Describe the ways Maslow's Heirarchy of needs connects to your life...
Self-actualization
Esteem
Love
Safety
Physiology
Maslow's Hierarchy
I love this concept because it's simple and optimistic. Why not study the best that humans can achieve? I've experienced all of the levels of Maslow's Hierarchy in my life, and in the process I've noticed that there are emotional bridges from one level to the other. They are emotional microcosms that can be used to move incrementally up the ladder. For example, if you are really depressed, it does no good at all to shoot for happiness when anger might be a more reasonable goal and will move you out of lethargy. From anger you could move to blame, which leads to action, which leads to hope, which may move you to optimism and then you may have a shot at happiness again. Telling someone who is deeply depressed to cheer up is unrealistic and mean.
The following was taken from: All quoted material is from that source.
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Physiological Needs-"Physiological needs are the very basic needs such as air, water, food, sleep, sex, etc. When these are not satisfied we may feel sickness, irritation, pain, discomfort, etc. These feelings motivate us to alleviate them as soon as possible to establish homeostasis. Once they are alleviated, we may think about other things."
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I grew up with a lot of deprivation in this area and it really showed. When I was a homeless teenager, I had what would be called a propotent need with drug and alcohol addiction. It could be argued that, in my case, the early deprivation of basic needs combined with a genetic predisposition towards addiction, conspired to replace social needs or emotional needs with chemical needs.
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Safety Needs-"Safety needs have to do with establishing stability and consistency in a chaotic world. These needs are mostly psychological in nature. We need the security of a home and family."
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Yup, didn't have that either, but it was the first thing that I built for myself once the physiological needs were squared away. I started with a safe home and roommates that I could trust.
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Love Needs-"Love and belongingness are next on the ladder. Humans have a desire to belong to groups: clubs, work groups, religious groups, family, gangs, etc. We need to feel loved (non-sexual) by others, to be accepted by others."
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I belong to many "family" groups now. It took me a long time to figure out how to function in a group.
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Esteem Needs-"There are two types of esteem needs. First is self-esteem which results from competence or mastery of a task. Second, there's the attention and recognition that comes from others."
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Learning to become a good worker and developing a good work ethic contributed a lot to my ability to build self-esteem. The opinions of others has not factored as highly in my life, that sort of approval has to come from people in my "love needs" circle for it to make that much difference to me.
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Self-Actualization-"The need for self-actualization is "the desire to become more and more what one is, to become everything that one is capable of becoming." People who have everything can maximize their potential. They can seek knowledge, peace, esthetic experiences, self-fulfillment, oneness with God, etc."
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I would argue that the acknowledgment of the principles of service and the pursuit of a spiritual path guides one through the previous stages. Even if you have no resources to spare to focus on spiritual growth, there is a space in the human heart where hope springs eternal, and that is the element that carries us through the uncertainty of need deprivation.
Maslow's theory makes perfect sense to me.
Esteem
Love
Safety
Physiology
Maslow's Hierarchy
I love this concept because it's simple and optimistic. Why not study the best that humans can achieve? I've experienced all of the levels of Maslow's Hierarchy in my life, and in the process I've noticed that there are emotional bridges from one level to the other. They are emotional microcosms that can be used to move incrementally up the ladder. For example, if you are really depressed, it does no good at all to shoot for happiness when anger might be a more reasonable goal and will move you out of lethargy. From anger you could move to blame, which leads to action, which leads to hope, which may move you to optimism and then you may have a shot at happiness again. Telling someone who is deeply depressed to cheer up is unrealistic and mean.
The following was taken from: All quoted material is from that source.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Physiological Needs-"Physiological needs are the very basic needs such as air, water, food, sleep, sex, etc. When these are not satisfied we may feel sickness, irritation, pain, discomfort, etc. These feelings motivate us to alleviate them as soon as possible to establish homeostasis. Once they are alleviated, we may think about other things."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I grew up with a lot of deprivation in this area and it really showed. When I was a homeless teenager, I had what would be called a propotent need with drug and alcohol addiction. It could be argued that, in my case, the early deprivation of basic needs combined with a genetic predisposition towards addiction, conspired to replace social needs or emotional needs with chemical needs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Safety Needs-"Safety needs have to do with establishing stability and consistency in a chaotic world. These needs are mostly psychological in nature. We need the security of a home and family."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yup, didn't have that either, but it was the first thing that I built for myself once the physiological needs were squared away. I started with a safe home and roommates that I could trust.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Love Needs-"Love and belongingness are next on the ladder. Humans have a desire to belong to groups: clubs, work groups, religious groups, family, gangs, etc. We need to feel loved (non-sexual) by others, to be accepted by others."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I belong to many "family" groups now. It took me a long time to figure out how to function in a group.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Esteem Needs-"There are two types of esteem needs. First is self-esteem which results from competence or mastery of a task. Second, there's the attention and recognition that comes from others."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Learning to become a good worker and developing a good work ethic contributed a lot to my ability to build self-esteem. The opinions of others has not factored as highly in my life, that sort of approval has to come from people in my "love needs" circle for it to make that much difference to me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Self-Actualization-"The need for self-actualization is "the desire to become more and more what one is, to become everything that one is capable of becoming." People who have everything can maximize their potential. They can seek knowledge, peace, esthetic experiences, self-fulfillment, oneness with God, etc."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would argue that the acknowledgment of the principles of service and the pursuit of a spiritual path guides one through the previous stages. Even if you have no resources to spare to focus on spiritual growth, there is a space in the human heart where hope springs eternal, and that is the element that carries us through the uncertainty of need deprivation.
Maslow's theory makes perfect sense to me.