The Timeshare Beat: Jerry Sikes; With Regard to Needs, part 3

Adventure - Freedom - Community; These three make up one third of the Nine Basic Human Needs that were identified in Needs-Part 1. Here in America most of us grew up in a community with other kids just like ourselves. Because it was America, most of us had the freedom to get into whatever mischievous activity we could find and considered it an adventure. The needs we had as teenagers were always exaggerated: I neeeeeeeeeed that pair of boots, or what ever.

In doing market research we identify those individuals born between the years 1919 and 1935 as Seniors, those born between 1936 and 1945 as the Forgotten Generation, those born between 1965 and 1976 as the X Generation, those born between 1977 and 1994 as the Echo Boomers. By far those who were born between 1946 and 1964 are the largest group and we know them as Baby-Boomers. As of last year, almost 30% of the American population fell within this demographic category. If one were to look at a profile of American Baby-Boomers they would fine among the characteristics the following:

o They are risk-takers who like the idea of change;
o They like to be regarded as individuals;
o They are not especially accepting of authority and institutions;
o They place a higher priority on experiences over possessions;
o They are searching for balance in life- they want to have it all.
o They feel a sense of satisfaction from contributing;
o They value education and the "finer" things;
o They possess a long-term perspective and orientation;
o The "me" attitude has become "we" as concern for group over individual's growth;
o They feel a need to preserve the community, nature and society.

This generation has an exaggerated need for adventure, freedom, and community well above that of the generations that proceeded them and those that followed. They have the self-confidence, or high self-esteem necessary to take the risks, which provides the excitement that satisfy their enthusiasm for living. This self-confidence, or high self-esteem is necessary because they are highly social. They need to be around people, they need to bond at a higher level, and to satisfy their enhanced responsibility as a citizen. Those Boomers that were born in 1954 (very middle of the age group) crack the half-century mark this year. Their expectations are (and have been) different than any other demographic group. They no nothing other than thinking outside the box and exploding the envelope. Is there a reason that this demographic group differed from the others with respect to these particular three human needs?

I believe the answer is yes but not YES. The difference in the Baby-Boomers is that they have a legacy from their grandparents (Seniors) and parents (Forgotten) that sets them apart. The Seniors spent most of their lives in crisis and subsistence/security for their families and themselves, thus their driving motivators. They were the generation of the great wars and the great depression. For those of us in the Forgotten generation we were spared both war and economic crisis. With our physiological and security needs well in hand (mostly due to our parents and their examples) we were able to concentrate on the social and ego needs. For the most part, we were accepted for who we were, our parents taught us well and our lives had direction and meaning. We taught our kids (the Boomers) that they could be anything they wanted if they utilized the legacy they had been provided. By and large freedom was not an issue and that freedom combined with the information age has allowed them to experience adventures that the seniors could only dream about.

Final Thought

The driving factor in our lives will always be needs. For the most part it is up to us to fill those needs as best we can. Maslow's Hierarch of Needs attempted to establish a certain degree of rigidity to needs which could lead one to assume that each of us have those not only in common but to the same degree. I believe that the theory of Manfred Max-Neef and those who followed with the Nine Basic Human Needs present a more realistic picture. Clearly we all have the physical need for subsistence and the physiological need for safety/security however, for most of us these needs remain on the back burner until something like 9-11 occurs to remind us that we are indeed vulnerable to having those needs resurface. Once the flush of that vulnerability wears off we tend to return to those needs that are more predominant in our lives today.

It is my opinion that we can more readily observe today's needs, not in the people we know or associate with, but the programming on primetime television. We would much rather experience the fear of rejection that comes around the board room table awaiting Donald Trump's powerful statement "You're Fired". We surly enjoy vicariously the fears exposed on Fear Factor as well as the exhilaration which comes when one of the contestants overcome that fear. Survivor clearly provides the opportunity for adventure. It seems that we need whatever reality TV has to offer and we know that much of what is offered otherwise presents sides of ourselves that we would rather not face.

I believe that my Pop provided a foundation for me to spend my life participating in it rather than securing it. That foundation gave me the base for expansion and the courage to seek a community in which exchange and expression were possibilities for me. Each of you are part of that community and your acceptance of my ramblings is an unexpected reward.

Thank you for helping fulfill so many of my needs.