Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: “Egoism is being promoted under the guise of individualism”
President of Üsküdar University, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, was a guest of the Muş Foundation for Education and Development. During a talk titled “The Most Valuable Values in the Market of the Future,” Tarhan emphasized the importance of setting goals on the journey of life. He underlined that trust is a fundamental need in relationships and noted that one of the biggest causes of loneliness is the weakening of the sense of trust. Tarhan also stressed that modernism promotes egoism under the name of individualism, describing this mindset as a reflection of Machiavellian philosophy.
The seminar, held at the Muş Foundation for Education and Development’s conference hall, was attended by President of Üsküdar University Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, Bayrampaşa District Governor Abdullah Çiftçi, Honorary President of the Muş Foundation Orhan Sami Gültekin, Foundation Secretary General Şener Düzener, Chair of the Education Commission Prof. Behçet Al, Member of the Education Commission Prof. Alparslan Açıkgenç, along with numerous academics, businesspeople, bureaucrats, and students.
The moderator of the seminar was Prof. İbrahim Özdemir, Faculty Member of the Department of Philosophy at Üsküdar University’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Ulvi Eroğlu: “We are doing our very best for our youth”
Delivering the opening speech, Foundation President Ulvi Eroğlu spoke about the initiatives the foundation has implemented in recent years, noting that 1,760 students receive scholarships each month. Emphasizing the importance of equal opportunity in education, Eroğlu stated: “We are doing our very best for the development and future of our youth, and we will continue to do so.”
Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: “Smart people are those who think strategically”
Addressing the importance of setting goals in life, Psychiatrist Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said that “There is a definition of intelligence: smart people are those who think strategically. They don’t just live in the moment or think only about today’s comfort and pleasure; they also consider 5 to 10 years ahead. Sometimes we ask patients dealing with addiction, teenagers, children, or those struggling with mental issues to write a letter to themselves five years from now, or sometimes even ten years. When we read those letters, their dreams are often things like: ‘I want a mansion by the Bosphorus, a fancy car, this and that…’ That’s their dream world. Of all the people we’ve asked to write this kind of letter, about 90% write similar things because they have no projection for the future. A person with no goals or plans for the future is ruled by events. In contrast, when someone sets out on the journey of life, they must first determine a goal, and just like a ship leaving the harbor, and then establish a compass and a route. Without those, life will toss them around like the wind. We often ask, ‘Does the wind make a kite fly?’ Most people say yes, but in reality, it is not the wind, but it is the kite’s position against the wind that makes it fly. Similarly, it’s our position toward life events that determines whether we reach our goals.”
“While humanity becomes materially wealthier, it is becoming spiritually poorer”
Explaining the material and spiritual effects of modernism, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said: “Currently, there is a version of modernism offered by the capitalist system. This modernism says: ‘If you like it, it's good; if you don’t, it's bad. If it serves your interests, it's right; if not, it's wrong.’ This perspective has now become a global trend and transformed into a culture. As a result, a consumption frenzy began. A consumption-oriented life philosophy has formed. Today, everything is evaluated based on data. Especially in the United States, future projections are made using statistics and past trends. According to data from the World Bank, the global poverty rate in 1990 was 36%. By 2020, this figure dropped to 9%. In other words, the world is progressing towards material prosperity. Abundance is increasing. Of course, COVID slowed this process somewhat, but overall, material welfare is rising. However, happiness is not increasing accordingly. While material well-being rises, spiritual and psychological well-being is declining. Suicide rates, violence, and crime are increasing. According to the World Health Organization's happiness studies, between 1950 and 2000, per capita gross national income rose from $20,000 to $35,000. Currently, in the U.S., this figure is around $70,000. However, the happiness graph is going in the opposite direction, and it is decreasing. In light of this, there is a serious search for meaning in the West. Because although humanity is becoming materially rich, it is becoming spiritually impoverished.”
“One of the biggest causes of loneliness is the weakening of the sense of trust”
Prof. Tarhan emphasized that trust is a fundamental need in relationships: “Material prosperity is increasing in the world today, but human relationships are weakening. People are becoming socially isolated. According to United Nations data, there are three major threats facing humanity: first, income inequality; second, climate change; and third, loneliness. One of the biggest problems of this era is egocentrism, or egoism. We have misunderstood individualism as selfishness instead of freedom. For instance, a narcissist perceives criticism as a personal attack because they see themselves as perfect. They begin to view the critic as a threat, which prevents them from forming deep relationships. As a result, relationships become superficial. Even the concept of friendship has disappeared. For example, in English, there is no word equivalent to ‘dost’ (close friend), only ‘friend.’ Similarly, the word ‘huzur’ (inner peace) also has no exact equivalent in English. The word ‘huzur,’ derived from Arabic, means to be ready, that is, ready for both the good and bad in life. Martin Seligman, one of the pioneers of positive psychology, defines this as ‘authentic happiness.’ A person can experience it in a prison cell or a palace. That is what true peace is. One of the biggest reasons for loneliness is the weakening of trust. People’s trust in one another has declined. In human relationships, trust is one of the most basic needs. And the root of weakened trust lies in a lack of empathy. If you gathered all evils in one room, the door would be opened by lack of empathy. If you gathered all virtues in one room, the door would be opened by humility. Unfortunately, these values are being forgotten.”
