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MASLOW AND POLITICS

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I learned the 3 levels as: Hav... I learned the 3 levels as:
Having, Doing, Self-Actualizing
Every Tuesday my immigrant from England neighbor and I Covid-distance visit. Last week she brought up the fact that her late husband and their son were at odds a large part of their lives, because they were extremely polarized in their political views.

Psychology is my field and it occurred to me that psychologist Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs explains some of the differences between the left and right political beliefs. As I explained it to her, she agreed.

Maslow draws a pyramid and suggests there are three levels of finding a meaningful and fulfilling life - the larger “Basic Needs” at the bottom, psychological “Service/Social Needs” in the middle and the “Self-fulfillment Needs” at the top where one spends less time. Finding fulfillment and peace are the completion of all three levels on a daily basis!!

Each of us need a foundation of “Basic Needs” - food, clothing, shelter as well as physical and financial security. These basic needs are met individually or by dividing up the responsibilities as a family and/or partnerships. Some in our community have enough financial resources to hire and/or shop for the basics provided by things or someone else.

Unless these basic needs are met daily, one can not move to the second level of “Service Needs” and “Psychological Needs” - includes education, jobs, parenting, charity, hobbies, bucket lists and social needs that bring self-esteem and respect. Further progress of reaching the top of the pyramid of “Self-Actualization” - love, beauty, esthetics and peace - require having fulfilled levels one and two daily.

Those around me who prioritize personal responsibility for meeting their basic needs before moving upward seem to be more conservative or more Republican. Liberal & Democratic thinking seem to skip to the middle and top in their thinking and doing - “letting government and bureaucrats take care of the basics?” This is also leading to someone else deciding our psychological and self-fulfillment needs.

It feels good to be charitable and focus on helping the poor and needy. People like Bill Gates find themselves being more Liberal because they have the money to take care of the “having needs” daily and can spend time with the upper levels!

In this Covid-isolating 2020 months, protesting is fulfilling a lot of the “Service/Psychologial needs”. My neighbor is also asking why those, “Serving” by protesting, aren't "doing" more to help prevent and clean up the vandalism, even if it is not their doing?

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