Identifying Tenets of Life That Benefit Society
What do you need to do in order to be happy? A need is a need for an organisms to survive. Needs are often characterized by an absence of wants. In the case of a need, however, a lack of wants results in a far more obvious adverse effect: a short or even a life lacking in material possessions.
However, in order to succeed in creating a happy and healthy life, it is necessary to realize the distinction between needs and wants. Needs are indispensable requirements that we cannot live without. On the other hand, wants are those wants that we would like to have but which we believe are beyond our capacity to attain. Both need and want are essential components of the human personality. As George Bernard Shaw once asked, “What is the use of being what you are?”
It is important to note that, just as Gough has identified ten human needs, similarly ten social work needs must be identified and fulfilled. The basic drive behind each human need is personal security. Social work helps people meet their basic needs and eventually fulfill their aspirations. For example, a social worker may help an individual prepare for a promotion at work, or a pregnant woman prepare for the birth of her baby.
An additional need identified by social work professionals is the need to belong. All humans desire a sense of belongingness. When this basic need is not met, individuals can fall into a state of depression, anxiety, or even self-pity. This is a particular problem in societies where many individuals feel that they belong to no one, or to nothing. Social work addresses this need by helping to prepare individuals for meaningful relationships.
Another basic need is self-empowerment. Individuals need to be able to control their own lives. They need to be able to make decisions regarding major purchases, rent/mortgage, education, health care, and so on. When this basic need is not met, individuals may withdraw from society, or worse, resort to crime or delinquency. A social worker may assist an individual in developing skills that help them gain self-empowerment. For example, if an individual knows they need to make better choices concerning their health, but does not know how to do so, a social worker can assist them in taking advantage of state-funded programs aimed at assisting individuals in controlling their health.
A final need identified by social work professionals is personal growth. People go through periods in their life when they question their abilities and worth. This happens to all of us, and we are all vulnerable to feeling inadequate. However, there are techniques and resources available to those facing these feelings of uncertainty. This includes helping an individual learn about his or her strengths and weaknesses so that he or she can develop appropriate ways of dealing with them.