In my research into Sustainability Engineering, Time Use shows itself to be a very important variable. Together with ecological impacts (Ecological Footprint or Planetary Boundaries), Time Use to meet needs is a required unit of measurement. I am using both Max Neef's theory of Fundamental Human Needs, and Doyal & Gough's theory of Human Need.
In my current paper, I am wanting to make a number of statements, and I would like to know of existing publications that have made similar conclusions:
• People are, at all times, acting to meet their perceived needs
• People are generally not able to distinguish between their actual needs and their perceived needs
• People will always act to minimize the time used to meet their perceived needs, so that the time available to meet their wants are maximized
• People will generally act to maximize the portion of their perceived needs that are met
Are there sources you would recommend?
Years ago, I took the Koempter-Tregoe Decision Making Course. It had some materials that might be useful in your studies. I dont know if they exist now. They were basically understanding, identifying, rating and prioritizing wants and needs so an informed decision might be made. From your statements presented, I don’t know very many people who are so driven to be working on meeting wants and needs at all times, minimizing or maximizing time effort for greatest benefit. Most people I know are not so extreme as the statements suggest. If they are not able to maximize their results, are they inpatient, disappointed and unhappy? I would tone down the intensity of the statements, or be sure I am out of their way when they run to check out their groceries, to speed home so they can eat fast and rush to maximize other desires. Or take the rich man, he can have just about anything reasonable he would like, but he just wants more money, wants to maximize his net worth, minimize his taxes, hoard his money, even deny the needs of others, fail to help others or do good with a portion of his riches, etc. Or the impatient man, who lives on credit to meet all his immediate wants and needs, but eventually is overwhelmed in bankruptcy or perhaps even jail. At some point, some individuals may become too intense and confused, and fail to put musts and wants in their proper perspective, or on a reasonable, balanced time table for achievement.
Thank you @William Hansen; Very nice - I've seen that decision making approach before, but didn't know its name. Thank you.
I think you are seeing this in a different light than I am, which is precisely why I asked this question. If people aren't actively pursuing wants and needs, what else are they doing? Passively meeting wants and needs? Or is there a third category between want and need?
Dear Douglas, I do not know about the existence of literature on the subject, but I promise that I will investigate among my colleagues to suggest something. Obviously, I would like to ask you how you came to these conclusions, I would like to read your work on the subject because I do not share your conclusions. I do not believe that people act at all times to meet their perceived needs, there is a hierarchy of needs that depends on innumerable factors of individual and social character that range from the position that a man plays in a historically determined production system, passing because of its culture, its religion and other social mediators that makes at one time hierarchy what you call real needs and at another hierarchy the perceived ones. Even what for one man is a peremptory need for another is not, that depends on many factors. It seems to me that people can differentiate real needs from perceived ones, this is based on the fact that man is a bio - psycho - social being that has needs of this nature to meet and that will distinguish how to do it according to his situation socioeconomic within a specific group. Feeding, dressing, wearing shoes and having a roof are first-order (real) needs to meet them depends on social factors. How the perceived needs would act here, because in my humble opinion following the perception created by the culture that to be well dressed, footwear, fed or protected, you have to do it with branded products, or living in a smart home. For me that is the problem, I suggest that you meditate on this, I have not worked on these problems, but I submit to suggest these ideas from my experience as a philosopher. Regarding the idea that people will try to maximize their time, they spend satisfying their perceived needs, I suggest that you meditate on the space - time nature of their needs, their historical character and their deep cultural orientation. These are just some ideas, suggestions that I dare to make in order to collaborate in your research. When I have any material I will send it to you.
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