To live independently in society, it is important to reconsider our own desires and actions. The ability to choose freely and the attitude of taking responsibility for the results are conditions of being an independent subject. Let us consider the relationship between self-determination and responsibility.
Basic Knowledge
Human beings have diverse desires. The psychologist Maslow organized desires into a five-level hierarchy and stated that higher-level desires arise only after lower-level desires have been satisfied. From the bottom, they are ①physiological needs (such as food and sleep), ②safety needs, ③social needs (belonging and love), ④esteem needs (the desire to be respected), and ⑤self-actualization needs (the desire to make the fullest use of one’s potential). A state in which multiple desires conflict is called conflict. Living as an independent subject means overcoming such conflicts, exercising self-determination (choosing and deciding one’s own actions), and taking responsibility for the results. Freedom and responsibility are two sides of the same coin: the more freely a person can act, the greater their responsibility for the results.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (a theory that presents needs as a five-level pyramid, satisfied from lower to higher levels)
Self-actualization needs (the highest-level needs; the motivation to develop one’s potential to the fullest)
Conflict (a state in which opposing desires or values clash, making it difficult to choose an action)
Self-determination (making decisions and taking action independently of pressure from others or society)
Freedom and responsibility (free choices are accompanied by responsibility for their results)
Independence (a state of living proactively while reducing mental, economic, and social dependence on others)
Further Exploration (Background and Significance)
In modern society, information is abundant and choices have diversified, but the problem of choice overload has arisen: “I do not know what to choose.” In addition, because people are constantly aware of how others see them on social networking services, they tend to make choices that are valued by others rather than choices they truly want to make. As Maslow’s hierarchy of needs shows, the esteem need is a natural motivation that everyone has, but becoming too controlled by it can hinder self-actualization. To become an independent subject, it is necessary to face one’s inner desires and practice making self-determined choices after overcoming conflicts. Taking responsibility for failures and using them to improve next time leads to growth.
- Maslow’s needs have five levels: physiological needs are the most basic, and self-actualization needs are the highest.
- Conflict is evidence that multiple desires exist and is also an opportunity to face oneself.
- Freedom and responsibility come as a pair: the more freedom one has to choose, the greater one’s responsibility becomes.
- When the esteem need is too strong, people tend to prioritize others’ evaluations over self-determination.
- Independence does not mean “isolation”; it includes appropriate interdependence with others.
- The ability to make self-determined choices develops through accumulated experience.
Points to Note (Easily Confused Concepts)
① Independence does not mean “doing everything alone.” True independence includes appropriate dependence on others and is a state of “interdependence.” ② Esteem needs are the fourth level, so do not confuse them with the third-level social needs (belonging and love). Belonging means “wanting to join a group,” while esteem means “wanting to be recognized.” ③ Conflict is not necessarily bad; it can also be an opportunity for deepening self-understanding. ④ It has also been pointed out that Maslow’s hierarchy of needs does not necessarily progress in a strict order.
Practice
- List all five levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and explain their order and meaning.
- Explain with a specific example why freedom and responsibility are said to be “two sides of the same coin.”
- Give an example of a situation in which satisfying esteem needs conflicts with pursuing self-actualization needs, and explain it.