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Title: Maslow revisited
Review: Postrel main idea is that Maslow's classical "Hierarchy of needs" is based on a misstated premise: that human beings pursue aesthetics needs only after fulfilling basic needs. She argues that even poor people, given a minimum of stability and sustenance, will enrich their lives by decorating their houses or by buying Gucci handbags. Thus, design and aesthetics in general become as important as function.She proposes a variation to Maslow similar to microeconomics theory: the marginal value of some needs drops faster than others' as we move up on the ladder. Therefore, the pyramid is rather dynamic, and we move back and forth on the available options depending on what options are available and at what costs.Is this a general human trait or just a 21st century phenomenon, driven by globalisation, more refined marketing techniques and access to new technologies?Find out in this well-written, economically justified book full of psychological insight. An aesthetics manifesto.
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