arrivetobecoming

Arrivetobecoming is a neologism used in philosophy, cultural theory, and arts criticism to describe a state in which the idea of arriving at a destination is inseparable from the ongoing process of transformation. It frames existence as a continuous sequence of modifications rather than a fixed conclusion, placing emphasis on the inseparability of ends and the means by which they are pursued.

The term is a compound of arrival and becoming. It emerged in online essays and interdisciplinary discussions in the 2010s and 2020s, and has been used by writers across philosophy, literary studies, and media theory without a single authoritative originator.

In process philosophy and related strands, arrivetobecoming resonates with the view that being is constituted by ongoing activity rather than static substance. In literary and media analysis, it is used to describe narratives and artworks that refuse definitive closure, presenting endings that unfold through audience interpretation and future events. In personal development discourse, it is used to suggest that identity and capability are perpetually in motion, never fully settled.

Scholars criticize the term for being vague and subject to wide interpretation, and for potentially conflating process with teleology if not carefully grounded in a theoretical framework. Some contend that its practical import depends on specifying normative criteria for what counts as progress during becoming.

Related ideas include becoming, process philosophy, and critiques of end-state teleology.