{"id":411,"date":"2012-06-30T21:40:32","date_gmt":"2012-06-30T21:40:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.visioneering-ak.com\/?page_id=411"},"modified":"2013-01-28T16:49:32","modified_gmt":"2013-01-28T16:49:32","slug":"the-needs-wants-and-desires","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/visioneering-ak.com\/?page_id=411","title":{"rendered":"2. NEEDS, WANTS AND DESIRES"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEEDS, WANTS and DESIRES<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>There is a vast difference between needs, wants and desires, but there is a logical progression between the three. Although the term \u201cneed\u201d is often used in lieu of a want and desire, there is a difference! For example, when my children were younger, they would emphasize their wants\/desires with the emphatic, \u201cbut dad we NEED a puppy\u201d.<\/p>\n

Needs are something basic, something absolutely necessary. A want on the other hand is a feeling for something you lack. A desire is the craving to apprehend your want.<\/span> <\/strong>Needs are usually physiological, while wants and desires are more psychological. (Read that again and think about it.)<\/p>\n

Much thought and effort has gone into examining the physiological and psychological needs, wants and desires of mankind. You may agree or disagree with some, but that\u2019s good, because that means you’re thinking and evaluating.<\/p>\n

One of the oldest written accounts of man’s wants and desires vs. needs is found in the Hebrew telling of creation. In that account, God (Elohim<\/em>) gave Adam all things necessary for living, including fellowship with Himself. He fulfilled all Adams “needs”. However, Adam also wanted other things like a human companion so Elohim <\/em>gave him a companion named Eve. Adam and Eve wanted even more. They also wanted the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Note: Another fruit in the garden was from the tree of life, which\u00a0apparently was a physical need.). Their reasoning was that knowledge of good and evil would make them just like Elohim. <\/em>You see their \u2018want\u2019 was a feeling for something they lacked, and their \u2018desire\u2019 became a craving to apprehend a want.<\/p>\n

Their wants and desires became greed. A simple definition for greed is \u201cTo have more<\/span> than is necessary\u201d. Their action (greed) was a transaction against Elohim,<\/em> <\/em>and was punished by banishing them from the garden and\u00a0access to the tree of life.\u00a0I\u2019m not belittling the creation account, (actually, I believe it). You see, needs are essentials, but wants and desires can very easily turn into greed. The problem is greed is never satisfied.\u00a0All of us\u00a0continually want and desire more. Wants and desires can be either good or bad. Greed takes over when our unbridled desires become\u00a0your primary motivator making wants and desires appear as needs.\u00a0(must haves).<\/p>\n

EVALUATION of NEEDS and WANTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

A first century Hebrew evangelist by the name of Saul<\/em> (Paul) wrote, two thousand years ago, that there are three important wants. These basic\u00a0three are \u201cFaith, Hope and Love, the greatest of these three being love\u201d. <\/em>So, let\u2019s summarize a few of the human needs and wants\u00a0presented in those ancient texts:<\/p>\n

  • 1. The need for Fellowship with a power greater than ourselves.<\/li>\n
  • 2. The need for Companionship with others.<\/li>\n
  • 3. The need for knowledge<\/li>\n
  • 4. The\u00a0want of\u00a0faith.<\/li>\n
  • 5. The\u00a0want of\u00a0hope.<\/li>\n
  • 6. The\u00a0want of\u00a0Love.<\/li>\n

    Now let\u2019s look at some more contemporary writings.<\/p>\n

    MASLOW\u2019S TRIANGLE<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n

    Abraham Maslow was born in 1938 in Brooklyn New York, and in 1943 introduced his work \u201cA theory of human motivation\u201d<\/em>.<\/strong> He also published a book titled \u201cMotivation and Personality\u201d.<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>During the 1950\u2019s he became the driving force behind the field of Humanistic Psychology, and developed what is caller Maslow\u2019s Triangle. As shown below.<\/p>\n

    With this triangle Maslow formulated a progression from basic to complex needs. Maslow maintained that once basic needs are met people desire to evolve upward. The levels progress upward and become more psychological, finally the individual reaches the level of self-actualization. The definition of actualization being, \u201cthe process of growing and developing as a person to achieve individual potential\u201d<\/p>\n

    The levels as depicted in his triangle are as follows:<\/p>\n