"We divide human drives into three groups: (1) those drives that can be satisfied with minimal effort; (2) those that can be satisfied but only at the cost of serious effort; (3) those that cannot be adequately satisfied no matter how much effort one makes. The power process is the process of satisfying the drives of the second group. The more drives there are in the third group, the more there is frustration, anger, eventually defeatism, depression, etc."
"In modern industrial society natural human drives tend to be pushed into the first and third groups, and the second group tends to consist increasingly of artificially created drives. 61. In primitive societies, physical necessities generally fall into group 2: They can be obtained, but only at the cost of serious effort. But modern society tends to guaranty the physical necessities to everyone [9] in exchange for only minimal effort, hence physical needs are pushed into group 1."
Human drives divide into three groups: those satisfied with minimal effort, those requiring serious effort (the power process), and those that cannot be satisfied. The power process involves satisfying drives that require sustained, self-generated effort and supports psychological well-being. Modern industrial society shifts many physical necessities into the minimal-effort category by guaranteeing basic needs, and reduces meaningful effort in work to obedience with little autonomy. Social drives sometimes remain effortful but often fail to satisfy the power process. As a result, artificial needs are created through advertising and marketing to provide ersatz opportunities, increasing frustration and depression.
Read at archive.nytimes.com
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