Real Examples of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Essay

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs argues that there are certain needs that are responsible for motivating individuals to act in certain ways. The needs are, however, not related to the unconscious desires or the rewards likely to be achieved. People are motivated by five systematic needs that they continuously work to achieve. These needs include psychological, safety, social, esteem and self-actualization in ascending order. Most individuals strive to reach the self-actualization stage (McLeod, 2014). Nonetheless, failure to satisfy the needs in the lower levels leads to failure to reach the top stage of the life needs.
Charles Manson was born in 1934 by a sixteen year-old girl called Kathleen Maddox (Rosenberg, 2015). Charles' life began by being given birth by an underage drunkard and homeless mother and reached its climax by committing murder. Charles Manson has been viewed as a serial killer who can also be seen as an icon of evil. Sequence of satisfying his needs can be argued to have influenced most of his life decisions. Charles Manson's life and decisions can be well illustrated using the Maslow's Humanistic perspective. This perspective will in turn assist in analyzing the need of the convicted serial killer.
According to McLeod (2014), in the lower levels of the hierarchy lie the psychological needs. These needs are also viewed as the basic needs. The needs for the basic/ psychological need increase with the duration. Charles Manson was born by a fifteen year old runaway mother who turned out to be a drinker. Manson was as a result unable to enjoy the needs like food, drinks, sleep as the mother was unable to provide them. Safety needs was also an element that Charles was unable to enjoy during his childhood life. Due to the failure of enjoying the above mentioned needs, Charles hence resulted into making 'reckless' decisions.
Charles started stealing, engaging in burglary and even stealing cars at the age of nine. The stealing can be viewed as a quest for the basic needs as well as need for safety. Manson married at twenty years indicating his need for love and belonging. The serial killer was in need of friendship, intimacy and affection. However, due to the need to feel extra secure and safe, the convict continued stealing. Manson continued getting married at every turn in is life in search of belongingness (Rosenberg, 2015).
Esteem needs can be counted to have driven Manson into music as he dreamed of becoming a famous musician. During a time that he was released from prison, through his music, Charles was able to gather himself a huge amount of followers (Bradsley, undated). This, as a result, boosted the esteem of the serial killer as well as gave him a sense of belonging. Due to Manson's shattered dream of becoming a musician, the convict resolved into solace through his huge followers. Manipulation of people in to carrying out his needs and wants by use of religion was a method used by Manson to reach the self-actualization phase.