"Rice is far cheaper weapon than waging war."
Particularly since people who are fed(and not starving)
are probably less interested in terrorism.
See: Abraham Maslow's writing on the hierarchy of needs
(below)
<<<Physiological Needs. These needs are biological and consists of the needs for
oxygen, food, water, and a relatively constant body temperature. These needs are the
strongest because if deprived, the person would die.
Safety Needs. Except in times of emergency or periods of disorganization in the
social structure (such as widespread rioting) adults do not experience their security
needs. Children, however often display signs of insecurity and their need to be safe.
Love, Affection and Belongingness Needs. People have needs to escape feelings of
loneliness and alienation and give (and receive) love, affection and the sense of
belonging.
Esteem Needs. People need a stable, firmly based, high level of self-respect, and
respect from others in order to feel satisfied, self confident and valuable. If these
needs are not met, the person feels inferior, weak, helpless and worthless.
Self-actualization Needs. Maslow describes self-actualization as an ongoing
process. Self-actualizing peole are, with one single exception, involved in a cause outsie
their own skin. The are devoted, work at something, something very precious to them--som calling or vcation, in the old sense, the priestly sense. When you select
out for careful study very fine and healthy people, strong people, creative people,
saintly peope, sagacious people... you get a dfferent view of mankind. You ask how tall can people grow, what can a human being become?
It is a person's need to be and do that which the person was born to do. It is his
"calling". "A musician must make music, an artist must paint, and a poet
must write." If these needs are not met, the person feels restlessness, on edge,
tense, and lacking something. Lower needs may also produce a restless feeling, but here is
it much easier to find the cause. If a person is hungry, unsafe, not loved or accepted, or
lacking self-esteem the cause is apparent. It is not always clear what a person wants when there is a need for self-actualization.
Maslow believes that the only reason that people would not move through the needs to
self-actualization is because of the hindrances placed in their way by society. For
example, education can be a hindrance, or can promote personal growth. Maslow indicated
that educational process could take some of the steps listed below to promote personal
growth:
We should teach people to be authentic; to be aware of their inner selves and to hear
their inner-feeling voices.
We should teach people to transcend their own cultural conditioning, and become world
citizens.
We should help people discover their vocation in life, their calling, fate or destiny.
This is especially focused upon finding the right career and the right mate.
We should teach people that life is precious, that there is joy to be experienced in
life, and if people are open to seeing the good and joyous in all kinds of situations, it
makes life worth living.
We must accept the person and help him or her learn their inner nature. From real
knowledge of aptitudes and limitations we can know what to build upon, what potentials are
really there.
We must see that the person's basic needs are satisfied. That includes safety,
belongingness and esteem needs.
We should refreshen consciousness, teaching the person to appreciate beauty and the
other good things in nature and in living.
We should teach people that controls are good, and complete abandon is bad. It takes
control to improve the quality of life in all areas .
We should teach people to transcend the trifling problems and grapple with the serious
problems in life. These include the problems of injustice, of pain, suffering and death.
. We must teach people to be good choosers. They must be given practice in making
choices, first between one goody and another; later between one god and another.>>>
Namaste!
Jim |
