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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SLS on February 21, 2009, at 9:18:47
Is there anyone here who subscribes to Maslow's hierarchy of needs?
I am big on self-actualization. I find it to be a very rewarding state of mind to be in.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs.svg
- Scott
Posted by garnet71 on February 21, 2009, at 10:31:27
In reply to Self-Actualization - Maslow's hierarchy of needs, posted by SLS on February 21, 2009, at 9:18:47
Yeah, it also happens to be one of the reasons why over a billion people still live on less than $1 a day.
When you are stuck in the bottom realm, exhausting all your energy for your basic needs, there's not much left to expend on the other levels.
It also is a partial explanation as to why many in the US don't have as much of a voice in our government as the wealthy or educated.
Posted by SLS on February 21, 2009, at 13:42:17
In reply to Re: Self-Actualization - Maslow's hierarchy of needs, posted by garnet71 on February 21, 2009, at 10:31:27
I don't understand.
Do you find problems with Maslow's paradigm?
- Scott
Posted by raisinb on February 21, 2009, at 13:57:21
In reply to Self-Actualization - Maslow's hierarchy of needs, posted by SLS on February 21, 2009, at 9:18:47
I like Maslow's hierarchy. I disagree a bit about whether one *must* get each level met before experiencing or filling other levels. For me, it seems like the top three emerge and get fulfilled in alternating ways, and that I can use one of them to compensate somewhat when the others aren't being met.
Posted by garnet71 on February 21, 2009, at 14:13:24
In reply to Re: Self-Actualization - Maslow's hierarchy of needs » garnet71, posted by SLS on February 21, 2009, at 13:42:17
No problems with it...When I write on blogs, I normally write as fast as I can type (which is very fast) so sometimes my comments are not articulate enough.
I was pointing out that Maslow's theory explains aspects of our society; in this case, in terms of the poor. People that are in the lowest levels of that hierarchy often are not able to progress to the higher levels. If you are very poor and live on less than $1 a day, you are expending all your energy just trying to survive/get your basic needs met; therefore, you can't progress in the upper levels. I found this to be partially true in my own life as a single parent facing many obstacles--it takes a lot of extra effort and energy to be poor, although my situation is nothing compared to the adversity others' in third-world countries experience. However, adversity is relative; if you are very poor in live in a society designed for the middle/upper classes, there are few coping mechanisms in society to fall back on. If you, however, live in a society where MOST are poor, there are some coping mechanisms and economic systems in place for which you can utilize to cope. Even here in America, during the Great Depression, with so many in destitute situations, people naturally developed coping mechanisms that interlaced with several aspects of their lives-spirtually, economically, family, entertainment, crime, civic engagement, etc.
I do agree with Maslow's theories in general, but as someone else pointed out, there are flaws and it is not a black and white concept. There are critics to Maslow's work; personally, I think this concept of his is pretty brilliant.
Posted by SLS on February 21, 2009, at 14:14:27
In reply to Re: Self-Actualization - Maslow's hierarchy of nee » SLS, posted by raisinb on February 21, 2009, at 13:57:21
> I like Maslow's hierarchy. I disagree a bit about whether one *must* get each level met before experiencing or filling other levels. For me, it seems like the top three emerge and get fulfilled in alternating ways, and that I can use one of them to compensate somewhat when the others aren't being met.
The beauty of the paradigm is that people occupy multiple levels at the same time. There is no real "graduation" from one level to the next. It is just that in order for one to ponder the butterfly effect and its possible consequences on the weather in Tahiti, one must first have enough to eat so as to be alive in order to have such thoughts in the first place.
Once you expend the time and energy to take care of the survival needs, then your mind and body are free to pursue those human needs that appear at the next level up, and so on.
I'm not sure that I'm explaining this right.
