Offline and Online Experience
For this project I developed an adaptation of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs that flips the concept to apply it to the online experience. By simply using a computer, not even connected to the internet, an individual has transcended the physical plane into the digital. Self actualization occurs when changes are made to the base system. This could be analogous to making a program display hello world, making a first post on social media or sending a message. Self Esteem comes from sharing these results, getting a like or receiving a response. From these continued interactions, Relationships are formed. As Relationships form, naturally some are good and some are bad. Hackers and thieves create the need for security of these systems. The last and hardest to procure are physiological needs, some of which, such as a constant flow of oxygen are near impossible for an online terminal to provide. With the rise of online shopping and food delivery, physiological needs can be acquired, although with a significant lag relative to interactions on the lower side of the pyramid.
This artwork was presented at the Austrian Embassy in Beijing in April 2019