Preview

Malcolm X's Hierarchy of Needs

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
534 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Malcolm X's Hierarchy of Needs
Psychological Needs

Malcolm X, just like anybody else, needed air, water, and food supply to be able to survive. Fortunately this was given to him from his family who worked to supply him with what he needed to live. Later on, when his parents were not there anymore for him, he needed to find these psychological needs and the choice he made was the negative one; by stealing, robbing, and doing "dirty" jobs. Even if illegal, that supplied Malcolm with his needs.

Safety Needs

Since Malcolm's father was always threatened to be killed by white people, Malcolm needed safety. The Whites might have killed him too after they killed his father. He needed a secure family, a secure home which he lacked. He achieved it when he went to live with his stepsister, Ella, in Boston. Even if it wasn't that secure, it still was enough to make him feel safer.

Love Needs

Malcolm X needed to be loved and cared for by the people he lived and associated with. Malcolm had always achieved that need from his family. His father never touched him like he beat his other children up. His stepsister, Ella welcomed him to her house and let him stay wand live with her. Also, his brothers and sisters showed their love for him by writing him letters while Malcolm was in prison. Malcolm was loved by his girlfriend and many other people who had a chance to listen to the speeches he gave.

Esteem Needs

Malcolm X did not like his race (color) at the beginning of his life. That was because he always felt humiliated and discriminated by the other races (especially the white people). But after he read books and became oblivious to the religion of Islam, he started to gain his self-esteem understanding that his race was a beautiful one, and need to be valued just as much as the white race. His behavior changed; being a guy who "liked" to associate with white people and even acted and took their image, to a proud black man who was more than ever persistent to change the view point of this world.

Since

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    MHS Student 
on August 15, 2012

Reply

Christian Alex Amezquita- Malcolm X has had a lot of events happen early in his life that has affected/shaped him throughout his entire life. For example, there was that time when the welfare workers came to Malcolm's house to split up his family and send his mom to an insane asylum (Kalamazoo). In addition, Malcolm was put with a white family whom treated him like an over glorified dog. He never could feel as if he was one of them, but always felt that he was beneath them. Furthermore, Malcolm's teacher telling him that he could not become a lawyer because of his color really had an impact on him. All of these events gave Malcolm a good reason to become a Civil Rights leader. These events where the wood to his fire and Elijah Muhammad was his flint and steel.…

    • 2021 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Malcolm X Ethos Pathos Logos

    • 4340 Words
    • 18 Pages

    Malcolm X was born with the name Malcolm Little, in Omaha, Nebraska on May 19, 1925. Malcolm was a very bright student through grade school, graduating near the top of his class as an eight grader. When one of Malcolm's favorite teachers told him his dream of becoming a lawyer was "No realistic goal for a nigger" consequently, Malcolm lost interest in school . Malcolm then moved to Boston, Mass. working odd jobs, and having a good time. By 1942 Malcolm was participating in drugs, prostitution, and gambling in the New York area. Eventually Malcolm and his buddy, Malcolm "Shorty" Jarvis, moved back to Boston, where they were arrested and convicted on burglary charges in 1946. Malcolm refers to this time of his life as the "Detroit Red"…

    • 4340 Words
    • 18 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Malcolm showed a lot of character to push away his hatred of the white people and realize that people need to be one in the community. This transformation is the one that impacted the life people live today. Malcolm had a lot of respect from those who believed in what he was preaching. He was a man who knew what he wanted and was going to change the way things were. Malcolm did not have the odds to make something of himself. He overcame those odds and became one of the most inspiring and important people in the struggle for equality. Malcolm turned his life around for the better and left a huge impact to those around him. Malcolm (Little) X is one of the people who made the biggest influence on the 20th Century. People came a long way…

