Disrupting Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
For too long we've under-appreciated the critical importance of creative expression to live a fulfilling life.
In 1943, psychologist Abraham Maslow introduced his “Hierarchy of Needs” in a paper published in Psychological Review. Maslow created the following pyramid structure:
Self-actualization: becoming the most that one can be
Esteem: strength, competence, mastery, self-confidence, etc.
Belonging and love: friendships, intimacy, family, etc.
Safety: personal/financial security, health, etc.
Physiological needs: air, water, food, sleep, clothing, shelter, etc.
Basic human needs sit at the bottom, and higher-level needs sit at the top. Maslow argued that human beings’ motivations are driven by this hierarchy, and that if basic needs are not met, we feel a sense of anxiety and tenseness, and are unable to reach the higher-level set of motivations.
When digging further into the component parts of each level, “Self-actualization” is inclusive not only of spiritual enlightenment and development of expertise, but also expression of one’s creativity. In essence, Maslow believed that in order to fulfill higher-level psychological development, an individual needed to be able to pursue creative potential.
While Maslow’s hierarchy has been critically important to the way we understand human behavior, I disagree with one of his primary assumptions: that human beings only pursue self-actualization and creative expression once they have had all other needs met. I believe that we are creative species, and every one of us longs to be the most that we can be. Certainly, for individuals that aren’t fortunate enough to have food, shelter and relationships, those become the primary motivators, but even then, the absence of creative expression is a powerful stressor. When I lived in Los Angeles, I met so many unhoused artists, selling exceptionally beautiful canvas paintings and sculptures on the boardwalk in Venice. Creativity is important to all of us. It’s a functional need as much as it is a conceptual need.
Kurt Goldstein, an organismic theorist, argued a similar position, stating that self-actualization is not simply an important motive for human beings, but in fact the “master motive.” He noted, “The tendency to actualize itself as fully as possible is the basic drive... the drive of self-actualization.”
It is impossible to fully compartmentalize self-actualization and creative thinking from other foundational needs and motivations. Food, shelter and other physiological needs absolutely take precedence for every individual. However, for those (of sound mind) who are struggling to fulfill those needs, isn’t it reasonable to assume they also might feel anxiety from the lack of fulfillment of safety, belonging, esteem, and even self-actualization? Especially if they have experienced fulfillment of these levels in the past? Put differently, we’re just too damn complicated to operate in a truly segmented way. When any one of our fundamental needs is not being met, there must be a cascading impact on our psychological well-being. This is why organizations like Art From the Streets exist, which help homeless artists turn their brilliant art into meaningful income to help them cover their foundational needs.
It’s worth noting that even Maslow himself softened his position on the definitive hierarchy of these needs before the end of his life, learning to believe in spirituality and accept a more nuanced understanding of human beings.
So much of the conversation around creativity today centers on the most visible outcomes, including professional creative industries such as film, television, music, advertising, and more.
But in a modern Renaissance, we have to reconsider how we think about the role of creativity stretched across society at large. How does creative expression help each of us find fulfillment? How can creative solutions help us solve our biggest, most complex challenges?
Maslow had the right idea in highlighting creativity as a human need, but didn’t realize just how critical it is. What do you think?
This is an excerpt adapted from my book Mindspace: How to Live a More Creative Life in the Age of Distraction.
Photo by Hin Bong Yeung on Unsplash.