What Is a Need and What Is a Want?

A need is something you can’t live without, such as food or water. It’s different from a want, which is something you desire or wish for. You can often have both a need and a want at the same time. For example, you may need a car but also want to be wealthy.

A person who is a need has an objective interest in avoiding serious harm. This need may be based on the societal setting in which they live or on their own personal perspective of what is good and bad. For example, if a person is homeless, they may have an objective interest in finding shelter.

People are often unable to differentiate between a need and a want, but there are certain differences. A need is defined as a deficiency that can lead to a harmful consequence, whereas a want refers to a desire or wish. This difference is important in terms of understanding human behavior, particularly in relation to consumption and consumerism.

The concept of need is central to the fields of philosophy, psychology and sociology. A common framework for discussing needs is the academic model of Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which proposes that people have a set of logically ordered needs that must be satisfied before higher level psychological needs such as belonging and self-actualization can be fulfilled.

There are many different ways to categorize a need, but it is generally agreed that the most basic needs are physical (such as food, water and shelter) and psychological (such as security and love). In addition, it is often recognized that some of these needs have to be met before more advanced wants can be fulfilled, such as a desire for wealth or fame.

It is sometimes difficult to distinguish between a need and a want, especially when the object of the need is abstract. Ultimately, a need is a deficiency that can cause harm, while a want is a desire or wish that does not.

English learners can learn about the use of articles with the help of a grammar book or an online English learner’s dictionary. Generally, the article “a” is used with singular countable nouns and “an” with uncountable or nonspecific nouns. For example, the words car and package are countable nouns, so they need an article, but the word rain is not, so it does not need an article.

Another useful way to understand the distinction between need and want is to think of them as static versus dynamic. For instance, you will always need to drink water, but your taste in drinking water may change daily or even hourly. Similarly, you will always need to sleep at night, but what type of bed you sleep in will likely change from day to day. Consequently, most people will tend to prioritize their basic needs over their wants.

How to Choose Adjectives to Define Yourself

When you’re asked to describe yourself, the adjectives you choose matter a lot. They can help employers understand if your qualifications match the job’s requirements, and they can also communicate your personal brand. That’s why it’s important to think carefully about the words you use when answering interview questions, writing your resume or college application, and even in online profiles and dating apps.

To help you come up with adjectives that best represent you, think of the qualities and characteristics that your friends, family, coworkers, and mentors admire about you. Then, look up the meanings of each word to find the ones that best reflect your values and strengths. You can even go as far as asking your peers what they think of you and how they’d describe you.

Using adjectives that genuinely capture your personality and beliefs is the best way to ensure that you’re communicating what makes you unique. However, there are certain adjectives that should be avoided because they’re overused and can sound cliched. For example, the adjective “hard-working” can be used by just about anyone, and it doesn’t necessarily tell an employer anything about your abilities or work ethic.

It’s also important to avoid overused, general adjectives like “innovative,” “sympathetic,” or “creative.” While they may be accurate descriptions of you, they’ll probably leave a less-than-fantastic impression on an interviewer. Using overly-familiar adjectives can make you seem generic and unoriginal, which can cost you an opportunity for a great job or an internship.

Interviewers ask you to describe yourself primarily to see whether your qualities align with the job’s requirements and culture. However, they may also want to get a sense of your overall persona and how you fit in with the company’s existing team and community.