^^^^^^ CB: Yes, James' discussions on the lists created a need in me to buy his book back when he first published it, and he sold me a copy. (smile).
^^^^^^^ CB: Sure many needs are socially constructed, not derived from physiology. On page one of _Capital_, Marx says use-value can be the result of the "stomach" or "fancy"; "Stomach" would be natural needs, physiologically based needs such as air, food and water, shelter, sleep; "fancy" would be social-historically generated needs.
My concern is that capitalism creates greater need/desire in the masses without out providing the ability to buy all the goods and services that meet those needs. And it does this systematically and inherently, "consciously". The needs are always ahead of ability to buy for a great mass of people, and always will be, because of anarchy of production. Inability of many to "keep up with the Jones" is inherent in capitalist production and distribution, because capitalism "needs" a mass of people behind the economic curve to put fear in the many that they will fall into poverty if they don't work for the Man.
The creation of new needs must be planned so that it will not lead so many people to be frustrated and unable to meet their new needs, including needs derived from fancy.