A. Marketing merely reflects the needs and wants of customers. B. Marketing shapes consumer needs and wants. 

Part A  

‘Marketing merely reflects the needs and wants of customers.’ We all need to eat, drink and sleep and reproduce, this is all part of who we are as human beings. Therefore at the basic level companies will strive to satisfy these functions and keep doing so by once in a while showing advertisements that tells the public that they are around and can provide the products they need.  

The other aspect is that needs vary depending on what country you live in. “For example a consumer in the United States may need food but may want a hamburger, french fries and a soft drink and a person that lives in Mauritius that needs food may want a mango, rice, lentils and beans. Wants are shaped by our society.” The other part is wants, everybody can want something but only a few has the means to acquire it. A good example would be that everyone wants to eat out at expensive restaurants everyday but in reality only very few people can actually afford that lifestyle. This is why various segments have been created to target different groups and classes of people.

Marketers must therefore continually be creating and developing attractive products and then in turn devising a brilliant marketing strategy to win the consumer over to buy their product over other competing products. Companies strive to retain their customer base by delivering value and satisfaction from their products and this is formulated in consumers’ minds as a combination of service, quality and price. Some consumers would not mind paying a higher price for an item or service if they received very good service.

This is all part of what a consumer’s expectations on a product are, if these perceived expectations are met time after time then they become a loyal customer to that particular company. We as people like consistency and if a marketer provides consistent service in addition to great products and price then we will keep on going back for years. A good example would be Ben’s Chili Bowl located in Washington DC. It is an eatery that has been in business for decades and the fact that it had kept so many loyal customers is because they have offered consistent service and great food over the years and people who used to go there to eat as kids still go there as adults. They even have patrons fly into Washington DC just to experience their food and service. Companies also create brands and these brands have an effect on people’s purchasing habits.

These brands can mean several aspects of the company combined to form a perception in the consumer’s mind such as products, services, information and experiences. The more unique and interesting a brand the better it will perform. One brand that comes to mind is the Coach Company that manufactures accessories in the retail sector. They produce items such as handbags, purses, belts and other items. Coach has built a strong brand name for themselves by being unique in their style and service and this is primarily the reason that customers create a high demand for their products. This has also allowed the company to maintain an above average price for their products compared with their competitors with the knowledge that consumers would pay that higher price. Segmentation is another way that companies target the consumer to satisfy their needs and companies use this technique to target where they should market their products. There are various criteria that companies use to segment their products and some of them are geographic, demographic, psycho graphic and behavioral.

They would use factors such as how populated and area is or how wealthy the population of a specific area is and target products that fit that mold. This has proved to be a very successful tactic for companies in marketing. Marketing channels are also used by companies to reach their consumers. They use three types of marketing channels which are communications, distribution and service channels. Communications is important to get the company’s message out to the public and this could be in many forms such as the radio, television, the internet, posters and the like. They also need to distribute their products to the consumer and this means they will need a physical location like a store, or be a wholesaler and have others retail your products for you and also sell your products on the internet. Service channels are needed to effect transactions with the consumers and these could be banks for credit card purchases and transportation companies such as UPS to deliver the products to homes and businesses.

Marketing has relied on four marketing skills and tools and they are the sales force, advertising, sales promotion and marketing research, they must also use brand building, customer relations, telemarketing and others to make their product selling become reality. Companies must also function ethically and honestly to serve the consumer in the best possible manner. Marketing in the United States is unique in the world because it has evolved and changed over the years to blend in with the capitalistic society we live in in the US. This also means that some of the marketing we use in this country can only work with the credit system we currently have. This is not so in other parts of the world even in industrialized countries. So I would view marketing in the United States as one of the spokes in the wheel that makes our economy such a giant as it is today. 

