The Needs of Others

Different people have different needs. And our culture is desensitizing us to the fulfillment of needs.

For instance, I've learned from watching television that when a policeman shares his needs, such as "I need you to get out of the car and put your hands on your head" - that is a very real need, and if one didn't meet that need, one would be foolish indeed. Oh, some try to avoid the needs of policemen, they say to themselves "Perhaps a quick hop over the fence of this trailer park would help that angry policeman get over his needs". But, no, the needs of the policeman must be met.

The needs of bureaucrats are sometimes important, because an encounter with a bureaucrat has become an exchange of needs. "I need you to fill out this form" usually means that you should fill out the form, if you would like to proceed with whatever it was that brought you there. Although it's kind of pathetic, a bureaucrat will not let your life take your intended direction until the needs of the bureaucracy are met. Because, you yourself have come to the bureaucrat for fulfillment of a need of your own, and your needs always come second. If one didn't know better, one would think that the bureaucrat's "needs" are just a euphemistic way of saying "You Vill Do Vat Ve Hef ORDERED!"

And then we have people phoning in their needs to us. "I need to speak to the Ownah!" Well, now, there's a misplaced need! The one expressing this sort of need does not even realize what the true need is. Gently, one must offer them guidance. "No, a chat with the Ownah is not what you need. What you really and truly need is a career change. "

There are people in need, truly in need. But if meeting the needs of others is your goal, you NEED to seek out the needy, because they do not exploit your willingness to meet their needs.

Thanks for listening and contributing. For up-to-the-minute thoughts, come on over to twitter.com I'm @dimbulb52