“Egoism is encouraged under the name of individualism”
Addressing key problems in human relationships, Prof. Tarhan expressed that “Today, egoism is encouraged under the name of individualism. This gives rise to ego battles, which have become the greatest enemy of marriages. The mentality of ‘It will be my way, not yours’ wears down relationships. The main problem in human relationships today is the struggle for power. Instead of trying to understand one another, people try to dominate each other, which seriously weakens trust. One of the greatest dangers today is people seeing it as legitimate to lie in order to reach their goals. This mindset is a reflection of Machiavellian philosophy. In psychology, it is referred to as part of the ‘dark triad’, such as Machiavellianism, narcissism, and antisocial personality traits. When these three traits come together, toxic personalities emerge. People who seem polite and decent from the outside can actually be the ones causing the most harm to society. That’s why trust is the greatest need of our age. The way to rebuild this trust lies in Sufi metaphysics. The teachings of Rumi are now being marketed in the West under the name of positive psychology. But this understanding has long existed in the Anatolian wisdom tradition. What we need today is a metaphysical approach that unites knowledge with wisdom.”
“Hopelessness has become a form of learned helplessness”
Explaining that authoritarianism increases the feeling of hopelessness, Prof. Tarhan said that “Hopelessness has become a form of learned helplessness. Yet there is no reason to be hopeless for Türkiye or for the world. In fact, compared to 20–30 years ago, the opportunities we have today are much greater. One of the most important causes of hopelessness is authoritarianism, or tyranny. In Risale-i Nur, authoritarianism is cited as one of the six major ailments. Imagine a family where the father is authoritarian, and children grow up under pressure. They come home and run to their rooms, repress their emotions, and don’t speak. There can be no peace in such an environment. Children start thinking, ‘Let me finish school so I can get out of this house as soon as possible.’ This creates a longing for freedom. Yalom identifies four existential anxieties: first, the need for freedom; second, the need to overcome loneliness; third, the search for meaning; and fourth, the need to come to terms with death. When these four needs are unmet, a person experiences existential crisis. A person who cannot find meaning, cannot feel free, cannot cope with loneliness, and cannot face death will not be able to deal with their fears, and will not truly be happy.”
"Trusting in God requires making an effort"
Addressing the concepts of tawakkul (trust in God) and submission, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan said that “Currently, third-wave therapies are coming to the forefront in psychotherapy. One such method is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, known as ACT. In this therapy, mental resilience, meaning-making capacity, and acceptance skills are regarded as core components. Within this approach, radical acceptance holds a significant place. In life, there are things we can change and things we cannot. There are situations within our power and those beyond our control. At this point, accepting what we cannot control is crucial for maintaining mental balance. This approach corresponds to the understanding of tawakkul and submission in our belief system. As Bediüzzaman Said Nursi states in his 23rd Word: ‘Faith leads to unity, unity leads to submission, submission leads to trust in God, and trust in God leads to happiness.’ This means that a person should not only have faith but also reach the awareness that everything is under the control of God. Such faith enables a person to act with submission and, consequently, trust in God in the face of life events. Just like a passenger who trusts the captain of a ship, one must believe in the existence of the Captain of the ship of life and submit to Him. A passenger cannot feel at ease on a plane without trusting the pilot. In our life journey, we can only find peace through this sense of trust. However, this trust must be active. It is not laziness, and it is trust through effort.”
"The belief in divine unity (tawhid) is the most rational faith"
Explaining four fundamental paths to truth, Tarhan said that “The first is experimentation and observation. The foundation of scientific reality lies here. For example, we observe that fire burns. The second is reasoning. Many scientific theories originate not from observations but from reasoning. Numerous technological inventions, like the MRI machine, were initially theorized by physicists and later proven. The third is intuition, like the apple that fell on Newton’s head. Apples always fell, but Newton saw it from a different perspective. Intuitive intelligence is the trigger of great transformations. There are three apples that changed human history: the apple of Adam, Newton’s apple, and Apple’s logo. The fourth path is rational belief. Humans long for eternity and search for meaning. Therefore, faith is innate to human nature. There are about 4,300 religions in the world, but not all are rational. Rational belief must appeal not only to emotions but also to reason. In this respect, the belief in tawhid, that is, divine unity, is the most rational.”
"If we want to be beneficial to others, the first condition is knowing ourselves..."
Describing how to form healthy relationships, Tarhan stated that “If we want to be helpful to others, whether materially or spiritually, the first condition is to know ourselves. There are four basic steps to building healthy relationships and contributing to others: self-awareness, that is, knowing yourself, recognizing your emotions, being aware of your values, self-management, that is, being able to control yourself, manage your emotions, and act according to your goals, social awareness, that is, understanding the emotions of others and sensing their needs, relationship management, that is, establishing healthy communication, building trust, and being solution-oriented. Just like companies do SWOT analyses, individuals should conduct a ‘PsychoSWOT’ analysis for themselves. They should ask: ‘What are my strengths? What are my weaknesses? What threats might I face? What opportunities lie ahead? What is my vision for life?’ This kind of analysis guides an individual’s life. Having a vision is not just about dreaming, and it is about knowing yourself and drawing your roadmap with awareness.”
A gift was presented to Prof. Tarhan
At the end of the program, a gift was presented to Prof. Tarhan by Foundation President Ulvi Eroğlu and District Governor Abdullah Çiftçi.
The event concluded with a group photo.
Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)