Questioning Maslow's hierarchy of needs and individual differences

Maslow's Levels

Do you believe that people at lower levels aspire to higher levels?

I believe that the motivation to aspire to higher levels depends on the individual's characteristics. The mass of the people, as Nietzsche (1986) was won't to say, seem to prefer fulfillment of their basic needs. It takes an Nietzschean Ubermentsch ('Superman') to climb to the highest level -- self-actualization -- and be driven to fulfill that.

Although Maslow (1970) has pointed out that the desire to fulfill the higher echelons occurs only in those individuals who have succeed in filling the lower 'rungs', I wonder whether such is the case. Perusal of memoirs, for instance, of individuals living in poverty or straddled with illness reveal that actualizing themselves seemed to be more important then seeing to their lower needs. Lincoln, for example, preferred reading to buying himself boots; Nietzsche was in physical agony for much of his life, yet his work superceded. There are people who would rather starve themselves in the cause of idealistic pursuits. Then again, taking the reverse of this situation, one sees people on certain rungs of the hierarchy who are content to remain where they are. Even though they have achieved the basic rungs, they do not climb up to higher ones as Maslow (1970) theorized they would. Finally, I think that although Maslow's paradigm might apply to certain cases, generalizations cannot be concluded until one has scientifically sampled a large and diverse enough population to evaluate the case.

B. Do you believe that Maslow was correct in his assessment of motives?

I think that Maslow's articulation of the needs might be correct but their hierarchical ranking, it seems to me, would vary from individual to individual. Some, for instance, would prelude aesthetic needs to cognitive needs, whereas others might altogether eradicate aesthetic needs or cognitive needs and replace those elements with another category such as that of spiritual fulfillment (for instance). The nuns who have voluntarily chosen their sequestered existence, per example, seem to prize spirituality above that of belongingness and love. So it seems to me again that Maslow is categorizing the heterogeneous mass of people into a template into which, by virtue of their diversity, they do not belong.

D. How will you know if you are self-actualized?

I think that self-actualization is an ongoing process. I will never be self-actualized in the past tense for that signifies having reached the end of my existence. I hope, at the end of my life, to have reached self-actualization, but then I will not realize that for I will be dead. As regards the ongoing process of self-actualization, I see that as a consistent evaluation and reevaluation of my goals, as well as a persistent aim to better and re-better myself in all aspects of my existence. More specifically, I would categorize that as demarcating my existence into the following segments: spiritual, family, vocational, social, extra-curricular (for instance, hobbies), financial, physical, and ensuring that I maintain each of these personal categories to the optimum of my ability.

E. Do all people have the same goals?

People, being different, necessarily do not all have the same goals. Nonetheless, I believe that at least four of Maslow's goals -- physiological needs, safety and security, Belongingness and love, and esteem - are relevant to all individuals. People, again, experience different goals to varying extremes. Whilst some might have a greater need for love than others, others might place the desire for self-actualization before that of safety and security (as we see with the adventurer who apparently prefers the thrill of (for instance) mountain climbing) at the risk of imperiling his life.

Sources

Maslow, a.H. (1970). Motivation and personality. New York, Harper & Row

Nietzsche, F. (1986). Human, all too human: a book for free spirits. New York: Cambridge University Press.