Part Three: Maslow's Theorem-The Great Society (Poverty in the USA)

PART THREE: Maslow's Theorem-The Great Society (Poverty in the USA) (by: Paul Goree-work in progress 2014)

In Maslow's work, TOWARD A PSYCHOLOGY OF BEING (1962), Maslow provides the concepts upon which a perspective of human societal illness and health merge to provided insight into constraints of social mobility.  Maslow list 9 factors:

1.) We each have an essential biological based inner nature
2.) Each person's inner nature is in part unique to himself
3.) It's possible to study this inner nature scientifically
4.) The inner nature is not intrinsically evil-it is neutral or positive good
5.) Based on #4, it is best to seek behavior that encourage rather than suppress
6.) If the essential core of a person is suppress, it will seek subtle ways  of 
     expression/illness
7.) The inner nature is not strong and overpowering. It is weak and easily overcome by    
     habit, cultural pressure and wrong attitudes
8.) Even though weak, it rarely disappears-it persist for actualization
9.) These conclusion must be articulated with the necessity of discipline-they are desirable        experiences


From these 9 factors, Maslow concludes that the study of healthy people (physically and mentally) is a model by which self-fulfilling development can be obtained.  The possibilities of this development is based upon the essences of the inner nature as it expresses itself  "freely", rather than suppressed. This individual status has a collective result on the entire society. Each of us is a portion of the collective and create through our individual nature, a macro unconscious.  Maslow stated, "...every crime against one's own nature, every evil act...records itself in our unconscious and makes us despise ourselves..."  An individuals despising themselves, project upon society an illness, that effects the concept of collectives worth.

From Karen Horney, Maslow develop the notion that collective worth is recorded in the individuals unconscious. Horney uses the term "register" to explain the process by which the individual injures their inner nature. Horney stated, "If we do something we are ashamed of, it "registers" to our discredit and if we do something...good, it registers to our credit. The net result ultimately are either one or the other-either we respect and accept ourselves or we despise ourselves and feel contemptible, worthless and unlovable..." It thus becomes a duty of the collective to attend to this worthlessness, felt by the individual. This duty improves the lives of us and others.

We must be concerned at all times about the kind of individuals, the world creates. Seeming the inner nature seeks to actualize itself, it benefits society to collectively assist in this process. Maslow suggested that sick people (mentally and physically) are made ill and healthy by culture. "...sick individuals make their culture more sick and healthy individuals make their culture more healthy. Improving health is one approach to making a better world..." To improve a healthy society, we should look towards personal growth development strategies.

The extend an individual attempts to satisfy the physiological aspects of Maslow's lower level, can become a factor by which unhealthy mental and physical conditions can develop.  Stress is a main contributor to unhealthy conditions, by which chronic stress can cause heart problems, mental problems and eventually death if unattended. The worthiness an individual experiences, also has potential effects on the effort exerted. The importance of this effort within a competitive environment, also creates stress, leading to an sick individual.. This worthlessness has some limiting affects on the over all effort an individual is capable or willing to exert.  In her work So You Think I Drive A Cadillac. Karen Seccombe provides qualitative and quantitative data that suggest some  in need of social welfare are unwilling or hesitant to apply for it due to the stigma associated with public assistance. Many of the case studies Seccombe detail, are in Maslow's lower level of hierarchical need. The ideal of dis-empowering themselves due to societal stigma is a backwards step for a Great Society. By which a concept of "unconditional effort" should replace the false stigma associated with personal growth development. Unconditional effort, refers to rewarding and acknowledging, all and any effort an individual puts towards self development.

The ideal of effort is directly linked to compensation in a Capitalistic society. In Alfred Adler work, Adler studied gifted personalities and universalized the concept of compensation into basic law of human nature.  According to the Adlerian Theory, "challenges of illness, birth defects, poverty, or other toward circumstance in youth provide the stimulus for all higher achievement." This has a negative factor on the collective, as it bases self achievement competitively. Whereas in an "idyllic" society, "unconditional effort" embraces and rewards all levels of effort exerted. In a Great Society, the opportunity to encourage one another is a means of reducing the collective sickness.