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on February 21, 2009, at 14:19:58
In reply to Re: Self-Actualization - Maslow's hierarchy of nee, posted by SLS on February 21, 2009, at 14:14:27
My understanding was first health, food, shelter, money enough, then can move up the ladder to fulfillment and actualization being the ultimate step. Phillipa
Posted by SLS on February 21, 2009, at 14:32:25
In reply to Re: Self-Actualization - Maslow's hierarchy of nee » SLS, posted by Phillipa on February 21, 2009, at 14:19:58
> My understanding was first health, food, shelter, money enough, then can move up the ladder to fulfillment and actualization being the ultimate step. Phillipa
That's about it. The only thing I would change would be the concept that there is a ladder to climb. One can be poor and hungry, yet have the spare time and motivation to ponder the Unity of Creation, as long as someone isn't holding a gun to his head... and even then. As long as they have already met the challenges of making human connections, the groundwork is laid for such peak experiences.
:-)
- Scott
Posted by garnet71 on February 21, 2009, at 14:43:45
In reply to Re: Self-Actualization - Maslow's hierarchy of nee, posted by SLS on February 21, 2009, at 14:14:27
"The beauty of the paradigm is that people occupy multiple levels at the same time. There is no real "graduation" from one level to the next"
I agree you can be on multiple levels, and to add to that, its pretty undeniable that if you are spending most of your time/mental energy at the lower levels, there is less time/mental energy for the higher levels.
Income, in the US, is correlated (or causal) with educational obtainment and sucess. The most prominent indicator of future sucess (however they define success) is whether or not your parents had graduated from college. This has been proven time and time again.
Thats why when human beings invented collective agriculture (as opposed to hunting and gathering), they had more time to pursue art and intellectual endeavors and we have evolved from there. The Agricultural Age was a huge milestone in cultural progress.
Posted by SLS on February 21, 2009, at 14:54:36
In reply to Re: Self-Actualization - Maslow's hierarchy of nee » SLS, posted by garnet71 on February 21, 2009, at 14:43:45
> Thats why when human beings invented collective agriculture (as opposed to hunting and gathering), they had more time to pursue art and intellectual endeavors and we have evolved from there. The Agricultural Age was a huge milestone in cultural progress.
I hadn't thought of that.
Learning that made my day!
Thanks.
:-)
- Scott
Posted by garnet71 on February 21, 2009, at 18:31:34
In reply to Re: Self-Actualization - Maslow's hierarchy of nee » garnet71, posted by SLS on February 21, 2009, at 14:54:36
Glad I could add to your day.
There's nothing more fascinating to me then trying to figure out why the way we are except one thing - trying to figure out the way we will be in the future.
There are some who believe that after the information age comes the 'cognitive age':
http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=10754
I have my own little theory that after that comes a spiritual age. Mostly from looking at patterns and trends...this site is great to pick out modern cues regarding technological trends (lots of medical and neuroscience stuff here too:
There's literally hundreds of versions of historical eras with everything in between, but this is a basic division of historical eras/ages:
http://www.studentsfriend.com/sfcimage/eras.jpg
There's tons more where my thoughts on this came from, so if you're ever interested, post away!
Posted by garnet71 on February 21, 2009, at 18:37:18
In reply to Re: Self-Actualization - Maslow's hierarchy of nee » garnet71, posted by SLS on February 21, 2009, at 14:54:36
Oh one more thing..if you happen to take a look at this site:
Make sure you look at the green tool bar on the right under archives....lots of fascinating stuff there. In fact, I just realized this is my favorite website of all times and I haven't taken the time to look at it in a long time all caught up with school and mental health....so thanks for indirectly reminding me of its existence.
Posted by SLS on March 3, 2009, at 5:46:53
In reply to Re: Self-Actualization - Maslow's hierarchy of nee » SLS, posted by garnet71 on February 21, 2009, at 18:37:18
One thing about more severe depressions: It allows for very little personal growth. The rate of change is very slow.
Self-actualization is nearly impossible when one is severely depressed.
1. There is too much focus on meeting more basic needs because of impaired function.
2. Depression dulls and tangles thoughts and feelings. It does not allow for much clarity of thought or the mental energy to process and internalize change.
- Scott
This is the end of the thread.
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