‽istis ponders needs, hierarchical or otherwise (weekending February 19th 2022)
As the storm clouds
gather this week:
·
literally, thanks to storm Eunice
·
figuratively, on the Ukraine/Russia border
· theologically, one of the readings for Anglican churches in the UK this Sunday (Luke 8 v 22-25, The Bible), storms calmed and perhaps a phrase to ponder: ‘woke Jesus’!
…‽istis plans to discuss ‘Maslow’s
Hierarchy of Needs’ with colleagues (1) and maybe (despite the apparently non-triangular
original formulation (2) and despite the multiple subsequent iterations, interpretations and discussions) ‽istis tries to see signs of hope that could be faint ‘dots’
in the present tense of current affairs just waiting to be joined into the shape of the future (pyramidically, or otherwise!) as today becomes tomorrow,
and the next day, and the next, and the next, and the next…?
Perhaps,
possibly, maybe that shaped future might be one where:
‽ the ‘needs’ of
all are met before the ‘wants’ of some?
‽ the ‘need’ for
life and for physiological basics (water, food, shelter, etc. - oh, how many need that right now); the need for safety (oh, how this is needed in the present tenseness that diplomacy may or may not resolve); the opportunity to be loved, to love and
to belong; the circumstances that imbue self-esteem (confidence, achievement, respect, etc.); the chance for potential
to be fulfilled and for us to be the best we can - are called ‘rights’ and we
are all the duty-bearers proportionate to our means?
As ever (and
perhaps rather like many sermons waiting to be preached) this week’s ponderings
are possibly just another variation on a pretty consistent theme -see just about all and any previous blog
entries!
And yet, ‽istis can’t help but
wonder: Could it be? What would it take? What might be the next step from pondering,
imagining and wondering?
© Pistis
NB: further reflections and comments linked to this week’s theme
and past blog
entries to be found on Twitter: replies, retweets (which don’t
necessarily indicate approval, sometimes the very opposite!) and ‘likes’:
@Pistis_wonders. ‘Follows’ and respectful comment and dialogue welcome...
1) References galore to be found
– and many search engines are available to help find them! “It is quite true that man lives by bread alone — when there is no
bread. But what happens to man’s desires when there is plenty of bread and when
his belly is chronically filled?
At once other (and “higher”) needs emerge and these, rather than
physiological hungers, dominate the organism. And when these in turn are
satisfied, again new (and still “higher”) needs emerge and so on. This is what
we mean by saying that the basic human needs are organized into a hierarchy of
relative prepotency.” From Maslow, A. H.
(1943). A Theory of Human Motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4),
370-96.
See also: “Critique of Self-Actualization
Theory” (1966) Maslow wrote, “It must be stated that self-actualization is not
enough. Personal salvation and what is good for the person alone cannot be really
understood in isolation… The good of other people must be invoked, as well as the good
for oneself… It is quite clear that a purely intrapsychic, individualistic
psychology, without reference to other people and social conditions, is not
adequate.” Cited in: https://forge.medium.com/maslows-pyramid-is-a-marketing-lie-14202930e20
(2)