Part B 

Regarding the second argument ‘Marketing shapes consumer needs and wants.’ I have to also agree with this statement. My reasons are many and varied. After seeing so many television commercials and advertisements both on the Internet and on newspapers I have concluded that some companies construct their ads to create a need in the consumer’s mind even if originally they were not interested in the product. I took some time to research some of the words that advertisements commonly use and I found an interesting mix of words and phrases. The word ‘free’ is the most common denominator I found in the ads, free is used in combinations such as free home trial, free inspection, buy one get one free, free installation, free estimates, free parking, free demonstration and free consultation. The word free is usually a powerful catalyst that springs the consumer into buying that particular product or idea even though he or she might not need it. I think other terms also kind of bait people into buying things they don’t need.

Terms such as ‘no payments till 2010’ or ‘money back guarantee’ ‘no down payment’ ‘offer good while supplies last’ help dissipate any doubts that the consumer may have and spur them on to make the purchase. “Because the goal is to get customers’ attention, persuade and create demand, market segmentation has historically been based on variables that correlate to creating demand: geography, age, gender, income, education, occupation and other traditional demographics, as well as psychographics around personality, lifestyle, values and attitudes. It works because these attributes are helpful for defining how to effectively speak to different groups of people.”

Some companies do act unethical in their advertising, for example I have seen some ads on the internet especially where companies would advertise a product and make it very appealing to the consumer then at the very bottom is tiny fonts the word ‘restrictions apply’ they would hide the link that takes you to where the restrictions are listed. So if you happen to buy that product without reading the fine print and something happens that you are not satisfied or want to return the item the company would refuse and make reference to their restriction policy. Other tactics that companies use to shape consumers needs and wants is to use celebrities or other famous people to sell their products. A good example of a company would be Nike. Nike teamed up with Michael Jordan to create marketing giant. One of the themes behind their partnership was to create the desire within consumers that if they wore Michael Jordan’s sneakers they could play basketball or jump as high as him.

This was directed primarily towards the younger consumers and turned out to be a huge marketing success. Companies also take advantage of world events or changes in the economy to come out with new products. A good example is the ever increasing popularity of hybrid cars. This has been brought about by gas prices going up and the economy slowing down. However the increase in hybrid cars has led to a marked decrease of large SUV vehicles. In the past we used to associate hybrid cars with car companies such as Toyota and Honda, but nowadays companies such as Lincoln, Ford and others are coming out with hybrid vehicles. This has been a necessity of them to compete in today’s changed car market.  

However advertising is not the only force that drives the consumer. Most companies do a lot of research before releasing an advertisement in getting a feel of what the consumers really desire. There is a constant interaction with the public in studying what is in vogue at the time and also what brands people want to be associated with. I have always wondered at why companies come out with new models or new releases at such a quick pace. This tactic is basically mainly a tweak or an enhancement of the previous model or version in order to create the perception of a totally new product which in turn creates more demand for the product.

Good examples of these products would be software, Microsoft is especially good at coming out with new versions of their products. For example with the release of Microsoft Vista operating system it meant that people had to upgrade their computers also because their existing hardware could not support Microsoft Vista’s requirements. In conclusion, newer firms tend to lean more towards creating needs because the public does not yet know about their products. Established companies are more interested in fulfilling the existing needs of consumers. These companies are already known and their products have already being deemed essential to their lives so they would continue buying their products even with little or no advertisement. 

It’s a given that all types of businesses require – at the very least – basic liability insurance. It’s always wise to safeguard your business against as much as possible. All industries are vulnerable to lawsuits for one reason or another these days. Even if you do most of your work from the home, there are still some risks you need to be aware of, such as copyright infringement. Luckily, there are custom small business commercial insurance policies are available, so you can look for quotes tailored towards your type of company and size of business.

You should take the time to educate yourself about the four primary coverage types general liability, commercial property, commercial auto, and workers compensation. If you don’t do any deliveries or use your car for anything relating to your business then you probably won’t need that coverage in your policy. If you don’t have any employees, then you won’t need workers compensation.

