The pyramid depiction and a lot of flaws that goes with that interpretation was not Maslow's doing. No evidence exists that he ever represented his ideas and theories in the pyramid often associated with him.

Maslow himself did not agree with the viewpoint that certain needs must be fulfilled before other needs may be addressed. He even addressed that flaw in an article written for "Psychological Review" in 1943.

The interpretation of his work as a pyramid and the requirements of fulfillment was tracked to a consulting psychologist, Charles McDermid who presented an argument designed to support a message to business of generating “maximum motivation at the lowest cost”

Read the wonderful article "Who Created Maslow’s Iconic Pyramid?" in Scientific American for a full description of how this flawed pyramid came to be.

Another interesting interpretation of Abraham Maslow's theory is found in Scott Barry Kaufman's book "Transcend".

Maslow's Pyramid is a flawed concept and any assumptions and hypotheses based on that foundation will carry the flaws forward. And that is a disservice to the legacy of a great man.