Needs

[Little Lady]

Do you think needs are a human illusion or do you think we actually need stuff to be satisfied with ourselves and lives?

[elleroo]

i think it can be a bit of both. material things like money and cars etc there is no real need for, people lived perfectly for years without any of that stuff. but when it comes to love and respect etc, i think we need a certain amount to function.. human beings are weak creatures, we need love and comfort and mental stimulation to keep us alive.

[jake-the-peg]

I'm pretty keen on oxygen :c)

There are needs and there are wants - the trick is knowing which is which.

Isn't it Buddhist philosophy that says something like the root of all suffering is desire?

[Little Lady]

I would say a desire to do something is slightly different from wants, I always find that if im passionate about something it comes my way but if i want something it never does.

Obviously we need air, food and water to survive but thats not exactly what i meant. If we had no need for anything but those basic things it could change things alot me thinks.

[indian]

once you've seen what you could have its hard not to think you need it

[Scarlett]

Every living thing has needs. We probably have more complex ones. Think about dogs. My dog needs food and water, but emotionally he needs affection, attention and to be entertained. He gets jealous and cross and can sulk. He is greedy and selfish, wilful and spoilt, as well as loving, intuitive and silly. He doesn't have the career aspirations that I have, but everything else seems frighteningly similar!

[El D]

Needs are defined by our interpretations of the world around us. A villager starving in africa will have little use for an ipod. Besides, material things only make us feel good because of what they represent. True satisfaction can never come from them.