How one can distinguish between DESIRE n NEED ?

Answer 1

A need is a necessity (real need). That is why the basic needs of man is food, air, water, and shelter. If you deprive yourself of a real need then it would be detrimental for yourself, meaning you could get sick or die even. ULtimately, your body will "desire" the basic needs itself. (If you don't eat, you get hungry.)
A desire is a want (felt need). Anything that you want that is not really a necessity to live falls in this category. But the feeling that you really need it is present but deprivation of such things does not necesarilly lead to sickness or death, usually its just disappointment or possibly depression. Things like a car or a cell phone or an iPod, these things are desires.

Answer 2

Good question... the true distinction between need and desire is not to be found externally... it is in the mind of the person himself.... desire sits between a wish and a need...... a wish, a desire and a need are defined by the progression of the extent of effort one is willing to spare for. It is very much individualistic... at the two extreme ends, however, there are common ones, like the basic requirements to sustain life are needs for everyone and longings of the nature that is truly beyond anyone's imaginable means are wishes for all (such as wanting to become God or never to fail etc. etc.) In between these two extreme ends, it is the individual concerned who decides what are his needs and what are just desires depending on the degree of longing.

Answer 3

I need food, shelter, air...... I desire to rule the whole world ( a crazy dream of course) I could desire so many things in life....I will said desires are like fantasies you could have, some of them you get, some don´t.

Answer 4

like all other answers, needs are basics for life, but it is difficult when it comes to sex, it is not a need for an individual life but it is a need for mankind life, as an individual it is a desire, as a part of the whole mankind it is a need. it is getting even more difficult as it involves the need of love as a psychological need.
so I think we cannot set a line between a desire and a need Only when it comes to sex. as it is a psychological need and physical desire.

Answer 5

simplest answer is that Desires are things that are not necessities, a bf/gf, a new car, good looks. Needs are just that, good health, clothes, food, and so forth. Needs are more important, but they are easier to define. Desires require more thought, But simply put, if you can live without it then its a Desire.

Answer 6

You will begin to die if you do not get what you need. Every thing else is a desire until you start calling your desires, needs. Then you will get yourself all screwed up. Recognizing the difference is paramont to creating happiness and fulfillment.

Answer 7

You need air, food, water and shelter. Some of us need love. Other than that it is all desire.

Answer 8

Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy -- Or, you could just use common sense, and find the need, explore the desire.

Answer 9

Come on. Needs are something neccessary to live. Desires are stuff we don't need to survive.
You know the diffrence, just alot of people without thinking, say 'need' instead of 'want'.

Answer 10

Manage with minimal 'Need', you have several desires, never end the desires.