Even if you do have a few employees, you might or might not have to have workers compensation, depending on your state’s laws and the amount of risk involved with the employees. There is professional liability insurance for individuals such as attorneys, accountants, consultants, real estate agents, and so forth. General liability and professional liability are not the same thing.

There are some risks that are excluded under small business commercial insurance, despite the fact that they might involve large losses. For instance, floods and tornadoes require “specialized policies” This is because the insurance companies don’t like to have to pay out such a large amount of money to all of the businesses damaged within a small geographical area.

Small Business Commercial Insurance Coverage

Here are a few things from which a small business commercial insurance, in general, will protect your company:

• If someone gets hurt in any way while on physical property associated with your business

• If a customer has any property damaged by you or your employees

• If your products cause harm to someone or their property

• If you use a customer’s photo in your advertising and they try and sue you for copyright

• If your company is named in a lawsuit for medical expenses and property damages

What about your OWN injuries? What would become of your business if something were to happen to you? These are also things to consider when adding specialized coverage to your policy.

Just use the internet to help find the right small business commercial insurance for you, starting with Hiscox Business Insurance. Review your insurance each and every year to make sure it still lines up with your needs.

Deciding the proper shed design for your backyard will involve a number of factors. You will need to understand what the function of your backyard shed will be. The structure could be used as a place for storage or simply as a place to work. A number designs are available that can meet the needs of these various functions.

Backyard Sheds For Storage

Pent Roof Shed

There are a number of designs that can be used this function. One such backyard shed design is the pent roof style shed. This type of structure involves the use of a roof which is of a single pitch. The structure can be built as a stand-alone unit or it can be built up against a larger structure for support.

Salt Box Roof Shed

This type of shed design uses an asymmetrical roof design. One side is long sloping and the other side is shorter with a steeper slope. This type of shed design can be used to construct a shed in you backyard. However it will be more complicated and time-consuming to build than a mono pitched structure such as a pent roof shed.

The backyard shed design does come with it drawbacks when it comes to basic storage. This is because of the roof design. The longer sloping side of the roof will not allow you to get the premium storage capacity as will other storage systems will give you. The barn roof storage shed may be on to consider. However this simple shed design will still give you plenty of storage space in the other side of the roof system.

This shed design if great for areas of the world that receive large amount of precipitation as the shape of the roof allows run off for rain or melting snow and ice. The structure can also be safely accessed with regards of removing excessive snow build up

Backyard Shed Used as a Place To Work

Clerestory Style Shed

A great type of shed to consider for your backyard is the clerestory shed design. This shed structure would be a great place to use as a work place. The design uses a number of windows in the roof. These windows are known as clerestory windows, allowing for natural light to illuminate the interior of the structure. Because the window are placed in the roof this gives the structure a very attractive appearance and also makes it very functional.

Best Regards

There will be many occasions in life when you will be in a position to provide support for a friend or family member who is mourning the death of a loved one. No special training is needed. You can stay on the sidelines and let someone else fill the void, or you can assist, and give strength to carry on.

Although every grief response is one of a kind, based on the nature of the relationship with the person who died and a host of other factors, here are four things you can do to help any mourner.

1. Become a committed and tireless companion. Great companions in time of loss are people who are inexhaustible listeners and won’t be intimidated by the pain being witnessed. Not an easy task, to be sure. This means realizing you can’t fix it by what you say, but you can give a feeling of hope and security by your presence alone. Being around pain is your greatest challenge and contribution.

The right people are bastions of hope for mourners who know they can be counted on. You will sense if you are the right person to be the companion, or if someone else is best suited for the job.

2. Find sound information to recommend to the mourner. Mourners and caregivers alike often need information about grief and what is normal. We live in a society that denies the inevitable and often produces poor grief models and ultimately ineffective ways of dealing with loss and change. Yet, there is an extremely wide range of normalcy in the grief process. For example, some people can’t cry but that doesn’t mean they are not deeply hurting and need support.

