The first human need is certainty and stability. We have undoubtedly dealt with a lot of uncertainty in our lives in recent years — the pandemic, schools closing, businesses closing, riots in certain areas, businesses reopening, crime surges in certain areas, prices rising across the economy. It’s hard to make any plans because it’s harder to know for sure what your life is going to be like down the road. We just don’t know what will be happening a week from now, a month from now, or six months from now.
The second human need is uncertainty or variety — because as much as we need stability and reliability, we also need the change and new stimuli. Certainty gets boring, and we are refreshed by novelty, good surprises, and new experiences.

If you’re stuck at home, or afraid to interact too closely with others, you’re not going to experience much novelty or variety. Vacations, parties, holiday celebrations, big gatherings, festivals, conferences — these have gradually come back into our lives over the course of 2021, but nowhere near the frequency and ubiquitousness of pre-pandemic life, and we’re surrounded by this constant debate about whether they’re safe or not.

The third human need is significance — feeling unique, important, special, or needed. When a virus from some far-off corner of the world forces you to cancel all your plans and stay at home, you do not feel significant.