Needs v/s Wants

What is the difference between needs and wants? Let's start with the basic meanings. 'Needs' mean stuff we cannot live if we do not have. 'Wants' mean things that you can live without though you wish you had in life. It is necessary to understand the difference between the two to lead a happy life. Well, that is what people say. I say it too. But there is a lot more context to these terms. "Learn the difference between your needs and wants. You will live a happy life." I have believed in this teaching myself that I received as a child. I have said this to many people that I have spent my time with. But I never understood how to explain this to them more elaborately or in a way that they understood more easily until very recently. Most of us already see 'wants' as they occur daily. Urges of having something that we saw someone else has, had, or is going to have. How do we know for sure that it is a want? We know it so well because we are already living with what we have. And have lived since childhood with a lot of things we currently have. That we still have in our lives and also know for sure that they will stay with us in the future too. So, we know our 'wants.' What we are not sure about is needs. Because there are very few that we learn about in life by making ourselves learn, we never truly understand the nature of our needs as we don't face them consciously. And as we don't have to put the extra effort anymore. We know they are going to stay so, we take them for granted. And forget them. Needs, how do we find out if we need something or not. Let's begin with a checklist. I might jump from a topic to another very often and without realizing too. But let's continue for now. First need is, food, second, clothing, third, shelter (a house or somewhere to stay safe, a place from where you know you won't have to leave in an instance). Are you already feeling the pain that many people feel who have lost their homes? Imagine needing one of the top three things. Also, there are many out there who don't have two of the top three needs. And some who don't have all three.

Let's move forward. Fourth, is it something that we can't live without or survive? Five, is it something we can't grow if we did not have? Wait, is 'growth' a want or a need? Well, that is debatable because many of us need it or want it. But how do we understand if we need it or want it? Well, this isn't very difficult. It's just that many of us ignore to try and understand it. Let me put it this way to make it easy for you to understand. Growth is a need if we know that in the cycle of supply & consumption, you might not have enough to fulfill the first three needs. Then you may need to grow. May it be in knowledge, health, wealth, strength, productivity, quality, team, etc. Why? Because growth also affects 1, 2, or all of your first three needs that are food, clothing, and shelter.

So, when do we know that now is the time we need to grow? Let us take an example of "shelter." You have a house. Do you need a bigger home? No. You live there with your partner, parent, or alone. It is okay. The building is perfect for you or even three or four of you. But, one fine day, you have a new member to join you, may it be your spouse, child, another family member, a friend, or anyone you are willing to allow them to join you. But there is a little problem. Now the house cannot hold any more of you in there. Now, you must realize, this is a need to grow. You may need a bigger shelter. Maybe a space that is enough for all of you including the new members. I hope this example was enough for you to understand what I am trying to say.

If you did not understand any of it, it's okay. I will take one more example, something for the kids. Let's say you invite your classmates to your birthday party at your home. Your mum or dad bought 15 disposable plates to serve food or snacks for your friends. But, at the time of the party, you start counting your friends. You see there are more than 15 friends. You ask your mom to see. Here she tells you, "We need more plates." by which she means we need to grow in terms of the number of plates that we have. Now is the time where you must realize that this is where you 'need' to 'grow.'

But there is one more thing. We also need to understand how growth being a want is necessary too. Or how growth sometimes depends on our 'wants' too. Have I confused you again? Wait, I will explain. As we all know, necessity is the mother of invention. We humans would have never put effort to invent something if it were not necessary. It is funny but is true. So this means that if we ever get our first three needs fulfilled without putting in efforts, we might never do anything. There are people like that who don't do anything to grow in life because they give the excuse saying they have everything they need, why should they put extra efforts?.....And similarly, our early humans would have never evolved. Right? Here is where 'wants' play a crucial role in the growth of us as better human beings. Communicating may have been difficult, but the 'need' to communicate was being fulfilled by letters or by meeting the people we 'wanted' to talk to.

'Growth' here was needed as those times were harsh. A telephone played a role in sending messages faster. I know this is a blunt example but, my point is if we only 'wanted' to talk, we would have only 'wanted' to create a phone than need to make it as we still had an option to travel or send a post. We just wanted the convenience.

Wanted

Well, that is what we did. We are so lazy that we work hard and create more things that can conveniently help us become lazier.

Okay, let me ask you. Would not we have been happy if we had stayed being microbes in the ocean? Swimming around the world. *Sigh* what a beautiful sight it would have been. Not a care in the world. Nothing to worry. But no, we 'wanted' to freaking make out with the sexy looking fluids on Mars. Idiots. What an easy life it would have been. As I said earlier, "We are so lazy that we work hard and create more things that can conveniently help us become lazier."

And we will always want convenience.

Finally, concluding.

In my opinion, it is okay to spend the money that we have earned by putting in a lot of our time and effort on things that we wish to have in life. Those things sometimes make us happy or make us feel better about ourselves. It is necessary too. We need to keep just one thing in mind, do we have enough resources that fulfill all our needs? Will it be feasible for us to move our wants up on our list of priorities? I think just setting our priorities right between needs and wants, will surely help make a difference in our lives.