By Robin Weaver
Reflecting on 2020, I found myself reexamining Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Given the world’s current problems, old Maslow may be the last thing on your mind. But, isn’t the year we just “endured” a testament to the validity of the theory?
As most of you know, Maslow developed a theory of motivation which states that five categories of need dictate a person's behavior. According to his findings, higher ideals—ego & self-fulfillment—can only be fully addressed once basic human survival is assured. Maslow’s categories of needs are:
1. Prior to COVID, most people in the Western World had climbed high on the hierarchy, past love and belonging, and were searching for Esteem and/or Self-Actualization. We didn’t have to worry about food or water (physiological); safety (other than the ozone layer, which most people ignored) was pretty much taken for granted by most Americans.
Thanks to Match.Com and Doctor Phil, we’d also conquered romance. And, if we didn’t find our significant other online or at the gym, we bought a dog. The increasing popularity of self-help books signaled that the masses were in hot pursuit of being our “best self.”
Then, the corona virus showed it’ ugly crown. And, BOOM!
Once we can again “belong” without Zoom or Skype, perhaps we can self-actualize about what we learned during the year of COVID. In fiction, conflict strengthens the story and gives the main character an opportunity for growth. Maybe I’m too low on Maslow’s hierarchy to figure out how to improve from this experience, because I’m not finding much good from 2020. The COVID conflict has strengthened my resolve to appreciate all that I’ve taken for granted in the past.
Just when there’s a vaccine on the horizon, I find something else to worry about. Something I probably wouldn’t have noticed if I could have met friends for coffee or attended writers’ conferences. I’m now worried about The birds. I’ve just read that the avian population has dwindled by 29% in the last 50 years.
Egads! Time for a romance novel.
Happy 2021 everyone. May your new year have you climbing to the top of Maslow’s hierarchy.
9 comments:
Love it! You always give me something to ponder.
Thanks for the smiles ...you always bring humor to the sensibility.
Stay well-mask or don’t mask, whatever floats your boat(and since you mostly work remotely, that would most likely require non-masking)
Oh- there’s a thought- how many sit at home or drive their vehicle wearing masks when no one is around ?
Perhaps we need Shakespeare “to mask or not to mask- that is the question. Whether ‘its nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous anger, to to take up cover against a sea of virus, and by opposing, end it?
Loved reading! Got me thinking.... :)
I never actually looked at Maslov’s hierarchy before. Thanks for the insight. I’m kind of shocked about the birds. Now I’m worrying about insect population explosions.
Robin, I didn't check in here early enough yesterday. One of those, I'll do it after my morning tasks and then...well, let's just say that, IMHO, our country needs to take a deep breath and do some self-reflecting. Really? Really? was yesterday an example of anything on Maslow's hierarchy?
Some people in the Capitol Building hadn't had anything to eat or drink for hours. They were not safe. At best they were sequestered with another person or had the ability to text out to loved ones.
What's next? Using your headline "What Did We Learn?" I'm not sure. Reflection is a gift that we can do more of if we have food, shelter, clothing and feel safe. Much more difficult to do when hungry and homeless, cold and maybe even wet. Time will tell whether or at least how many of us take yesterday's actions as a "wake up" call.
Like Judith, I'm late reading your thought-provoking blog. I have tried to understand how & why people embrace conspiracy theories and act in ways (not wearing masks) that aren't in the best interests of their loved ones and themselves. The need for a sense of some control? Maybe.
Same to you, Robin. This is great time to consider Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs--good point!
The birds! Between the neighborhood cats decimating the local population, birds flying into skyscrapers as they migrate or being forced to drink polluted water the populations are dwindling fast. On a lighter note, for those of us who get to WFH this time has been a breath of fresh air allowing time to breathe, plan, dream, bake (a lot!) and plan for what comes next.
Interesting post. I've never been a big fan of Maslow's pyramid because it suggests (at least in the popular understanding) that once the lower level is achieved that the next level is available and that lower level will always be there for you.
In my experience, that is not the case and has never been the case. Life moves between levels all the time. I believe that the work of our lives is being able to find love, build self-esteem, and work toward self actualization WHILE those basic needs are taking our focus.
Many people who suffer a health crisis and live with chronic illness have learned how to reach for those other levels because the must or give up on life. Many people who find themselves without safety--through loss of work, loss of a home, loss of a person they relied on in times of trouble--have to reach inside themselves and muster up the courage (self-esteem, self-actualization) to move anyway and survive.
IT is in times of great difficulty that we learn who we really are. Then it is up to us to determine if that is who we want to be moving forward. Some will continue to choose fear over courage. Some will continue to choose use hate as a motivator while others use love.
Those who wait for those foundational levels of Maslow's hierarchy to be forever solid will find themselves forever unhappy, because the are not solid and for most of us never will be. It is how we adapt to changes in our life arc that define who we are and whether we are willing to embrace the reality of life and not only survive but thrive in times of darkness in order to bring about the light once again.
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