Somewhere way, way, way back in my university days we had in some class or other been 'invited' to discuss Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs. I seem to recall it was a pyramid shape. The proposal is that this is how humans are motivated - physical needs first moving up through social and intellectual needs…
One of my priorities here is to grow food. Food and shelter (physiological needs) are the first platform on Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
Who would have thought at this stage of my life I would take myself back to square 1?
The next layer is safety. OK I feel safe with where I'm at - no bears or tigers or war or tsunamis. There is no point feeling unsafe about earthquakes in these Shaky Isles - that way lies perpetual anxiety and descent into madness. If it shakes, it shakes.
Social needs are a step higher again - belonging. The neighbours have been pretty good about inclusivity but I did have a moment of homesickness for my English way of life while out walking Scully today - cycle group, sailing, Repair Cafe, Litterpick group, eating out and visits to cafes. Here the social highlight seems to be outings to bait and clear traps for rats and mustelids.
The top layers of Maslow's theory about psychological motivation are self-esteem and self-actualization. Something tells me I've tipped his pyramid upside down.
I did have to find out what self-actualization means. Here's an aide:
BE MORE CAT
Be more cat ...yes.
ReplyDeleteWell, I think you have scaled your pyramid very conclusively. How's the view from up there??
ReplyDeleteview? 140 square metres of horse s**t and a hellova lotov gorse
DeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteAwwwww Tigger.... Yes, accessing our inner cat could be useful!... and no matter how much we intellectualise it, food and shelter are always the primary needs - and when we are fortunate to be safely covered, the concerns are about maintaining those things. I do like that selficle you found though and am grateful I can nod to all points. Gratitude for the life circumstances that provided the space for those things to be realised. YAM xx
Go Cat! (Isn't that the name of a cat food brand?)
ReplyDeleteRural isolation is not nice and it's much easier to live in the countryside if you have been born there. I miss basic things like public transport, a pub or a shop. There's nothing wrong with being a cat.😊
ReplyDeleteInteresting observation Dave. I suspect my Mr B is going to struggle with that - especially the British thing of meet your friends at the pub. I miss public transport. Still I did notice living in big cities that people could be isolated and lonely in a crowd too. I guess it depends on the person and how they make their life journey. I miss the opportunities to be useful to community projects where a wide range of quite diverse people turn out and get to feel included.
DeleteThumbs up for Tigger. Who knew he was the epitome of self actualization. Who knew about self actualization? You and Tigger have (had) it sorted
ReplyDeleteI had no idea what it meant - a bit high faluting for my education. It looks a bit like Taoist philosophy to me.
Deletehello my beloved and still missed Tigger. Yes you were CAT all the way but so mysterious to me because of your years of traveling with your Mama, well like a DOG.. ha ha sorry angel T... I know the people on the streets and trains and buses and bikes and all kinds of vehicles miss you as much as I do...
ReplyDeletefood has always been the tip of my pyramid, with shelter just below. I love people but not crowds of them and I only want them around when I want them. I don't like to have neighbors just pop in unannounced, so stay away from them, because in the past, if I got friendly they were always at my door..
I am very social and like to talk but only when I want to... for that reason, it makes it hard to have close friends which means now I have none..... this is way off the pyramid thing but I also now find it hard to stay on track. ha ha
Be ore cat = or feel more feline... same thing I suppose. On a related note, I often wonder what it must be like to be a dog (and Oscar specifically) - what are their hierarchy of needs? Food, walks, love... and squirrels of course!
ReplyDeleteExactly like cats.
ReplyDeleteI think I tick most of those attributes. Well I hope I do anyway