Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Pre-NRC-CAA-NPR Situation

Sayani Das

In 1943, just after the biggest war till date, in his paper 'A Theory of Human Motivation', Abraham Maslow gave us his 'Hierarchy of Needs' which explores the basic structure of psychological needs; needs of every individual human being, belonging from every socio-economical background of society. It comes with two main content called Deficiency Needs and Growth Needs, respectively from bottom to top. Deficiency needs contains Psychological Needs, Safety and Security Needs, Love and Belongingness Needs, Self-worth and Self-esteem Needs. On the other hand, Growth Needs contains Need to Know and Understand, Aesthetic Needs, Self-actualisation Needs. The present scenario of India at the time of Pre-NRC-CAA-NPR trouble is affecting every middle-class 'Indian Citizen'.

Maslow suggested that the first and most basic need people have is the need for survival: their psychological requirements for food, water and shelter. In this situation, an average citizen gets no motivation to fulfil these needs. The economy is collapsing, no proper jobs anywhere, loud chants over Ram is making them blank about do's and don'ts right now. After their psychological needs have been satisfied, people can work to meet their needs for safety and security. According to Maslow, safety is the feeling people get when they know no harm will befall them, physically, mentally or emotionally. Security is the feeling people get when their fears and anxieties are low. Pre-NRC-CAA-NPR trauma kind of totally has destroyed this criterion of needs. Despite of great intolerance and violence towards them, the students of each country part are protesting consistently; protestors of Shaheen Bagh and Park Circus are spending sleepless nights with a great lack of essential commodities. These portray the picture of insecurity in common people (citizens). 27 deaths, 175 injuries and 3000+ arrests, according to the records, cannot be unreasonable. Without any doubt, they are protesting for their fundamental need, the 'Citizenship'.

People try to find every way possible for their peaceful life. Present scenario against unconstitutional laws and acts on citizenship is massively affecting love and belongingness between people. Some of them are even giving too much importance to religion, especially 'Hindutva' rather than basic necessity is like jobs, foods, human resources etcetera and getting restless, confused, intolerant. Here the necessity of love and belongingness needs and self-worth and Self-esteem needs are being obvious. 

Now comes some of the top part needs like need to know and understand, aesthetic needs, the need for Self-actualisation and Growth Needs, which can never be satisfied completely. Contrary to the deficiency needs, for which motivation diminishes when a need is satisfied, as growth needs are met, people's motivation to meet them increases. Basically, the conclusion is that people of India, need to fight for their 'needs'. Their real fights are over inequality and fascism. This process is endless and it should be. 

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Jan 29, 2020