Essay - Needs

2.  How are people’s behavior and decision affected by their definition of ‘needs’? Discuss.

In today’s society; assuming that the economy has achieved its comfort level, the needs of people are mainly emotional resonance driven by their secondary gains.  When one is satisfied another will sprout.  Needs changes chronologically but is crucially dictated by the immediate situation that one is faced with.   However preferential a need may be; it will shift, de-energize; and even reset to basics physiological needs when an environmental threat arises; directly or indirectly.

As Technology churns out new ideas; behavior of every day life takes a shift almost too soon. Updating and owning the latest gadgets has become a need more than a trend.  People today simply cannot function when they do not have their mobile 3G phones.   

Traditional business needs starts to de-energize as the internet advances.   Cyberspace allows people to find new avenues to trade.  Businesses today, no longer operate in the old perimeters as anyone is able to reach out globally.  Less personal business interaction is needed.  The need to depend solely on domestic circles are days of the past.  This means that maintaining an expensive car and a country club membership to display financial credibility is no longer a preferential need.

The recent days have witnessed how mother earth fights back.  Infrastructures were brought down practically overnight.  This is the time that all the needs of mankind become secondary; resetting to the basic physiological needs.  At a time like this, all anybody care about will be the immediate crucial need for survival; food, water and shelter.

People’s behavior and decision in developed countries will always be affected by their definition of ‘needs’.  Our world has gotten so embroiled to new technologies that our needs have defined us instead.  Everyone will literally be crippled at a time of a catastrophe without their mobile phone or their wheels.  

Albert Einstein said; "I know not with what weapon World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” The craving needs of nuclear supremacy by powerful countries will eventually lead to total devastation.