MEME REFERENCE

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Use to rank needs or desires from foundational priorities to an exaggerated, highly specific ultimate aspiration.

What it expresses

A familiar hierarchy is repurposed to show what supposedly matters more at each ascending level.

Example

A student labels the pyramid from sleep and food at the base to 'professor cancels the exam' at the peak.

When not to use it

The items have no dependency or increasing importance and are simply listed alphabetically; a hierarchy would imply structure that is absent.

• Maslow
• hierarchy
• needs
• priority pyramid