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The idea ofwant can be examined from many perspectives. In secular societies want might be considered similar to the emotiondesire, which can be studied scientifically through the disciplines ofpsychology orsociology. Alternatively want can be studied in a non-secular, spiritual, moralistic or religious way, particularly by Buddhism but also Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
Ineconomics, a want is something that is desired. It is said that every person has unlimited wants, but limited resources (economics is based on the assumption that only limited resources are available to us). Thus, people cannot have everything they want and must look for the most affordable alternatives.
Wants are often distinguished fromneeds. A need is something that is necessary forsurvival (such asfood andshelter), whereas a want is simply something that a person wouldĺlike to have.[1] Some economists have rejected this distinction and maintain that all of these are simply wants, with varying levels of importance. By this viewpoint, wants and needs can be understood as examples of the overall concept ofdemand.
Examples of wants that people would like to have isfinancial monitoring,saving time, higher payingjob, morecomfort,healthier diet,physical fitness,spirituality,friendship,companionship andsafety.
While in modernsecular societies "want" is considered a purely economic, social-scientific or objectively psychological reality of human existence, many religious or spiritual traditions prescribe or advise with lessons on want and wanting, which might alternatively be termed "desire". Buddhism is perhaps the most common example of a religious tradition that offers wisdom and advice about the concept of want and wanting or "desire". The second of theFour Noble Truths of Buddhism is that desire or wanting is a cause for most of the suffering experienced in life. When we want and desire, we create suffering that can never be alleviated, because as detailed in secular economics wants are "unlimited", and hence unfulfilled wants can cause suffering, in unlimited amount.[2] Challenges to this dilemma might includeanti-consumerism orBuddhist economics.
In Christianity, particularlyProtestantism, want should be kept to a minimum, and a simple life of hard and decent work should be maintained, as described in theProtestant work ethic. From an economic-sociological point of view this might be understood as more value and energy being placed uponproduction instead ofconsumption.[citation needed]