Role Actualization
By Anthony Casperson
3-1-25

The video’s topic was about self-actualization in film. Specifically, what makes a self-actualization story a good or bad example. (For those unaware of the concept, self-actualization is the highest level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Basically, once every other need is met for a person, they can then self-actualize and thus be capable of reaching the most complete or authentic version of themselves.)

Using a couple of examples for both the good and the bad, the presenter came to the conclusion that good examples of self-actualization stories allow the character to get in the way of their own self-actualization need. This typically is until certain needs lower on the hierarchy are properly met—the need of love/belonging/intimacy being the most common in storytelling. It’s only once the story shows that they have every other need on the hierarchy met that they can reach the top, much like the psychological concept describes for real-life people.

Bad examples tend to have the character “self-actualize” without proof of any change. Often, it only takes one other character to recognize something true of them to self-actualize. Typically, by having that other character stand in for the rest of the world as they witness what “has been there all along.”

Essentially, good examples find their place in society, while bad examples have society realize their place. The good recognize the truth of their need to change, while the bad have others change to recognize their “truth.”

I’ve written in other blogs about how this modern concept of others needing to recognize our greatness makes us more like villains of the story than heroes. “Protagonists” who push their thoughts and ideals onto others until those others finally succumb to our way of thought.

However, the presenter’s perspective on the good examples caused me to step back and think about why so many bad examples present themselves as good. And what this looks like for followers of Jesus to reach the most complete and authentic version of ourselves.

I find it interesting that the good examples have to take time to focus on the character’s interaction with others before this need of self-actualization can be met. They need to consider others and their place among them before they can be their truest self. Learn to love others—and be loved by them—before they can be in the position to find their place in the world.

We must consider others before we can find our most complete self—the self that lives alongside them.

And I think the term “self-actualization” actually causes us to miss this. The name we’ve given this need is detrimental to our ability to achieve it. In the pursuit of self-actualization, we focus only on the self. Instead of finding how the self functions in the greater society around us. It causes us to search for our role in society without looking at how we can function among others.

This is why I think that the term “role actualization” better describes this need. It’s where we speak of our actual role in society. How our most complete and realized self fits into the world around us. Because it’s only in our relation to others that we can be who we are meant to be.

(The role actually being various roles, depending upon the particular group of people we’re around at the time. Our place in our spiritual family, physical family, friend group, workplace, and so many other groups all combine to our authentic selves.)

For followers of Jesus there is no better example of this role actualization than our Savior himself. Jesus knew what his place in God’s work was. And that role was always in relation to others, returning us to right relationship with God.

We see him acknowledge that “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Even though he was the Second Person of the Trinity enfleshed in humanity, he came to serve. He didn’t focus on himself, but on others. And through that, pointed to his most complete self.

Not only that, but if we look at the verses previous to the one quoted, we’ll also see that he calls us to be like him in this. Instead of searching for authority and power—which leads to lording it over others—we followers of Jesus should find greatness in serving others. The greatest one being the servant of all.

If we want to reach our most complete self, we must be like the one who saved us, by serving others.

This idea is repeated by Paul in Philippians 2:3-8. Instead of seeking selfish conceits, we should humble ourselves and consider others more than we do ourselves. Let’s look not only to our own interests, but also the interests of others—seek not just our place in this world, but our role among others in the world. And thus, we will be like Jesus. He is God, but humbled himself for us. He considered us. And because of that, he humbled himself to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Our Savior actualized his role because he thought of others—because he recognized how the authentic version of himself fit into relation with others. He recognized that sinners need a Savior just like the sick need a doctor (Luke 5:31-32).

We too, if we wish to become the most complete version of ourselves, must find how we fit in among the others around us. Not how others can accommodate us, but how we can serve others. And we can’t do that if the self is what we’re focused on.

We get things backwards when we assume that self-actualization means others must recognize our truest selves. For we cannot become our most authentic selves—be whom God created us to be—unless we stop focusing on ourselves. And by that, come to love and be loved.

And let that love change us into the role we were always meant to be.