New thoughts (from Perry)

I've just been chatting to my friend Perry, and he mentioned Maslow Abram's Hierachy of needs, which are loosely based around 3 levels:
1) Pioneers: people's needs for self-fulfillment
2) Prospectors: esteem needs and relationship needs
3) Settlers: basic needs (e.g. feeling safe, settle down, having something to eat). These basic needs might also be referred to as deficit needs.

I've never really thought of these in such a structured way, however it's interesting to think about how these relate to brands and government, as apparently government naturally covers the "basic needs" and brands "esteem needs" - and both aspire to solve people's needs for self-fulfillment, which should perhaps be left for Theropists!

Another amusing thing Perry mentioned was something a friend was working on linked to assessing the "Gross National Happiness" of a city in America - I can't remember which!