The aim of development must be neither producerism not consumerism, but the satisfaction of fundamental human needs, which are not only needs of humanity...
Interpretation
Development should focus on fulfilling human needs rather than just production or consumption.
In this quote, Manfred Max Neef emphasizes that true development goes beyond the conventional notions of producerism (focusing on production) and consumerism (focusing on consumption). Instead, he advocates for an approach that prioritizes the satisfaction of fundamental human needs, suggesting that the essence of progress lies in ensuring that the basic needs of humanity are met, highlighting a more holistic view of development that aligns with human well-being.
In practice
During a conference on sustainable development, this quote can help frame a discussion about prioritizing people over profit.
I am not sure how much good is done by moralising about fairy tales. This can be unsubtle - telling children that virtue will be rewarded, when in fact it is mostly simply the fact of being the central character that ensures a favourable outcome. Fairy tales are not, on the whole, parables.
Never was a government that was not composed of liars, malefactors and thieves.
Human freedom involves our capacity to pause, to choose the one response toward which we wish to throw our weight.
All ethics so far evolved rest upon a single premise: that the individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts. . . The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land.
You cannot stand anywhere in the universe that is outside of yourself.
time past and time future what might have been and what has been point to one end, which is always present.
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