Why self-actualisation is fuelling the metacrisis

In this episode, we examine what is often considered the current gold standard of motivation theory: Self-Determination Theory (SDT).

While SDT has shaped much of modern psychology’s understanding of human motivation, we explore why this dominant framework may be inadequate for addressing the deeper challenges of our time.

More provocatively, we consider how certain assumptions within the theory may commit a form of epistemic violence by reducing or excluding dimensions of human experience with significant consequences for how we understand motivation and change.

If motivation is not merely a matter of psychological needs but is rooted in the fundamental structure of meaning itself, then many of our current approaches to behaviour change, social transformation, and cultural narratives may need to be rethought.