Human Motivation". The basic concept is that the higher needs in this hierarchy only come into focus once all the needs that are lower down in the pyramid are mainly or entirely satisfied.
Maslow believed that the most essential need of man is physiological needs or the deficiency needs. As per this theory, man can think high, viz. the stage of "self- actualization", only after all his lower level needs like food, water, security, confidence, self-esteem and respect by others are satisfied. These needs are called as the worldly needs since they are material in nature.
After man has satisfied all his worldly needs and he has reached to the top of the world in power and riches, he may still not be satisfied as he seeks to grow further beyond the world, i.e. near to God. Maslow termed it as growth needs associated with psychological needs. It was termed so because it is unique in each individual and this need is non-materialistic in nature. As per the theory, these innate growth forces constantly create upward movement in the hierarchy unless basic needs remain unmet.
The Validity of Needs of Hierarchy
Mysterious are the ways in which the world functions. For every theory, there seems to be a counter-theory. Often, thoughts that sound logical and satisfy our commonsense, turn out to be nothing more than an illusion created by logic and accepted by man without application of his mind.
It appears that most of the creative men made their best creations when even the basic needs were not met. For example, Einstein wrote three best papers on photoelectric effect, Brownian motion and theory of relativity at the young age of 25 when he did not have a decent job, had no recognition, had little wealth and had been facing the worst period of his life financially and emotionally.
All through history, people reached to the self-actualization phase not as the last step of the ladder of their development but often in the first step itself and the rest of the stages followed thereafter.
It appears that satisfaction of worldly needs is not the beginning of creativity or high thinking but often the end of it. Even the greatest creators lost their creativity once their worldly needs were satisfied and they got recognition and respect, power and wealth from the world. Thus worldly possessions seem to be the biggest enemy of creativity as they kill creativity as soon as they meet each other. They are like antiparticles that annihilate each other as soon as they are brought into contact with each other.
Indian thoughts on Creativity
Indian philosophers realized, many thousand years back, the need for creation of a separate class or caste for creation of knowledge. They understood that worldly desires can only create materialistic knowledge which can make rich people richer, powerful more powerful and create an unequal society. The materialistic knowledge can only create a materialistic society where people would be fighting with each other for more wealth and power. The purpose of true knowledge is to unite the world and bring peace, happiness and prosperity to all and not only to a few.
They discovered that worldly possessions are in reality the biggest enemy of the true knowledge. They, therefore, attempted to create a class members whereof could be kept away permanently from the worldly pleasures, so that they could focus on the creation and distribution of knowledge. They called such professionals as Brahmins or the "knower of the universe" and gave them the highest place in the society but without any material achievements.
Brahmins held the responsibility for acquisition of knowledge and wisdom for the world. They wrote the earliest books for mankind. The Vedas are now accepted as the oldest creation of human mind. The earliest Veda i.e. Rig Veda originated around 3500 BC- 1500 BC. The Vedas were followed by the Upanishads and then by the Bhagavatdgita, the most famous treatise of the Indian philosophy.
However, the life of a Brahmin was the most
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