Economic systems should be designed by people for satisfying people’s needs and supported by the ecosystems which provide raw materials, energy and cleaning services. Each economic, social and political system adopts different methods for the satisfaction of the same fundamental human needs. In every system they are satisfied (or not satisfied) through the generation (or non-generation) of different types of satisfiers. Hereby I share some interesting finding from the book Real life economics.
We may go as far as to say that one of the aspects that define a culture is its choice of satisfiers. In short, what is culturally determined are not the fundamental human needs, but the satisfiers for those needs. Cultural change is, among other things, the consequence of dropping traditional satisfiers for the purpose of adopting new or different ones.
We may go as far as to say that one of the aspects that define a culture is its choice of satisfiers. In short, what is culturally determined are not the fundamental human needs, but the satisfiers for those needs. Cultural change is, among other things, the consequence of dropping traditional satisfiers for the purpose of adopting new or different ones.
If we wish to define and assess an environment in the light of human needs, it is not sufficient to understand the opportunities that exist for groups or individuals to actualize their needs. It is necessary to analyze to what extent the environment represses, tolerates or stimulates opportunities. How accessible, creative or flexible is that environment? The most important question is how far people are able to influence the structures that affect their opportunities.
Satisfiers are not the available economic goods. Satisfiers may include, among other things, forms of organization, political structures, social practices, subjective conditions, values and norms, spaces, contexts, modes, types of behavior and attitudes, all of which are in a permanent state of tension between consolidation and change.
While a satisfier is in an ultimate sense the way in which a need is expressed, goods are in a strict sense the means by which individuals will empower the satisfiers to meet their needs. When however, the form of production and consumption of goods makes goods the end goal themselves, it will cause an alienated society engaged in a productivity race lacking any sense at all. Life, then, is placed at the service of artifacts, rather than artifacts at the service of life. The question of the quality of life is overshadowed by our obsession to increase productivity.
Satisfiers are not the available economic goods. Satisfiers may include, among other things, forms of organization, political structures, social practices, subjective conditions, values and norms, spaces, contexts, modes, types of behavior and attitudes, all of which are in a permanent state of tension between consolidation and change.
While a satisfier is in an ultimate sense the way in which a need is expressed, goods are in a strict sense the means by which individuals will empower the satisfiers to meet their needs. When however, the form of production and consumption of goods makes goods the end goal themselves, it will cause an alienated society engaged in a productivity race lacking any sense at all. Life, then, is placed at the service of artifacts, rather than artifacts at the service of life. The question of the quality of life is overshadowed by our obsession to increase productivity.
- Fundamental needs are essential attributes related to human evolution.
- Satisfiers are forms of Being, Having, Doing and interacting, related to structures.
- Economic goods are objects related to particular historical moments.
- Fundamental needs follow a single track and evolve with the species at a very slow rate.
- Satisfiers behave in two ways; they are modified according to the rhythm of history and vary according to culture and circumstance.
- Economic goods (artifacts, technologies) behave in three different ways: they are modified according to episodic rhythms (vogues, fashions) and diversify according to cultures and, within those cultures, according to social strata.