Maslow's Security and Levels Below: The Realm of Politics

Money! There's your answer! That's what brings us bliss! The real key to all happiness is money! Money means food, drink, and possessions, three-dimensional objects that serve our animal needs and desires. Money is very basic.

When you consider our society, you have to forget Maslow's lofty goal of self-actualization. Society is basic. It limits us to making choices on that rudimentary level. The upper limit of our society is security. It's the highest priority of our government. Look at the money we spend on defense. Look at how often we make decisions based on what we fear. How high up are those behaviors on the almighty hierarchy?

When we respond to Maslow's inventory questions, most of us just lie our way up. We already know the "right" answers, and instead of being truthful, we make the choices that make us look good. To create the impression that we care about higher things in life, we cheat. We do it on Maslow's inventory, and we do it all the time in real life.

"Do you care about other less fortunate people?"

Here's the lie: "Why yes, I do care, very much."

Ha! Here's the justification for the lie: "But I care more that they become self-sufficient, like me."

In our society, here's the "basic" truth: "I take care of myself and mine. The next person has to do the same. Care for yourself! Shave and shower! Get a job!"

The truly self-actualized among us tell the truth too, and it can be a bit of a shock, because some of it is going to sound a little like it comes from a Maslow "basic" personality: "Yes, I care, and I believe we have to provide a safety net for the least fortunate and most irresponsible citizens of this country. But let's not give them too much: A little apartment and the bare essentials, a jail cell that they carry the key to, a place where they can go instead of standing next to the on ramp on I-90 with a sign asking for a handout. When the cops see someone like that, they should take him to his cell. We need to provide counseling for such people also, provide choices that force them to clean up and get jobs, and if they have psychological or physical problems, we need to help them get over them so they can start pulling their own weight! And if they can't take care of themselves, and if they need to be institutionalized, well, we need to make sure it happens!"

I would maintain that a vast difference exists between these two positions, but I would also maintain that they both arrive at very similar conclusions. And yes, the "basic" confrontation is brutal. The "self-actualized" approach, however, doesn't exactly present its antithesis. It's certainly no bleeding heart about the plight of the poor and destitute.

I also maintain that Maslow's blunt instrument, his "inventory," based on questions and responses, is utterly incapable of discerning the differences.