Musings: December 2008 Archives
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a concept that I learned fairly early in life and I am constantly coming back to it.
My understanding of it is that humans must have their basic needs met prior to being in a position whereby they can begin working towards meeting more complex needs. There are five main levels of needs: Physiological, Safety/Security, Love/Belonging, Esteem, and Self-Actualization. Furthermore, one's childhood and the feelings of safety and love or belonging during this time of intense development are correlated to the needs that they will work towards attaining in adulthood.
For example, a poor child in Tibet has never thought of traveling or getting an education - he is only worried about what his next meal will be and whether he will be sick after it. He is at the first level.
The average person in Western countries (you) is mainly driven by money in order to fulfill their need for security. Only once this security is truly felt can they move up in the hierarchy. In many cases, this may manifest itself as belonging or purpose through a family unit of sorts. (Do not confuse this with people who get married and have children because they think is is what they are supposed to do, for this person is simply trying to attain security through means other than purely financial resources.) They are at the second level.
Moreover, although it may seem so to you, it is incorrect to think an average Joe that goes to church is trying to attain self-actualization through his version of morality. Rather, this person is trying to attain safety through his religion and is still sitting at the second level.
The majority of the world currently resides at the bottom two levels. I would hazard a guess that possibly 20%-30% of populations in wealthy/western countries have met enough basic needs that they have moved towards attainment of love and esteem. And I would be shocked if more than 1% of the world's population had sufficiently met their basic needs such that they are in a position to attain self-actualization.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is taught to Psychology students during motivational theory courses; Education students such that they can relate to a variety of their future students; Business students aimed at understanding how to motivate staff; and it is a pinnacle in political studies where it is essential to learn to understand one's audience and the discrepancy between values and goals not only within individuals but also between countries.
I learned it while reading a book in my early teens - but have since learned it a few times in higher education - and obviously re-learn it as I live life in the 'real world' now.
I don't know when or why it comes up in my life constantly. I suppose I have a tendency to try to understand human behavior (though I seem to consistently manage to fail at this and disappoint myself....I guess some things just can't be answered by google, afterall). In large part, my mind striggles over this world and the virus living on it know as the human race - it makes absolutely no sense to me. The illogical sequence of behavior and desire are both front and centre in the most 'colourful' city I have yet to explore - Hong Kong.
After a very long battle with China Southern Airlines, I arrived into Shenzhen on the border of China and Hong Kong at 3am last Friday. Gemma and I busted over the boarder with our white skin passes later that morning. In typical Maslow's Hierarchy fashion, our first step was to look for a place to leave our stuff and sleep. Notice I didn't mention values such as clean or safe. The room we chose (it was $10USD a night!) may be a reflection of where Gemma and I both currently sit within Maslow's Hierarchy. Or maybe we're just young and traveling on a shoe string.
Regardless, it served it's purpose well.
This is the view from our door. The deluxe suite...
And the view from our window. Not sure what this is or what it once was. We were on the 15th floor.
Hong Kong is part of China when it is convenient for China. However, after it's 99 year lease to Britain was up in 1997, it has been allowed to maintain a status as a "Special Administrative Region" (SAR) and thus been allowed to develop as it once had; therefore it goes without saying that it is so much more like the 'real world' than China. In fact, there was nothing more Chinese about it than the Chinese restaurant in Salmon Arm (a bit disappointing in this way). This is to say that China town in Vancouver is a few hundred times more (mainland) Chinese than Hong Kong!
Once lower levels (more basic needs) are met (and then taken for granted), we move into attainment of more complex needs. In Hong Kong, (as well as most Western cities) this can manifest in the form of selling sex.
The Chung King Mansion (our humble abode) sold the South China Morning Post in the lobby...
As well as pimped out a variety of girls who are paid on a per-hour-per-race-basis.
After getting over some initial shocks and fueling up on homemade pakoras and other Indian goodies (The Mansion is owned and operated by Hong Kong's large Bombay population) we set out to see Victoria Harbor.
Here it is looking South, from Kowloon over to Central.
And then here is me up on the Peak Tower looking North: from Central over to Kowloon.
My understanding of it is that humans must have their basic needs met prior to being in a position whereby they can begin working towards meeting more complex needs. There are five main levels of needs: Physiological, Safety/Security, Love/Belonging, Esteem, and Self-Actualization. Furthermore, one's childhood and the feelings of safety and love or belonging during this time of intense development are correlated to the needs that they will work towards attaining in adulthood.
For example, a poor child in Tibet has never thought of traveling or getting an education - he is only worried about what his next meal will be and whether he will be sick after it. He is at the first level.
The average person in Western countries (you) is mainly driven by money in order to fulfill their need for security. Only once this security is truly felt can they move up in the hierarchy. In many cases, this may manifest itself as belonging or purpose through a family unit of sorts. (Do not confuse this with people who get married and have children because they think is is what they are supposed to do, for this person is simply trying to attain security through means other than purely financial resources.) They are at the second level.