Consider getting information from grief counselors, clergy, support group facilitators, hospice personnel, or the vast array of resources on the internet. Double check them with others, and when appropriate, recommend them to the mourner.

3. Be someone who can say, “Keep loving.” To love and to feel loved is arguably the most powerful source of renewal and reinvestment in life after loss. Commonly forgotten as a major coping resource and provider of meaning, it takes us outside of ourselves, and leads to healing. Physician Dean Ornish put it this way, “Love promotes survival. Both nurturing and being nurtured are life affirming.” Choosing to be a more loving person is a focus that always brings reinvestment in life and adjusting to the changed conditions dictated by loss.

4. Be someone who can ask, weeks or months later, “What’s it like today?” When you receive the common response of “Okay,” immediately follow up with, “What’s it really like?” Be prepared to hear what is really happening deep inside. Since grief and adjusting to an environment without the loved one is a long term process, having someone who understands that things won’t be the same again, is of great comfort. Recognize that the mourner is developing new routines and you can help reinforce progress and the normalcy of the setbacks that occur.

At the right time, ask “What can I do to help?” which makes clear you are into being a trusted companion for the long haul. This is where you will truly be tested and can make a major contribution by consistently being there. Many support persons grow tired and gradually withdraw.

Effective support persons recognize and are willing to give much time in their roles. In this effort, they always remember that there are as many mourning styles as there are lifestyles. The mourner is in charge of how the loss will be integrated into life without the loved one. You can encourage that freedom of choice.

To summarize, mourners need tireless companions open to allowing grief to unfold in its individual way. In this vein, the support person seeks information that may help though the journey, and by their presence alone, give example of the power of love in dealing with the transitions we all must face.

You must have invested years of expense and time in its maintenance if you have built your in-house ticketing system right from scratch. But there may be chances that your system still is not meeting the needs.

Sometimes, to keep the event system up-to-date, you just need to invest more time and money. But most of the time your team is short of resources to pour into system maintenance let alone the technological improvements that are required to make your site advanced and competitive.

Here are some generic signs that tell that your ticketing system needs an overhaul.

• Times When You Can’t Connect to Other Top-notch Solutions – When it comes to putting up successful events, a ticketing system is just one piece of the puzzle. But you should always keep the big picture in mind and that includes your daily activity to operate impeccably. Under ideal conditions, the ticketing system that you device should be able to link up with your check-in system, your event app, promotional channels and other services like Survey Monkey and Google Analytics. This way you will get to know more about your ticket buyers and page visitors. You have to think of an upgrade if your system is not compatible with other technological solutions that you rely on.
• You Cannot Access the Data That You Need – Everyone knows that you are selling tickets but do you know anything about the people who are purchasing the tickets. If you cannot understand who your attendees are, how they are discovering your event and when they are purchasing the tickets, then you are losing valuable insights that can improve your ticket sales in a drastic manner. If your ticketing system is not able to collect data of your attendees then it is time to dig deeper. This way you won’t be able to compete or expand your business if you do not have a system that collects data in real-time and is easy-to-use.
• Your Ticketing System Keeps Breaking – One of the most obvious signs that tells that you need to switch and upgrade to a new system is when you are unable to run it. If your system is not running smoothly especially at the time of high-demand on-sales then it is natural that the potential attendees will be frustrated and they will show it on social media.
• Your Conversion Rates Are Going Down – There are lots of reasons that the percentage of page visitors who actually complete the registration or the ticket-buying process may decline. But a poor ticketing system really hurts the rate of conversion and it affects the system in the worst way possible. Every additional step that your attendees have to take for booking the ticket, each time the conversion rates get affected by 10% per additional step. In case, your in-house ticketing system calls for people to create an account, doesn’t work smoothly or look good, it is time to switch or upgrade without any question.