    • 170 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Malcolm X continued to jump around in his beliefs. This makes me wonder if he lived longer would he have still believed the same thing. From when he was a child, a teenager in Boston, prison, following under Elijah Muhammad, to creating his own religion. Malcolm focused most of his life on people being bias. At the beginning of his book he said that his father was even bias like the whites. He treated Malcolm different, compared to his brothers and sisters; he said it was because he was light skinned. Did his father say this or is this just Malcolm’s opinion? Who in this world isn’t bias about something it may not be color of skin, but financial well being, background or heritage. I’m not saying that this justifies being prejudice against African Americans. However, if you are constantly looking for something you will see what you’re searching for, even if it really isn’t there. Which is…

    • 879 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Malcolm wanted a true, violent revolution.He felt that blacks were unwanted in America so they should leave and form their own nation like many other revolutions going on in the world at that time. ④ He felt there was a distinct difference between his movement and the Civil rights movement. Those in Civil rights were “house negroes” in the Negro Revolution and those under his own wing were the “field negroes” of the black movement.④ When there were slaves, some worked in the house, close to the master, and they came to love their master who fed them his dinner scraps; on the other hand, there were those out in the field who hated their master because they were beaten and got nothing but guts to eat. The Civil rights want to stay with their masters, the white man, while the black revolution knew he needed to break away, because he dare not say “our government” but rather “the government”; they had no part in it. ④ He believed a revolution was not a true revolution without bloodshed. He felt they needed to fight to gain their rights. ④ Later, X seems to become more content with staying in America. He decides that anyone who helps is good to the project; he said he was not anti-white but rather anti-exploitation, anti-degradation, and anti-oppression. No matter what, however, if faced with violence, he will return the favor. He even felt integrating schools was important to keep children from being taught the horrible ways of the day.…

    • 1550 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Prior to joining the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X’ philosophy stemmed from his hustling way of life. It didn't do much to overcome the racism, and it was unethical and materialistic, focusing on his the individualistic benefit. During that time, lived with the mentality of him against the world.…

    • 356 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Since the dawn of time, there has always existed the concept of good vs evil. Normally, this concept is used to explain two forces battling against each other in order to influence people’s actions. However, these concepts also exist on a realistic level; although the realistic form is based on race rather than morals. Like a recessive gene, black people were suppressed by the dominant gene, white people, in the 1950’s. Because the oppression was a colossal dilemma and a difficult problem to solve, few people chose to solve it. However, some were brave enough to fight against this evil. Among them were Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. While King wanted to solve the problem with peace, Malcolm knew the only way to solve the dispute was fighting…

    • 2088 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Back in the 1960s, Malcolm X was an influential public speaker. He protested for equal rights of African Americans. At that time, in the United States, African Americans did not have the same rights as white people. He had a rough upbringing; he was born into a large family and had eight siblings. By the time he was twelve years old, his mother had been sent to a mental hospital, and his father had been killed after being hit by a car. He then spent the rest of his childhood in foster homes. In 1946 he was then arrested for stealing and was sent to prison. This is believed to be a significant motive for making his speeches.…

    • 520 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Malcolm X was a brave, ambitious civil rights leader. He fought against racism and brought hope to African-Americans. Malcolm X changed African-Americans by giving them hope and freedom.…

    • 423 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Malcolm was a black muslim as well as a black nationalist under the guidance of Elijah Muhammad, founder of the Nation of Islam which combined elements from both Black Nationalism and Islam, together they sought out to once again resegregate white and black people and create a separate nation from Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi, this nation would then solely inhabit black people. Malcolm X used the current civil rights movement to fuel his campaign and recruit followers, he spoke at several accredited universities Harvard and Oxford being among them. Malcolm was driven by two things will power and belief, his belief in not only the Islamic teachings but also his belief in the superiority of black people, he used his will power to gather…

