What would the world look like if public policies and institutions weren’t so hyper-focused on economic development and instead, prioritized cultivating the highest human values and helping people become the best versions of themselves?
“There's little we can achieve with the current development paradigm emphasizing economic growth,” said Thomas Legrand, Ph.D. “Where we keep that vision of progress, I think we have no future on this Earth.”
In his groundbreaking book, Politics of Being: Wisdom and Science for a New Development Paradigm, which just received the Nautilus Book Grand Prize, Legrand proposes to fundamentally reframe our development model from its current emphasis on “having” to one focused on “being.”
“We’re just so far away from tapping into our full potential, each of us as human beings and also as societies,” Legrand noted.
Mobilizing a wealth of scientific research from many different fields, the core teachings of wisdom traditions and his own experiences, Legrand articulates how politics can support human flourishing and the collective shift of consciousness that today’s current challenges demand.
“We really need to reorient what we mean by ‘progress’ and the development of our societies,” Legrand said. “Economic growth, economic development is good per se but only a means toward an end, and the real end to me is human flourishing or what I call ‘being.’”
An awakening journey into human and societal potential, Politics of Being charts the way for a truly human development in the 21st century, one to reconcile minds and hearts, and the whole Earth community. Readers will discover:
- An integral map of such politics as it emerges;
- Concrete examples and recommendations in numerous areas ranging from education to governance, to justice and economy;
- A complex question converted into a clear and tangible agenda;
- A wealth of references to deepen their exploration;
- And much more.
"Politics of Being aims at aligning our institutions with our true reason to be here on Earth: becoming who we are, the best and most complete version of ourselves,” Legrand added. “Only through a collective awakening can we deal effectively with the problems humanity faces. Politics of Being tells us how to organize societies for that.”
About the Author
Thomas Legrand is a wisdom seeker, social scientist and sustainability practitioner. He is currently the Lead Technical Advisor for the Conscious Food Systems Alliance convened by the United Nations Development Programme. His spiritual journey began at the age of 23 with an encounter with native spirituality in Mexico, before embracing the wisdom of a wide range of traditions and practices, including meditation, energetic healing and Tai-chi-chuan. He lives with his wife and their two young daughters near Plum Village, the monastery of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in the Southwest of France, his country.
For more information, visit https://politicsofbeing.com, or find Legrand on Instagram (politicsofbeingbook), Facebook (politics of being), Substack (@politicsofbeing), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/
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