What do humans need the most?

[OnceConvinced]

In a couple of recent threads I came across these quotes by Christians:

All the logic in the world still does not answer the highest human need...the need for Love.

I submit to you that the greatest desire for any of us is to have peace.

It got me thinking about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s ... y_of_needs
which shows the various different levels of needs. The levels at the bottom being more crucial than those higher. The claim is that to meet the needs of the higher levels, one must first achieve the lower levels:



Maslow puts spiritual needs up at the top level.


So we can see by this model that there are far more important things than peace and even love for humans. People can live without love. Many have done so and happily enough (hermits for instance). People can also live without peace. Some doubt and uncertainty never hurt anyone. It’s not my intention to say that they are not important and that we shouldn’t bother trying to meet these needs, but first we must take care of the basics.

Mary pointed out that people who commit suicide really needed peace. This is true, but to get that peace they first need to deal with the lower areas of their life. The self esteem issues, feeling valued and love. These are the needs that need to be met first before peace can be achieved. But before even that you still need to ensure you have the basics for human existence.

So going by this model, which is accepted and taught worldwide, just how important are spiritual needs? Can we live happily without our spiritual needs being met? Can we live happily without love… or even peace? Do we really need God to complete the full triangle?

Please back up your opinions with reasons, not just Yes, or no answers.

[Mark_W]

...what the mind dwells upon most when deprived.

When deprived of food, water, sleep, or other physiological needs, such things will be repeated in one's head over and over until sated. When deprived of both love and food, one will think of food. When deprived of creative output and love, one will think of love.

With this in mind, then, my answer to the question itself is this: what humans need most... is what they need most at the time.

I agree with your conclusion, but I do not believe the mind necessarily dwells upon physiological needs most when deprived of them. For instance, I imagine during his fasts Gandhi's mind dwelling upon God, compassion, and the moral issue at hand, moreso than on pining for food (otherwise what would be the point of fasting). He described his fasts as joyful acts of self-sacrifice which brought him closer to God. I don't think he, (along with countless others) give much thought to food even though they might be on the verge of death, and I believe everyone has this potential.

[Assent]

I agree with your conclusion, but I do not believe the mind necessarily dwells upon physiological needs most when deprived of them. For instance, I imagine during his fasts Gandhi's mind dwelling upon God, compassion, and the moral issue at hand, moreso than on pining for food (otherwise what would be the point of fasting). He described his fasts as joyful acts of self-sacrifice which brought him closer to God. I don't think he, (along with countless others) give much thought to food even though they might be on the verge of death, and I believe everyone has this potential.

I can only speak for myself.

I did not mean to imply, whether or not you saw it in my post, that only the basest of thoughts can be thought during deprivation. Only that the thought of such things will tend to interrupt the mind, except when surpressed by an extreme effort of will. I imagine that even Gandhi must have had some stray thoughts about food.

I base this on my own experience when hungry, thirsty, or tired. I cannot truly speak for you, and I doubt either of us can speak for Ghandi.

[Mark_W]

I did not mean to imply, whether or not you saw it in my post, that only the basest of thoughts can be thought during deprivation.

Nor did I mean to imply that you said (or even implied) this in your post. You did use the word "most" and that is what I had problems with and addressed.