>Not "because it makes me feel >good", but WHY does it make you feel good. Once you have that answer, >THEN fire off that flaming response to me telling me I'm wrong, and why >you do what you do, and how that reason is different then fulfilling >either personal survival or species survival.
In my extremely humble opinion, you are right to some extent but I don't agree that there are only two "human motivating factors" for I also think most human beings also strive to have a meaningful existence. We are "the philososphical species" really (although I have seen other animals seemingly lost in thought). For instance, alot of the people I know have had children not simply to perpetrate themselves (more so than the species I would say), but to add meaning to their lives. As a woman d'un certain age without children and past the need to attract a mate for purposes of procreation or material support, I still spend thought and money on making myself (and my house and my car etc) attractive to other human beings - in order to be socially fit, in order to continue to pay for the roof over my head and to have a social life. And I look for pursuits on a daily basis that will add meaning since I have the luxury to do so - although even those humans with hard, exhausting lifes usually find a way to take at least a little time out for philosophical or spiritual activity of one kind or another (smelling roses, going to church, etc). Also, I think one of the reasons we congregate in social groups is to use the energy a group dynamic gives us and to reaffirm our sense of self - our own meaning, if you will. This is the first time I have thought about this specifically so I am only speculating but it is one of the things I love best about this list - the off topic rants and ramblings! Tannis ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe send a mail message with a SUBJECT line of "unsubscribe" to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