Maslow's hierarchical levels are not exclusive to adults. In Greshman Sykkes and David Matza's work, the unattended physiological needs spill over into the decision making process of delinquents.  This spillage becomes a factor that effects the over all society as crime rates rise and the notions of self worth and growth erode. Sykes and Matza argued that delinquents do not have conventional values. Conventional society demands a civic expectation (not steal, covet, kill, etc) of co-existences. However these youth inhabit a sub-culture where the values are not supported. These delinquents develope guilt and shame, as they attempt to exist within an environment that sometimes requires violations of the social norm.  They justify their behavior through rationalizing, which neutralizes their potential guilt, before the law is broken. Sykes and Matza termed this process, "techniques of neutralization", which focused upon:

1.) Denial of responsibility
2.) Denial of injury
3.) Denial of the victim
4.) Condemnation of the condemner

All of these factors lead to a collective societal illness, which hampers the validity of  a Great Society. Recently actions were taken by investment brokerage - Goldman Sach, to help the city of Boston reduce crime and recidivism among, first time offenders. Goldman Sachs executives analyzed the circumstances of criminal activity and determined that they could effectively administrate Boston's crime, resulting in a lower recidivism and empowered prior "criminals", who then would be integrated successfully into society. This integration attends to the physiological needs that Maslow details. Goldman Sach, invested in a non-profit organization ROCA, whose objective for the past 26 years has been to transition young male criminals from the streets to the "legitimate economy". Actions such as this, contribute to curing the sickness of society, regarding delinquency and criminal activity.

Sometimes the sickness of society is one that is a direct financial burden. Consider the financial stress placed upon parents and grammar school students unable to attend, a civic class/social studies/American government class, field trip to Washington D.C.  In a Great Society, education of the youth is the end result of our future. At no extent should cost be cut or opportunities be limited. Especially due to economic disadvantages. It seems unjust to stratify grammar students with economical variances. It also seems unjust to place that financial burden upon the parent (s). Under most conditions, families at the lower level of Maslow's hierarchical diagram, are below the poverty level. In some instance, public grants are available in some states for those that meet income requirements. However, a greater portions of the families at the lower level, are working families at the poverty level or slightly above. The poverty line in the United State 2013 was $15, 510 for a family of 2 and $23, 550 for a family of 4 (HHS, 2013).

As I continue to analyze Maslow's Hierarchical Theory of Needs, I will focus on the cost expenditure of social programs that attempt to lead our nation to a Great Society. I will continue to analyze Social Democracy in the United States, as it may have varying effects upon our economic system.


REFERENCES:

Deprez, E. Esme.(2014).Goldman Sachs Bets on Reducing Crime. Businessweek. Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-05-08/goldman-sachs-backs-social-impact-bond-for-nonprofit-roca

Hillman, James.(1996). The Soul Code. Grand Central Publishing. NYNY

Maslow, Abraham.(2012). Toward A Psychology of Being. Start Publishing LLC

Seccombe, Karen.(2011). So You Think I Drive A Cadillac. Allyn and Bacon. NYNY

UNM.(2010). Neutralization Theory: Gresham Sykes and David Matza. Retrieved from http://www.d.umn.edu/~bmork/2306/Theories/BAMneutralization.htm

Maslow Theorem: The Great Society America 21st Century

Maslow Theorem: The Great Society America 21^st Century (work in progress-by Paul D. Goree)

Now that President Obama has cemented another critical piece to the resolvement of the Great Society. We now can look towards the final piece.  Abraham Maslow, cites several lower hierarchy social requirements, needed for upward mobility. These needs represent the physiological and sociological requirements of an individual to survive within a societal setting.These needs include water, food, safety, security, and shelter. If these lower hierarchy needs are not consistent/stable, then social upward mobility is not possible. For example, as soon as an individual has food/water, they are in need of shelter/housing. Once shelter/housing is required, they may lose their job, and then shelter/housing becomes an issue again. Thus this becomes a continuous circle,resulting in discouragement; in the Land of Liberty.

The Great Society (L.B. Johnson), suggests that all of the lower level survival needs be state provided (social welfare). With universal health care resolves safety and security, as AFDC/TANF resolves water and food. Now American can look to resolving housing needs. We can look towards HUD for some of these answers. Yet it still seems that states, may be able to resolve housing much better than the centralized bureaucracy that HUD is.

In Rubinger’s article: Why U.S. Desperately needs affordable homes, he states:

“America faces many more unresolved affordable housing challenges. A $26 billion capital-needs backlog that's associated with our publicly financed affordable housing stock looms.

Traditional federal subsidies that enable affordability -- such as Section 8, which authorizes rental housing payment assistance to private landlords on behalf of more than 3 million low-income households -- are being cut back. Federal housing subsidy programs such as HOME were slashed this year. These vital programs need to be preserved and expanded.

Other important tools are at the ready, but sadly, they are inactive or underutilized.

