A mosaic of theories, models, intrapersonal and interpersonal strategies, all structured within Maslow’s pyramid.
This book contains elaborate discussions and tentative answers to the million-dollar questions: Why are we on this earth and can people really become happy?
An excerpt from the Prologue
“During the writing process something happened. Gradually, the urgency to publish the book grew in me. Especially in the afterthoughts, at the end of each chapter, it proved that I was able to address many of today’s societal problems.
On the one hand, the choice to base the structure of this book on the pyramid of needs turned out to show the revelation that Maslow’s ideas have a profound political meaning, namely that of individual personal development based on liberal thought.
On the other hand, many societal problems, such as environmental degradation caused by excessive consumption and the ever-increasing emphasis on outward appearance, can be traced to our unbridled gratification of needs and desires.
This book ultimately turned out to be a platform to touch on the many societal issues I am genuinely concerned about, and, better yet, provide a start to solutions, some of which are not more than different mindsets.”
Harry Geels (1969) studied Economics at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. After working at Dow Jones Telerate and Elsevier he started his own asset management company in 2006, in which he remained partner until the beginning of 2020.
He is currently Investment advisor at Auréus, Deputy-editor-in-chief and columnist at Financial Investigator and Lecturer and Mentor in the education sector.
Earlier in his career, he wrote three books on investing: Investing with Technical Analysis (best-seller, with three editions), Successful Trading in Options and Futures (as co-author) and Interviews with Market Wizards (as co-author).
Humans are primarily need-and-desire-satisfying mammals. However, we differ from other mammals because we can strive for higher desires, like self-actualization and self-transcendence. The ‘Will’ to fulfil these higher desires is both a pitfall and a solution to many societal challenges.
Maslow’s pyramid of needs provides an interesting starting point in understanding this need-and-desire-satisfying human being. Maslow’s model does not only appear in psychology, but also in philosophy, medicine, sociology, and economics. Geels deviates from Maslow’s model and adds to it. He extracts three all-encompassing needs from the model – love, sex and happiness –, and gives them their own pyramid, granting them the attention they deserve. As Geels unravels the layers of love, sex, and happiness, thought-provoking insights emerge, shedding light on the nature of humanity and the challenges we confront.
Published by Silver Lining Publishers