The debate of wants and needs are one of the most profound questions in Behavioral economics. The debate ranges from a consumerist view, that is Capitalist view to views like post-developmental, ecological and Gandhian economics where Minimalism is promoted. This debate is not just an intellectual stimulation, rather it will influence on what philosophy our economic systems should be based. Should it be based on considering all wants as needs as it is done in Consumerist capitalist economics? Or should it be a discretion of policymakers of the state under a planned economy? Or should it follow a minimalist want approach as suggested by Gandhi and ecological economists.
Human beings lie on the evolutionary sequence upon the ape and other species of animals. To live as an animal or rather to even live involves to a few characteristics, viz. responding to a stimulus, nutrition, excretion, etc. Nature is a self-reproducing mechanism that gives incentives to living beings to sustain themselves and along with that sustain their species, that is, reproduce.
These incentives are side-incentives, sort of secondary. The primary incentive that nature provides is the sustenance itself. It is not as if, if the living being survives, and sustains itself, it will only be beneficial to the nature. Obviously, the living being also has stakes in being alive and has stakes in keeping the species alive. But the question arises, do humans also respond to the primary incentives of nature? Do humans eat to survive? Do humans reproduce to sustain their species?
The answer unfortunately is a blatant no in most of the cases. Unless threatened by some event where life is on stake, Human beings rely on secondary incentives, which I call mostly artificial incentives. They not only depend on it, but they are also mostly oblivious to the fact that Primary incentives.
How many laymen do you know say, "I want to keep myself alive"? Only poor people perhaps. Hence, my point, "Unless threatened by some event where life is on stake...".
These Artificial incentives are so called because these are subjectively interpreted by humans. For instance, Obviously Sex is primarily for Survival of the species. But the secondary incentive is Orgasm. Orgasm in living beings, especially humans, drives them to sex. This is interpreted as a psychoanalytical concept of Libido or Sex drive.
Sex Drive is a psychoanalytical interpretation of the biological Orgasm of species. The way Subjectivity emerges out of the objective universe applies here as well. Sex drive usually is a subjective phenomenon. Some species members are more threatened than others, so they have a more intense sex drive. But the most libidinal human is not considered as the most insecure of the species rather in Human societies, there is an additional layer of Engendered interpretation. In Masculine intense libido cases, they are considered playboys, And in Feminine intense libidinal cases, mostly these beings are suppressed and judged and called, whores, belonging to streets, etc.
Two layers of subjectivity masks behind the secondary incentives provided by nature. And thus, a confiscation of the incentive by the human beings as the driving force of economy comes into picture. The whole economic system of creating artificial demands and needs stems from this very bi-subjective interpretation. Whole market system, whole advertisement industries and the whole panorama of modern civilization evolved around and revolves around the different versions of this Bi-subjective interpretation.
First, Nature's incentive of orgasm in sex, Taste in food, Dopamine in entertainment, and hormonal rush in companionship. Secondly, Living beings' interpretation of this incentive as one the main motive for action. And finally, Human beings' societal interpretations based on caste, class and gender and deciding through logics of power deciding, who will be allowed to get it, and who will be judged to demand it.
So, the whole economic system and the social system and hence the Political system. Now, not to be Normative, on what lines our economic system should be based whether Minimalism or free infinite wants and needs. I just wish to stress on one final point, the day an individual realizes that there is nothing natural in his desires, rather it is just a bi-subjective interpretation of the nature's incentives, he will not be so much dead-obsessed with the nitty-gritties of life rather see life as an opportunity to a better perhaps a more serene way of living life. Automatically, it might be that one might come naturally towards Minimalism through this perspective.
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