On Happiness, Needs and Wants

Last week, I created a Facebook post which says, “Buddhism teaches that suffering is caused by cravings. But most people crave for connection, love and acceptance. We may be hardwired for these. Can Buddhism go against nature?” An American Buddhist wrote back and made the following point:

Don’t you thinking “craving” is taught to us by our western environment? What we consider as important is often conditioned by our society, school, TV advertising, etc. People often say they are struck how happy and relaxed people seem to be in Eastern countries where Buddhism is the accepted way of life. Obviously, they are taught to look at life in a very different way right from their childhood.

This is a perfect opportunity to clarify and expand on my earlier post to address the biological and cultural aspects of human cravings, as well as some complexities in comparing happiness across societies.

Modern society often emphasizes nurture over nature, particularly in discussions about human behavior, development, and social issues. But the craving for connection, love, and acceptance is deeply rooted in biology and evolution. Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs highlights that after securing basic survival essentials like food and shelter, humans naturally seek belongingness and love. These are not superficial desires but fundamental aspects of…