It looks as if there were a single ultimate goal for mankind, a far goal toward which all persons strive. This is called variously by different authors self-actualization, self-realization, integration, psychological health, individuation, autonomy, creativity, productivity, but they all agree that this amounts to realizing the potentialities of the person, that is to say, becoming fully human, everything that person can be.
Common sense means living in the world as it is today; but creative people are people who don't want the world as it is today but want to make another world.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Common sense is about accepting reality, while creative individuals strive to envision and create a better world.
Abraham Maslow highlights the contrast between conforming to the current state of the world, which is characterized by common sense, and the mindset of creative individuals who seek to challenge the status quo. This quote suggests that while common sense may encourage acceptance and adaptation, creativity drives innovation and the desire to transform reality into something better than it currently is.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about innovation in business, one might say, 'As Abraham Maslow noted, common sense confines us, but creativity can lead to transformative ideas.'
More from Abraham Maslow
All quotes →Dispassionate objectivity is itself a passion, for the real and for the truth.
The study of crippled, stunted, immature, and unhealthy specimens can yield only a cripple psychology and a cripple philosophy
Marriage is a school itself. Also, having children. Becoming a father changed my whole life. It taught me as if by revelation.
It seems that the necessary thing to do is not to fear mistakes, to plunge in, to do the best that one can, hoping to learn enough from blunders to correct them eventually.
I was awfully curious to find out why I didn't go insane.
Similar quotes
Things are such that someone lifting a cup, or watching the rain, petting a dog, or singing, just singing - could be doing as much for this universe as anyone.
If we affirm one moment, we thus affirm not only ourselves but all existence. For nothing is self-sufficient, neither in us ourselves nor in things; and if our soul has trembled with happiness and sounded like a harp string just once, all eternity was needed to produce this one event - and in this single moment of affirmation all eternity was called good, redeemed, justified, and affirmed.
Each and every one of us has the capacity to be an oppressor. I want to encourage each and everyone of us to interrogate how we might be an oppressor and how we might be able to become liberators for ourselves and for each other.
The workman of today works every day in his life at the same tasks, and this fate is no less absurd. But it is tragic only at the rare moments when it becomes conscious.
The trouble with our Liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.
Every thoughtful, well-meaning and conscientious human being_x000D_ should assume in time of peace,_x000D_ the solemn and unconditional obligation_x000D_ not to participate in any war, for any reason_x000D_ or to lend support of any kind, whether direct or indirect.