The above are some of the tell-tale signs that your in-house ticketing system needs to be overhauled. The experienced and experiential event agency actually follows these steps religiously prior to hosting any event.

There will be times when it is possible for someone to know what another person’s needs are and times when it won’t be. That is, of course, unless someone has the ability to read minds; if they do, they will always know.

But, if this ability is put to one side, another person will need to make it clear what their needs are. If they don’t do this, it will be normal for a lot of their needs to go unmet and they might try to do just about everything by themselves.

A Key Ability

When it comes to the needs that someone can pick up on, it can relate to if another person needs emotional support, positive feedback or encouragement, for instance. Through empathising with them – putting themselves in their shoes – they will know what to offer them.

What this means is that if they lacked the ability to empathise with others, they might not even be able to pick up on these needs. Another person would practically need to spell out what they need in order for them to understand.

Conflict

Perhaps the main reason why someone wouldn’t express their needs directly is that they don’t feel comfortable with them. Nevertheless, even though this is the case, it doesn’t mean that they will be aware of this.

As a result of this, they can end up blaming another person for not knowing what their needs are. This person will just be expected to know what their needs are as opposed to one having to tell them.

More-Than Human

It won’t matter how good their ability to empathise is as they simply won’t always know what another person’s needs are. Still, they will be expected to do something that a superhero might do.

By being blamed, they can end feeling angry or even up feeling guilty, which can cause them to do everything that they can to please this person. Either way, it is unlikely to lead to a harmonious and balanced relationship.

A Deeper Look

If someone doesn’t feel comfortable expressing their needs directly and has the tendency to blame others for not being able to pick up on what they need, it could show that their caregivers rarely responded positively to their needs during their early years. This stage of their life would have caused them to believe that there was something inherently wrong with their needs and, if they revealed them, they would be rejected and abandoned.

One would have had to just hope that their needs would be met and experienced a lot of pain through not getting them met. Yet, although they were unable to get their needs met during this stage of their life, this is no longer the case now that they are an adult.

Final Thoughts

To do this, they will need to look into what they believe when it comes to their own needs and to work through the pain that they experienced all those years ago. This will allow them to realise that there is nothing wrong with their needs and that they can express them directly.

This is something that can take place with the assistance of a therapist or healer.

If your child — or, let’s be frank, your husband — has been recently diagnosed with special needs, you might be fretting that life will be harder to deal with now. The truth is that it’s about to get much easier. The diagnosis doesn’t change anything about the problems you have today except that it gives you an entity to blame — the disability — and it gives you a wealth of knowledge about how to change your current habits to adapt. Here are some classic examples:

Put Everything in Writing — and in Public

Learning and attention disabilities affect both children and adults in one predictable way: it makes their memory malfunction, most often in relationship to things that they are the least interested in. You’ve probably heard the term “selective memory” — for people with these disabilities, that’s a horrible truth, because their memory is actually selective… it’s just not in their control! So posting reminders of what is supposed to be done by whom (and by when) in a common area like the fridge or the bathroom mirror should become a habit for everyone.

Play to Each Person’s Strengths — and Admit Each Person’s Weaknesses

Every disability is slightly different, and leads the person coping with it to behave slightly differently. The big challenge here is getting the disabled individual to admit that no, they really have no ability to deal with money (or detail work like folding laundry, or sustained effort like reorganizing the pantry, or whatever.) Once each person is able to relinquish control over those areas they simply aren’t equipped to deal with, tasks can be reassigned based on strengths, and tasks that have no ‘strong’ individual can be assigned to the family as a whole to be overseen collectively.

Enable Everyone to be Self-Reliant

Each person in a special needs family will need their own tools for taking as much control as they’re able. In a family with a hyperactive child, an inattentive father, and a physically disabled but executively strong mother, for example:

• The child might have a set of fridge magnets to move around indicating which chores are done and which remain to be tackled.

