Speaking of Maslow…

… and speaking of Maslow, let’s take a look at his:

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs.
1.  Food, Water & Air
2.  Personal Safety, Shelter & Security
3.  Belonging & Emotional Safety
4.  Self-Esteem
5.  Self-Actualization

or per the Learning Fountain…

1. PHYSIOLOGICAL – Basic living needs, such as food, water, oxygen and sex.
2. SAFETY – Once physiological needs are satisfied, you need to have a home and other forms of security.
3. BELONGING – So far you have taken care of yourself. Once you do this, you look to make friends, find someone to love and in general feel part of a community.
4. SELF-ESTEEM – You need self-confidence, to be appreciated for what you are and be treated with dignity.
5. SELF-ACTUALIZATION – This is the highest level. Once your basic needs are supplied, you seek ways to reach your highest potential.

The one that surprises me is that BELONGING is #3… even above Self-Esteem (wow!).  That means that the Group is even more important than the Self. 

• Sociology > Psychology.
• Relational EQ > Internal EQ. 
• Families, and Friends, and Groups, and even Gangs are better than Aloneness.

Let’s all pull together as Americans, shall we?!?