I am able to apply Maslows’s Heirarchy of Needs to a single type of technology that I use
pretty often, and I know others use far more frequently than myself. That technology is digital
payment systems, whether it is Venmo, Cashapp, Paypal, Affirm, Applepay, Googlepay or
Samsung Pay, depends on the situation, but all forms of digital payment. For Physiological needs
I use digital payments to order my groceries for pickup at Target or Wegmans, along with paying
my utilities. For Safety needs, I use digital payments to pay for my home security system and my
auto and home insurance. Belongingness and love needs, I use NFC on my phone to do digital
payments for activities like movies or mini golf with my wife and kids. Esteem needs, I use
digital payments to pay for performance car parts and enhancements to video games to makes
my vehicle compete better or make me more successful in that video game. And finally for Self-
actualization needs, I’m using digital payments to pay for my certification exams in
cybersecurity to make my record stand out better against other employment candidates. Digital
payment methods are so ubiquitous that people don’t often see it as a technology that is helping
enhance their lives or enable them to achieve and satisfy their needs.