I need a taco. (Ok, "need" might be a bit strong.)

There's a better way to think about needs.

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Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is so ubiquitous that you’ve probably heard of it, even if you’ve never taken a psychology class.

Image of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is from Simply Psychology.

This theory posits that we have to get our most basic needs met first, then we can go on from there to live increasingly into our fullest selves. In some ways this is a helpful model. It lays bare structural problems in our society, in which many struggle to access food and shelter. It reminds us that yes, it is absolutely essential for all of us to take breaks to refuel our bodies with meals and rest.

In other ways this visual is less useful because it suggests that meeting needs is a linear process, that we achieve a level on the pyramid and move on from it. Psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman says that’s not actually how Maslow intended his hierarchy of needs, though this is a common interpretation of it.

Kaufman offers an alternate understanding of needs.