• The father might have a phone or other device loaded up with a calendar app, an alarm clock app, and a list-keeping app that allows him to keep track of daily tasks using alarms, one-time tasks using the calendar, and things like shopping lists using the list app.

• The mother might have a walker that can be used as a stool and a chair, to enable her to do basic work around the house while maintaining the ability to sit when- and where-ever necessary and get to the high shelves for whatever needs arise.

When each person is given the tools they need to function without constant assistance, the expectation of self-reliance becomes the culture, and everyone benefits.

Don’t Take Anything Too Seriously

This is probably the single most important piece of advice for a family with multiple different disabilities interacting on a day-to-day basis. Learning to recognize when your disability has struck, point it out, and laugh about it is the most powerful tool to improve your long-term chances of success — whatever your definition of success might be.

People who want to improve the way their smile, teeth and mouth looks can go for cosmetic dentistry, which is professional oral care that focuses on these things. While cosmetic dentistry procedures are often an option rather than a necessity, some treatments offer restorative benefits as well. Most of the most common cosmetic dentistry procedures are quite simple, while others are more complicated and need specialized care.

Inlays and Onlays

Inlays and onlays, also called indirect fillings, are made by a dental lab and are used if the patient has a mild to moderate tooth decay, or lacks tooth structure to support a filling. The inlay is placed straight into the tooth surface – as long as there is no damage to the tooth cusps. However, if the cusp or a larger part of the tooth is damaged, an onlay is used to cover the whole surface of tooth.

Inlays and onlays (which are made from composite resin material) are attached to the teeth using adhesive dental cement. They give support to make teeth stronger, bring back their shape, and prevent further decay/deterioration.

Composite Bonding

This cosmetic dental procedure repairs damaged, decayed or discolored teeth by using material that looks like the color of the tooth enamel. First, the dentist drills out the tooth decay, then applies the composite to the surface of the tooth, and “sculpts” it into the correct shape; finally, cures it with high-intensity light. Cosmetic bonding or bonding as it is simply called, covers the damage to the tooth very well, making it appear as a healthy tooth. This procedure is among the least expensive procedures for patients who have tooth decay, cracked or chipped teeth, and worn-down edges.

Dental Veneers

Dental veneers are usually made from medical-grade ceramic, and are individually made for every patient to look like his/her natural teeth. They look very real, and can address several cosmetic problems – including cracked/damaged enamel, crooked teeth and visible gaps between teeth. The dentist uses a dental adhesive to apply the veneer to the front surface of the tooth.

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening or teeth bleaching is among the most basic cosmetic dentistry procedures, and can be done right at your dentist’s office. Prior to whitening, the surface of the teeth should be cleaned from tartar, plaque and other debris in order to restore their natural look. To get a lighter shade than the original color, teeth can be bleached as well.

During the passing of years, teeth can become worn and stained from drinks, food, medication and bad habits like smoking. The whitening which coats the teeth can be performed at home or in the dental office. Also, patients can get the same results in 1 to 2 weeks when they use special toothpaste. Such products come in different formulas and are able to lighten teeth up to more than three shades in two weeks. To get optimal results, the product should be used up to four weeks.

Implants

People who lose their teeth could have them replaced with dental implants. A small titanium screw is inserted by the dentist into the jaw, where the tooth is missing. This acts as the support for a crown. These implants almost look identical to the surrounding natural teeth, and the moment the bone and supporting tissue combine with the implant, they get permanently held in place. Patients have to practice good oral hygiene habits throughout the implant placement period to keep the area clean from food remains and plaque.

Identifying needs of the elderly can be difficult, especially if you are working with the elderly or simply trying to help parents or other family members.

Your parents will often reassure you that all is well because they do not want you to worry about them. The truth is, they may not want your help and truly feel they do not need it.

You are in a difficult situation because you do not want to pry into their affairs, but you are beginning to realize help may be needed. Here are a few tips to help assess the situation objectively:

#1 When you enter the home, what is your first reaction? Does the home seem overly hot or cool? Are the rooms unduly stuffy or dark? Are window shades and curtains drawn in midday for no apparent reason?

