We Live in the Lap of Luxury

"Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs"

Shya Kane spoke about Maslow's theory of survival and development during this year's Costa Rica 2008 Group 1. So much happened and was discussed in Costa Rica, this is but one of many topics that arose from the moment. I find Maslow's theory simple yet elegant. Just last night, I was walking from my living room to my bathroom to take a shower and I realized something...almost everything that I have, own or want is a luxury other than basic needs on the physiological level. I live a luxurious lifestyle. In fact, I think that we all do. So I've decided to list luxuries that come to mind:

Heat, hot water, cell phone, computer, internet, Google, futon, bed, mp3 player, frozen food, vitamins, coffee, shoes, jeans, blazer, jewelry, guitar, voice lessons, restaurants, refrigerator, medicines like antacid or pain relievers, sunglasses, towels, bottled water, running water, toilets and sanitation, apartment buildings, subway, cars, bikes, airplanes, taxis, clock radio, lamps and lights, my job, electricity, garbage service...and so on.

All of these things above are luxuries and only a few of them. Give it go and list your own, I'm sure you'll come up with many more. Most of these luxuries become preferences for us after a while. What I mean is that we prefer to have them and when they are not available, we often find ourselves complaining, throwing temper tantrums and being brats about not having what we think that "we need". We create drama via complaint, just because our survival mechanisms are so strongly bred into our human nature. We generate a survival mode around things we truly don't need to survive. Surviving is no fun, and why continue to survive when you don't really have to? You can thrive, have fun and have life be easy. That is transformation. It is truly a strange concept and not normal, because most of us have been raised in a culture of survival. The concept of thriving isn't in our normal way of being. And that survival mechanism coupled with our complaints over cold coffee and late trains turns us into little brats. Really there is nothing to complain about if you take an honest look. But it takes an ability to "transcend your bratty nature" and transform. A skill set that can be learned by anyone.

We really do live in the lap of luxury.