Back in 2008, President George W. Bush signed into law the National Housing Trust Fund, requiring at least 90% of its funds be used to build, preserve or rehabilitate rental housing for low-income households. But this program and others like it have yet to receive the funding that was envisioned by the law.

Another valuable initiative is the Rental Assistance Demonstration Program, which enables private developers to work with public housing authorities to preserve affordable housing. But it has only been funded for up to 60,000 housing units…”

According to the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (2013) the following data reflects the homeless population as of January 2013:

January 2013

•           610,042 people were homeless in the United States.

•           Nearly two-thirds of people experiencing homelessness (65 percent or 394,698) were living in emergency shelters or transitional housing programs.

•           More than one-third of all homeless people(35 percent or 215,344) were living in un-sheltered locations such as under bridges, in cars, or in abandoned buildings. Age of Homeless Population in 2013. In 2013, HUD required communities to provide estimates of homelessness in three age ranges— under age 18, 18 to 24 years old, and 25 years old and older.

•           More than two-thirds of all homeless people (67 percent or 410,352 people) were 25 years or older.

•           10 percent of homeless people were 18 to 24 years old (or 61,541). This percentage remains the same regardless of sheltered status.

•           Nearly one-quarter of all homeless people (23 percent or 138,149) were homeless children under the age of 18, and 30 percent of sheltered homeless people were children.

•           80 percent of unsheltered homeless people were over the age of 25. Less than 10 percent of the unsheltered population was under 18.

REFERNCES:

US Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2013). Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress (AHAR). Retrieved from  https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/ahar-2013-part1.pdf

Rubinger, Micheal. (2014). Why U.S. Desperately needs affordable homes. CNN Opinion. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/28/opinion/rubinger-affordable-housing/

Internalizing JFK: Social Workers Obligation to Humanity

Internalizing JFK: Social Workers Obligation to Humanity

By: Paul D Goree

Arizona State University

10/27/2011

November 29, 1962, John F. Kennedy avowed to the American public "...I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit." (From the National Guard Armory in Washington, D.C., November 29, 1962) When I think of how I want to touch the world with my social work education and experience, the words of Mr. Kennedy echo through my heart, as an obligation to be upheld. How I have in the past and how I intend to continue my, “contribution to the human spirit?" Is the plight of my total existence?

My journey has been a long winding epic, of voluminous parables, of which I am proud to have established what I intend to be my reparation to society: Humanitarian endeavors. My journey started in 1992. I was 22 years old, attending Seattle Central Community College. I was majoring Social Welfare, with intention to complete my Associate Degree and certificate of CDP (Chemical Dependency Professional). I had glorious plans on revolutionizing substance abuse and assisting in a victorious triumph in the "War on Drugs". These days, those earlier ambitions seem humorously perspicacious. Although I was eager and zealous, my true passion and concern for others, was inevitable and a future in social welfare, would be my destiny.  As life has its winding ways, I had to put my academic endeavors aside and obtain employment. Luckily, I secured contract positions with various agencies, whereby my passion for social work, would not idle.  

The most enjoyable years, were 1997-1999.  I was a contract administrative assistant to a human resource benefit director. My administrator and I were responsible for retirees and surviving spouse benefits. Our job duties would have been conventional; as in providing retirees the opportunity to change their health care plans during open enrollment or assisting surviving spouse with their benefit options. However, the company for which I was contracted had announced their intended closure in the coming years, meaning a major cut in the steel industry of Cleveland, Ohio. The trickling effects this announcement had on the community was devastating, seeming that steel had been the blood line of that economy for nearly a century.

Four hours a day, my administrator and I handled countless panic phone calls from retirees and surviving spouses, who had become alarmed by the news of the closure. Some days the heart grief of our clients was unbearable. I was assisting the retirees and surviving spouse who had overcome the Industrial Revolution, World War 1 and 2 and had cemented American work ethic into the soul of our canvases. These were the generations I admired and to be assisting them was an honor. During many of those panic phone calls, I found myself naturally doing, what social workers do best: listening, assessing, informing and referring. The most benefiting thing I provided my clients, especially surviving spouses, was information regarding other health care options they had available to them. Many of the surviving spouses were spouses of veterans and were eligible for veteran surviving spouse benefits and or medicare widow benefits, yet were not aware of these options.  

