The figure divides human demands into five levels accordingly to Maslow’s theory. Phrases like “arranging in a hierarchy”, “a diagram shows progression” are often used for describing the chart. From its bottom to top, our physical and psychological needs are listed; conceptions gradually replace actual ensamples as the content grows abstract. 

At about the beginning of February (please forgive my memory), a live programme of BBC World Service was aired; at its very beginning, I didn’t pay much attention because I am familiar with the theory, at least I thought I was; later its inspiring argument stopped my hand, and shifted my focus from canvas to the listening. Firstly it introduced that Abraham Maslow actually never illustrate this diagram, and ---- 

​

“our theoretical discussion may have given the impression that these five sets of needs are somehow in a stepwise or non-relationship to each other. We have spoken such terms as the following: if one need is satisfied, then the other emerges. This statement might give the false impression that the need must be satisfied one hundred percent before the need emerges. In actual fact, most members of our society, who are normal, are partially satisfied in all their basic needs and patricianly unsatisfied in all the basic needs at the same time. A more realistic description of the hierarchy would be decreasing percentages of satisfaction as we go up the hierarchy of prepotency. For instance, if I may assign an arbitrary figure for the sake of the illustration, it is as if every citizen is satisfied perhaps 85% percent in his physiological need, 70% in his safety need, 50% in his love need, 40% in his self-esteem need and 10% in his self-actualisation need.” ---- (Abraham Maslow’s psychology of human needs, 2021)

​

It is almost impossible to track down whether the illustrator had studied Maslow's writing. But one thing is very clear: the diagram misinterprets Maslow's real idea. But in the first place, the word of Maslow's choice is leading; it is easy to connect "hierarchy" with "leap", and the pyramid shape further enhanced the visualisation of this movement, solidified a pre-occupied impression of "climbing up". The illustration is such a success that it was designed so straightforward and easily understood that almost everyone who comprehend the theory based on the chart could be misguided. 

 

When giving a lecture about being an illustrator, Mr Nigel Owens used a similar figure to address the connection between inspiration, creativity and market demand. He pointed out in the field of being a mainstream illustrator, the basic need would be the fulfilment of market demand, but elements that lead to self-actualisation such as artistic pursuit and theoretical development at the top are not fixed strictly in order; one can skip a certain level and simultaneously focus on two or multiple nonadjacent levels. He used the word "linear" to describe the sequence of "climbing up" while addressed the uncertainty of following this model. His lecture significant narrowed the contradiction in the misconstruction of Maslow's pyramid.