effort to force people to change.

Sounds to me like Henry Ford's "success" and subsequent head-swollen notions resemble those of a lot of self-righteous business moguls walking around today. He, and the rest of them, are perfect examples of success on the basic level, not self-actualization.