I cannot explain the delight of the many clients who called back to thank me and my administrator for referring them to Veteran Services and or the Social Security Administration. The removal of worrying about medical care was one less distress upon them, of which they could have some comforted reassurance. Today as I think back upon those clients, I am even more impressed with legislation which has resulted in more options such as Medicare Part D. These types of events are evidence to me that social welfare is where my soul code resides. (James Hillman)

The next 10 years after those contract positions, my life, consisted of a continuous "peak and valley" rollercoaster ride. During the midst that time period (2006), I found myself assisting my co-workers with what soon would be the collapse of our economy and the recession/depression of 2008. Again my natural passion for social welfare prevail my own circumstances. At the onset of 2008 and with my recent unemployment, I decided to write and maintain a blog concerning unemployment in Las Vegas, Nevada in comparison to the nation (www.paulgoree.wordpress.com).

As our nation witnessed high unemployment levels and the extension of tier benefits, I documented how these efforts were affecting my community in Las Vegas and what unemployment legislation was our elected officials considering. I am proud of the work I did on this blog, for I experienced another venue of social welfare, not often considered by others. For me the number one function of a social worker is assisting those in need of assurance. The assurance usually has to do with economy security.  

Therefore as our nation experienced the trails of a dooming economy during from 2008 – 2010: I provided accurate, up to date detailing of tier benefits to support the ever increasing 99er population.  Also I felt it was my duty to encourage my readers, and facilitate our Presidents optimism of economic recovery.  I often quoted inspirational thoughts from Franklin D. Roosevelt, during the Great Depression of 1932.  One of my more popular post, I advised fellow unemployed persons of a FDR quotes from 1932. In an attempt to prevent lofty behaviorism, FDR instructed the America public "...above all else, do something…” And to engrave endurance, he stated, “…“ When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.”(Franklin D. Roosevelt )

Keeping in the spirit of FDR, I decided to volunteer my time at the Salvation Army. The majority of my time was spent, assisting the homeless in the DRC (Day Resource Center), where they could take a shower, get assistance with social service and medical needs, and get referrals to veteran assistance and social security.  Volunteering provided me with real life grassroot experience and insight into  the societal need of social workers.  When my employment situation did eventually get  better,  I unknowingly was experiencing employer abuse and warned my blog readers about the consequences of prematurely waivering ones labor rights out of desperation for some employment during this recession/depression. I informed them of the state and federal laws that assign the titles of contract employee verse contingent workers. This was valuable information, for many employers sought to cut operation expenses by using contingent workers as contract employee and avoiding employment insurance taxes.

Over the last two years I have put a lot of thought into my passion (social welfare) , its history and how I intended to re-enter the academic world. The most inspiring thing I have constructed is a list of historic personalities, whom I term "My Scholar Heroes".  These are persons I have researched, admire and plan on dedicating my life towards their endeavors. They include, Benjamin Franklin, General William Booth, Jean Henri Dunant, Clara Barton, Ron Dellums, Jane Adams, Mary Richmond, Jimmy Carter, Edit and Grace Abbot, Lester Blackwell Granger, and so many others I am endlessly adding to my list. The one attribute each of these, scholar heroes have in common is they each contributed to humanity something of a social welfare value. They touched the world, by providing from their passion to assist in the overall betterment of humanity. I believe the most effective way to accomplish this is through social welfare, which includes education.    

Today I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity to continue my education at Arizona State University majoring in social welfare. My intentions are to finally complete my undergrad degree, obtaining a BSW in 2013. At which time I am planning on achieve what I think is the ultimate in my field, a JD/MSW. How I plan on touching the world with social welfare is by completing my educational goals, then continuing what I have been doing for almost 20 years now, simply providing some assurance to those who seek it. I have a specific interest in homelessness and want to be involved with non-profit homeless services.  As our economy idles, more and more working Americans are finding themselves unable to keep up with their family living expenses.

 Many of them are falling victim to depression and the fear of homeless for themselves and families is an event of failure. I think it is critical that stigma associated with homelessness, poverty and social welfare be removed, in order for recipients to fully benefit from all that is available to them. When I was volunteering, I witness the tragic depths of self guilt and pity, by men and women who felt they had lost their grasp of industriousness. They had internalized national unemployment as a personal guilt. I sought to it; to remind them that our current economic condition is not their fault and they (we) are not victims. 

Like FDR, I reminded them that during these times of misfortune, we must keep functioning. The social welfare tools available to society are in part paid for by them, when they were employed. Simple awareness is sometimes the best antidote. I want to fill the social welfare field with awareness.  Fortunately with a JD/MSW I will have some leverage in policy making, which I intend to use for the reassurance of social justice (economically and civilly).