3. The Second Layer of the Bubble Theory: Enlightened Needs (ENs)

The desires and the delicate balancing act between the species and the self are typically subconscious and are not directly observable. Like any subconscious drives, however, some have seeped through the confines of the subconscious and emerged as overt individual preferences, expressed as his or her needs. These needs span a broad spectrum of desires at both the self and the species level that are typically not observed in other species; thus, the term enlightened needs (ENs). The ENs derived from the symbiotic duo constitute the second layer of the Bubble Theory. In this chapter, I first define and characterize ENs, which I follow with a discussion about recent changes in ENs, largely driven by onerization. I then describe the desired solutions for ENs from three perspectives: how individuals change the ways in which they live their own lives, what they demand from the private sector, and what they demand from the public sector.