I don't know about Maslow's theory about deficiency needs. It seems like something that could be dangerous to promote. Yes, I agree that people have basic needs that need to be fulfilled such as food, shelter, protection, love etc. However I wonder how well equipped some people are to judge the importance of the needs to be satisfied. An addict probably feels that their needs for drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, etc are of the utmost importance to fulfill, and that they can't function without getting those needs fulfilled. Will fulfilling those needs lead to the addict toward growth and self-actualization? Likewise, working in childcare for a long time I have definitly heard kids say something along the lines like, "If I don't get some ice cream I'll just die!" Does that qualify as a need that needs to be fulfilled inorder for self-actualization to take place? I agree that the unfulfillment of these needs, though they are not mandatory to our survival, can be quite distracting and consuming for the individual. However, I remain unconvinced that the fulfillment of those needs will lead to any great strides or epiphanies on the individual's part.

Perhaps I was a bit impulsive with my initial critcism of Maslow. Upon further consideration, I recognize the distinction between a need and a want.

Perhaps I was a bit impulsive with my initial critcism of Maslow. Upon further consideration, I recognize the distinction between a need and a want.

The concept of deficiency need reminds me of an article I read in Harvard Magazine last year, about relative deprivation. One part of the article observed low-income working parents who smoked - how their stress to make ends meet overrided any sense of environmental concern. It resonated so strongly with me: if a person is working two or three minimum wage jobs, with little time to lavish on her children, not to mention downtime for herself, smoking that pack of cigarettes is going to alleviate some of her misery and stress. If she doesn't feel she has the resources or wherewithal to care about the toxins she is releasing into the air, that's something some of us could understand or appreciate. I'm not a smoker, but I grew up with a depressed and overworked mother. I can understand that if you truly are deficient in your some of your basic needs, you are starting with a foundation full of holes - how then could you realize your full potential? This is just a theory, I know, but it makes sense to me.