Moreover, although it may seem so to you, it is incorrect to think an average Joe that goes to church is trying to attain self-actualization through his version of morality. Rather, this person is trying to attain safety through his religion and is still sitting at the second level.
The majority of the world currently resides at the bottom two levels. I would hazard a guess that possibly 20%-30% of populations in wealthy/western countries have met enough basic needs that they have moved towards attainment of love and esteem. And I would be shocked if more than 1% of the world's population had sufficiently met their basic needs such that they are in a position to attain self-actualization.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is taught to Psychology students during motivational theory courses; Education students such that they can relate to a variety of their future students; Business students aimed at understanding how to motivate staff; and it is a pinnacle in political studies where it is essential to learn to understand one's audience and the discrepancy between values and goals not only within individuals but also between countries.
I learned it while reading a book in my early teens - but have since learned it a few times in higher education - and obviously re-learn it as I live life in the 'real world' now.
I don't know when or why it comes up in my life constantly. I suppose I have a tendency to try to understand human behavior (though I seem to consistently manage to fail at this and disappoint myself....I guess some things just can't be answered by google, afterall). In large part, my mind striggles over this world and the virus living on it know as the human race - it makes absolutely no sense to me. The illogical sequence of behavior and desire are both front and centre in the most 'colourful' city I have yet to explore - Hong Kong.
After a very long battle with China Southern Airlines, I arrived into Shenzhen on the border of China and Hong Kong at 3am last Friday. Gemma and I busted over the boarder with our white skin passes later that morning. In typical Maslow's Hierarchy fashion, our first step was to look for a place to leave our stuff and sleep. Notice I didn't mention values such as clean or safe. The room we chose (it was $10USD a night!) may be a reflection of where Gemma and I both currently sit within Maslow's Hierarchy. Or maybe we're just young and traveling on a shoe string.
Regardless, it served it's purpose well.
This is the view from our door. The deluxe suite...
And the view from our window. Not sure what this is or what it once was. We were on the 15th floor.Hong Kong is part of China when it is convenient for China. However, after it's 99 year lease to Britain was up in 1997, it has been allowed to maintain a status as a "Special Administrative Region" (SAR) and thus been allowed to develop as it once had; therefore it goes without saying that it is so much more like the 'real world' than China. In fact, there was nothing more Chinese about it than the Chinese restaurant in Salmon Arm (a bit disappointing in this way). This is to say that China town in Vancouver is a few hundred times more (mainland) Chinese than Hong Kong!
Once lower levels (more basic needs) are met (and then taken for granted), we move into attainment of more complex needs. In Hong Kong, (as well as most Western cities) this can manifest in the form of selling sex.
The Chung King Mansion (our humble abode) sold the South China Morning Post in the lobby...
As well as pimped out a variety of girls who are paid on a per-hour-per-race-basis. After getting over some initial shocks and fueling up on homemade pakoras and other Indian goodies (The Mansion is owned and operated by Hong Kong's large Bombay population) we set out to see Victoria Harbor. Here it is looking South, from Kowloon over to Central.
And then here is me up on the Peak Tower looking North: from Central over to Kowloon.
As you can see, the air quality in Hong Kong rivals that of Beijing's. Furthermore, Victoria Harbor houses some of the world's most polluted fresh water. However, Hong Kong is moving up in it's own Hierarchy of needs.
Providing an environment for education, art, a healthy lifestyle and the self-actualization of it's people should be priorities for a city that has itself been able to move high up in this hierarchy. This can also be seen in Hong Kong through the plethora of propaganda regarding taking care of the environment as well as other people.
In addition, the art, science and sports scenes are quite prominent -
in particular when comparing this city to other Chinese cities. Hong Kong's main festival is the Dragon Boat Festival in May every year.
We spent our first two days in the thick of the city but on the third day managed to venture to an outlying island and the Norther territories for a refreshing reminder of what life is about.
I was also reminded of how I love China. In fact, by my second day in HK I already wanted to get back to the Mainland. There is just so much beauty in simplicity.
Providing an environment for education, art, a healthy lifestyle and the self-actualization of it's people should be priorities for a city that has itself been able to move high up in this hierarchy. This can also be seen in Hong Kong through the plethora of propaganda regarding taking care of the environment as well as other people. In addition, the art, science and sports scenes are quite prominent -
in particular when comparing this city to other Chinese cities. Hong Kong's main festival is the Dragon Boat Festival in May every year.We spent our first two days in the thick of the city but on the third day managed to venture to an outlying island and the Norther territories for a refreshing reminder of what life is about.
I was also reminded of how I love China. In fact, by my second day in HK I already wanted to get back to the Mainland. There is just so much beauty in simplicity. 
