Oedipus the King and Maslow's Pyramid People have long considered general theories of motivation, and the question of the specific motives that direct and energize our human behavior has been the subject of enormous speculation. Even today the question remains: what is it that human beings seek most in life? In an attempt to answer this question, Abraham Maslow proposed what he called the hierarchy of needs. Maslow theorizes that humans are motivated to satisfy this hierarchy, which consists of needs ranging from those basic to survival to those that promote growth and self-enhancement (Kassin 300). At the base of the hierarchy are the physiological needs of human beings. This level includes the human need for food, water, oxygen, sleep and sex. The homeless are at this level of the hierarchy because their concern is obtaining the things necessary for survival. Once an individual has met these needs, he or she begins to look for stable employment, financial security, stability at home, and a predictable environment. This level is made up of overachievers and workaholics. People like these are so worried about their income that they don't think the time spent working is enough. If an individual satisfies all of these needs, then that person has satisfied his or her overall need for safety. Once security is achieved, humans strive to satisfy their social needs. At this level human beings are concerned with affiliation, belonging and love, affection, intimate relationships, family ties, and group membership. This is a particularly crucial level because if these needs are not met, humans experience an overwhelming sense of loneliness and alienation. Once all love needs are met, an individual seeks social status, respect, recognition, success and power. All of these needs combine to satisfy an individual's need for esteem, and by failing to satisfy this need, an individual endures a sense of inferiority and lack of importance. All human beings are placed at one of these four levels and strive to satisfy the needs of that level. If there comes a time when an individual has obtained all the needs of the hierarchy, that person becomes ready, willing and able to strive for self-realization. According to Maslow, self-actualization is a typically human need to realize one's potential. As Maslow himself states: "A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he ultimately wants to be at peace with himself"..