I don’t particularly know why, but on the way home I was thinking about the broad codes or belief structures that people live by. The things that keep people wanting to live and motivate their behaviour along the way. The list I’ve come up with so far is:
Hedonism – the pursuit of physical or sensual pleasure, be it from drug taking, eating, dancing or sleeping with another human being.
Religion – the belief that there is a higher purpose that sits behind our earthly life and a resulting self-imposed code of behaviour.
Humanism – the belief that there is no god, but that it is worth observing a moral code based around ensuring some equality of experience for all and achieving the karmic balance that should mean that you don’t deserve a bad thing to happen to you.
Procreation – the pursuit of life through your children and through the innate belief that your life is worthwhile because you are protecting and nurturing
Philanthropy – the principle that helping others provides your life with greater worth (whether acknowledged as a prop to the ego, or suppressed, observing humility)
Fame / recognition – the idea that your life is worthwhile because others (not necessarily that many) know who you are and the belief that this implicitly implies that you have committed some actions that are worth remembering.
This isn’t a perfect list, but thinking about it made me realise that while there is a great deal of overlap between the codes – for instance it’s perfectly likely that you might seek fame and be a hedonist – I feel that most people lean most strongly towards one of them. I’m not sure what any of this means, but I know I’m really tired today and that I wanted to get this down before I forgot it.
Shit, that is sublime. I like this thread so much I think I am going to have to steal it, research it, expand on it and ask for assistance from you. I am going to submit this theme as a topic in the book I am planning to write on important life issues and facts. You are now my consultant Mr. Groover.