Catch-22
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2001
- Messages
- 4,518
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
1. Physiological: hunger, thirst, bodily comforts, etc.;
2. Safety/security: out of danger;
3. Belonginess and Love: affiliate with others, be accepted; and
4. Esteem: to achieve, be competent, gain approval and recognition.
5. Cognitive: to know, to understand, and explore;
6. Aesthetic: symmetry, order, and beauty;
7. Self-actualization: to find self-fulfillment and realize one's potential; and
8. Transcendence: to help others find self-fulfillment and realize their potential.
___
We are supposed to progress down the list, "accomplishing" the first four needs before beginning to undertake the last four items. If at any time a deficiency occurs in the first four needs, we refocus our attention until the situation is resolved. Otherwise, we continue growing....
This sounds nice on the surface, but I just don't buy this explanation for human motivation. Do we ever act with completely altruistic intentions? I say that once the first two needs (survival and safety) are met, we spend all of our time on the third and fourth needs (acceptance and esteem).
I take the position that people who think they are spending lots of time on needs 5-8 have just re-worked needs 3-4 to seem more sophisticated. You might become a doctor not for the money or to be showered with respect from the general public, but human nature says you will still get a feeling of accomplishment when you do something worthwhile. And that is feeding need #4! And remember, you cannot progress to needs 5-8 until fulfilling the first four needs....so I say the whole hierarchy of needs is bullshit.
Don't get me wrong. We should all aspire to help others and try to act non-selfishly. But we are still human beings and we are still subject to human nature. There is no such thing as a purely altruistic act!
[ 18 July 2002: Message edited by: Catch-22 ]
1. Physiological: hunger, thirst, bodily comforts, etc.;
2. Safety/security: out of danger;
3. Belonginess and Love: affiliate with others, be accepted; and
4. Esteem: to achieve, be competent, gain approval and recognition.
5. Cognitive: to know, to understand, and explore;
6. Aesthetic: symmetry, order, and beauty;
7. Self-actualization: to find self-fulfillment and realize one's potential; and
8. Transcendence: to help others find self-fulfillment and realize their potential.
___
We are supposed to progress down the list, "accomplishing" the first four needs before beginning to undertake the last four items. If at any time a deficiency occurs in the first four needs, we refocus our attention until the situation is resolved. Otherwise, we continue growing....
This sounds nice on the surface, but I just don't buy this explanation for human motivation. Do we ever act with completely altruistic intentions? I say that once the first two needs (survival and safety) are met, we spend all of our time on the third and fourth needs (acceptance and esteem).
I take the position that people who think they are spending lots of time on needs 5-8 have just re-worked needs 3-4 to seem more sophisticated. You might become a doctor not for the money or to be showered with respect from the general public, but human nature says you will still get a feeling of accomplishment when you do something worthwhile. And that is feeding need #4! And remember, you cannot progress to needs 5-8 until fulfilling the first four needs....so I say the whole hierarchy of needs is bullshit.
Don't get me wrong. We should all aspire to help others and try to act non-selfishly. But we are still human beings and we are still subject to human nature. There is no such thing as a purely altruistic act!
[ 18 July 2002: Message edited by: Catch-22 ]