    • 135 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    It quickly became apparent to Malcolm's family that white society would never give blacks fair treatment. Before Malcolm was out of grammar school, Malcolm's father had been murdered and his mother, who was left to take care of his eight siblings, was put in an insane asylum. This resulted in Malcolm moving to New York to live with his relatives. Malcolm initially was a very successful student. However when his 8th grade teacher informed him that "Niggers can't be lawyers," a profession he intended to peruse, his educational inspiration quickly faded. Malcolm's new found obsession was the streets. Malcolm got involved in drugs, gambling, pimping and burglary. In 1946 Malcolm was arrested and put in prison. However, his imprisonment turned out to be a rebirth rather than a punishment.…

    • 738 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Malcolm Little's Struggle

    • 432 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Louise, Malcolm’s mother faced several mental breakdowns several years within the death of Earl, which later caused her to be admitted to a mental hospital, which also separated the children she had and they were sent away to separate foster homes. Malcolm had been kicked out of school and had gone to a home that was for troubled boys and which he was the only african american boy there. Malcolm was a very well educated student, and he wanted to become great things but he was once told by a teacher “One of life's first needs is for us to be realistic. . .you need to think of something you can be. . .why don't you plan on carpentry?"("Malcolm X." biography.com), when Malcolm said he wanted to be a lawyer. After that he had dropped out of school and moved to Boston with his older half sisters Ella. After moving he started to fall down with the criminal and drug side of things he was living a very exotic life. He later then got caught and was in trouble with the system and was sentence to some prison time. Nobody should be judged on the past of what has happened because people change and you can not base people on what has happened if they are a complete different person. Malcolm said "I believe in human rights for everyone, and none of us is qualified to judge each other and that none of us should therefore have that authority”(Malcolm X). He believed that no one had a right to hold what had happened in the past against…

    • 432 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Why Was Malcolm X Unjust

    • 557 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Malcolm was a strong believer of self defense . He was known for causing violent protest and many ridiculed him for his past which was full of crime. Malcolm told his followers that they needed to defend themselves to the fullest by any means necessary. When asked about the issue he said "It is criminal to teach a man not to defend himself, when he is the constant victim of brutal attacks. It is legal and lawful to own a shotgun or a rifle. We believe in obeying the law." Malcolm X was taught by his Muslim leader that beloved that the white man was the devil . However after going on a trip to Mecca he was enlightened and saw that the blacks and whites there loved each other and tested each other like they were of the same color. He later returned to the US with a changed heart and went about creating peace with…

    • 557 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    This lead him to the Journey of discovering the Islam of the East or Orthodox Islam by making a hajj to Makkah(Mecca). He deliberately describes the Islamic Brotherhood as a peace loving community which all was treated well. As he explains that Islam is the only way that America needs for its race problem ‘’America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem.’’ Explaining my point, what is this relevant change? Well it’s admiration of the so called ‘’devil race’’! However, going through his journey, you’ll see Malcolm X selfishness got the best through him and was blinded of why during his time in Arabia. He was treated like ROYALTY by the light skinned Arabs as for example, he got the royal suites, the invitation to speak with the leaders and dinners. As he said the islamic brotherhood treated each other equally, however isn't he contradicting himself as by being treated better? He had this perception as to because of his skin color he was treated as this, but outrageously he was treated as this because he was an ‘’American Muslim’’. As his own words ‘’And the non-white peoples of the world are sick of the condescending white man!’’(Chapter 18: Pg 370). If he was truly for the world for Islamic Brotherhood and how it ends racism, wouldn’t he want to end racism? Wouldn't his admiration of whites be considered logically and unethically? This connects to John Locke’s ‘’Blank Slate’’ claim as if a human mind is one. Its Human nature to admire something if it goes to your favor. As he explains the psychological minds works only if someone if it's fully developed and indoctrinated to. By this, Malcolm X was blinded by the truth he…

    • 869 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In this era the major reason why schools today, relatively speaking, teach about Martin Luther King and a little about Malcolm X also Martin Luther King has a holiday and Malcom X does not have a holiday.…

    • 333 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays