I think it’s safe to say that Maslow’s theory is still relevant today in multiple ways.  It works by covering the needs of humans, from basic survival at the bottom layer, to improving one’s emotional and mental well-being.  Similarly, modern technology has seemingly become a physiological need, one that would align with the very bottom of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.  This may be a bit of an exaggeration, but the point still remains that many people tend to feel anxious if they lose their device (or its battery life), or irritable and impatient when internet connectivity loss or performance issues occur.

If I were to compare each level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to my experiences with technology, it would start with Internet access as a “physiological need”, because of how essential it is for things such as email, school, work, etc.  A “safety need” would be ensuring that my devices are all running the latest supported versions of their operating systems and applications, along with managing my passwords on a regular basis.  “Belongingness and love needs” are easily comparable to social platforms, such as instant messaging apps like Discord, or even just the text messaging and phone applications on mobile devices.  “Esteem needs” for me would be anything that provides me with a way to improve myself, as well as being able to see that progress build up over time.  Examples of this in my experience with technology as a student would be having access to educational resources, such as Canvas, Netacad, and a few others that I’ve used over the past few years.  “Self-actualization needs” are those that involve achieving my full potential, especially those including creative abilities.  The best thing I can compare this to is when I successfully assemble or repair a computer.  I don’t do that sort of thing with my own personal computers that often, but in the times over the years that it did happen, it was a rewarding experience whenever I reached a successful outcome.