Needs
So often in our scientific works my fellow humans and I say that humans should produce to satisfy our needs, not wants. It makes sense, but at times needs are difficult to navigate. With a fellow human we wrote something about food production, and while writing, we were thinking that food satisfies more than nutritional needs, but also cultural and social. We used coffee and fika as an example.
Generally, I try to live with as little as possible, to direct my energy into various domains such as growth, creativity and connecting with nature, rather than accumulating and serving material objects. Yet recently I welcomed into my life another scarf. It's made from French linen, here in Finland by a local business that emphasises domestic production. This scarf is not really a need, I have another one made from hemp. Pragmatically, I use such scarves to protect my hair in the summer from intense sunlight because I try to spend as much time with nature and with the sun as possible. Hemp and linen scarves are not very warm, so they don't satisfy the need for warmth. I've noticed that scarves satisfy a psychological need in my case. Somehow, wearing a large scarf over my head in public spaces such as a university or a train feels comforting. Very often I experience oneness with my surroundings. In some spaces such as a forest it is healthy and calming. In other spaces, such as a busy train station, it doesn't feel as good. Wearing a scarf creates a physical barrier.