Worried about QAnon and WallStreetBets?

Let’s not ignore the need for self-transcendence in the U.S. any longer

In a recent brief article some behavioral scientists point out that despite the real and lasting damage groups like QAnon and WallStreetBets have caused, the people participating in these movements are motivated by two very human needs — affiliation (with its dark side, groupthink) and rebellion against perceived threats to improve perceived safety (with its dark side, paranoia). I think these scientists may be missing an important piece of the puzzle. It’s the human need for self-transcendence that actually has the motivational power to drive this kind of disruption. And if we ignore the powerful need for self-transcendence, we’ll miss a chance to harness it for good.

You’ve probably heard about Maslow’s hierarchy, the psychological concept that certain needs must be met before other ones. Abraham Maslow was basically right. You’ve got to get your food, water, clothing needs taken care of before you can think about safety. You have to have a sense of safety before you have the energy to form friendships and love relationships, which are needed to build your self esteem, which you need to achieve your full potential.

I think one of the central problems behavioral scientists have in interpreting the behavior of QAnon and Wall St. disruptors is that most of them are unaware how powerful self-transcendence is as a motivator. The year before he died, Maslow hurriedly changed his…