Maslow LO14131

Sherri Malouf (sherri@maloufinc.com)
Mon, 30 Jun 1997 12:16:58 +0100

I think the conversation about Maslow and its' sister thread --
self-actualization under capitalism has been really interesting. I made
the point last week that research conducted by David McClelland
essentially disproved the hierarchy. He actually had set out to prove it
both quanitatively and qualitatively. He spent many years and conducted
TAT's with thousands of people. There was no acknowledgement of this
information by anyone involved in these threads. (Except Ray but he went
on to a different point -- oh and someone else said McClelland's work
taught people how to change their motivations. This is true but it is
only a part of the story).

So here are my questions:

Are we so enamoured by the thought that one day we all can self-actualize
that to acknowledge that there is no linear path leaves people scared?

I also realize the point that someone made about it being non-linear,
others saying that it is situational and we go up and down, that
communication is missing...

Are we so stuck into a Maslowian mindset that we cannot give it up?

Someone said it had face validity -- well so did the fact that the
universe revolved around the earth....

Here's my point -- everyone jumped onto Maslow's theory because we driven
human beings needed to know there is a process by which we will eventually
reach godhood -- and coincidentally and luckily for us -- it was linear!!!
YIPPEEE!!!

We are too complex to simply be represented by his model. That's not to
say the concept isn't attractive. WE ALL WANT GROWTH. We all want ease
in our lives. We all want to be able to stop and smell the roses in our
most high stress moments. There is no easy way to define human
motivation. There is no magical button that gets pushed and turns us into
self actualized creatures.

In summary -- why are you folks all so stuck on curing a model that has
been disproven and that I am told the author has said isn't valid?

Sherri
sherri@maloufinc.com Tel:603-672-0355
LMA, Inc Fax:603-673-7120

-- 


Sherri Malouf <sherri@maloufinc.com>


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