#2 Is there an odor in the home? Elderly often have urinary problems and could have stained clothing or even dribbles on the floor to the bathroom. Because of loss of vision and sensory perceptions, they may not be aware of the problem themselves.

#3 How is the kitchen, are dishes done? Now, let’s be realistic here; if you come to my home unannounced, you may find dirty dishes or some chores undone. However, when they begin to stack up, it could be a problem. Notice the unwashed dishes; is there dried food in them? Is there food left on the counter from the last meal?

#4 Check out the refrigerator. Are leftovers stored without covers? Are the fruits and vegetables wilted or spoiled. Check to see if condiments are stored properly and not too old to use.

#5 If possible, check out the medicine cabinets or drawers. Check the dates to determine if medicine prescriptions are being filled properly and taken as prescribed. You may need to contact the doctor or pharmacist.

#6 Is the trash emptied or are all the waste baskets overflowing? Are tables and chairs piled high with papers, mail, and magazines?

#7 When visiting a parent or loved one you do not visit often, learn to focus on changes in behavior or housekeeping. Do you see signs of increased neglect in any of the above areas? What has changed since your last visit?

#8 If you have concerns about whether or not the mail is handled properly and bills are paid on time, you may have to contact utility companies to make sure they are up to date.

Recognizing the need for help is a beginning. Once you know what the real needs are, you can seek help in meeting those needs. It is a good thing to keep a small notebook to list any changes you observe.

We are fortunate today to have access to many agencies that work with the elderly. Knowing the extent of their situation is critical to ensuring a proper response to our questions when seeking advice.

Whether the elderly are family or friends and neighbors, respect their privacy and honor their wishes as much as possible. At the same time, do your best to correctly assess the situation so that you can get them the help they need.

By taking time to look at the entire home and personal needs objectively, you can determine whether the need can be met by part-time help or not. If the situation calls for more drastic measures, you will be prepared to help meet that need.

Emotions are natural to experience. They come and go all the time, and that is perfectly normal. Emotionally intelligent people recognize this and function well in life. They understand that it is not about not having an emotion, having less of an emotion or not expressing it. It is about how you express the emotion, where you direct it, and what you expect of your loved ones to do about your emotion.

Emotionally needy people, on the other hand, make up drama (to draw attention to themselves). This of course repels the partner (no one wants to be around drama). The partner withdraws (attention is not achieved) and the drama gets bigger. Now the emotion is not about the original thing but about “my partner not paying attention to me and not getting me, therefore I am not important” (classic victim mentality, often coupled with narcissism).

On the face of it, one should be very discerning about their emotional behavior and always make sure their emotional needs are valid and they are not just dumping their shit onto another person. Valid emotional needs are centered on emotions that are completely internalized and taken full responsibility for. You get angry (with or without your partner being around). You take responsibility for your anger, and you realize that you are in charge of expressing that anger appropriately. You may need to talk to someone in order to assimilate what this is all about. But pay attention to your motivation here. Are you initiating communication in order to understand anger, experience it in a mature way, and release it? Or are you initiating conversation to draw attention to yourself and your problems and to elicit sympathy so you can feel special and loved? Are you making this about yourself and picking up a fight with an innocent person? Or are you trying to neutralize a charged experience in a responsible way?

If you are being mature about your emotions, then it is absolutely appropriate to want from your partner to meet your emotional needs (by listening and perhaps reflecting back some neutral observations). If your partner can’t be around your intelligently expressed emotions, then it is absolutely reasonable to seek out another partner.

However, if you are trying to draw attention, create drama, and make someone else responsible for what you are feeling, we are not talking about natural emotional needs here. Rather, we are talking about emotional neediness which, frankly, no partner could ever deal with. You need a therapist instead.