Why do we live?
You know, humans live practically everywhere. You can even find scattered bands of them wandering through the deserts, or living in a god-forsaken places like, say, Alaska, where the temperatures are quite often far below zero. You can find them everywhere, like some sort of fungus that spreads around the world, threatening to infect other planets, as well. There are rare shitholes where someone, someday won't make a home and struggle for some kind of miserable existence. It's certainly not brains, because if humans used just reason, well, they'd probably decide to kill themselves with excessive amounts of alcohol, or the chemical stimulant of choice. No, it has to be an emotion, and a strong one. Instinct. Simply, the same with all animals, pure instinct keeps us alive. There, we're like all animals, but we've got a special problem, we've got brains. Well, some of us. However, being animals that we are, the basis of our existence are emotions which we all feel, and which provide the motivator for us. It can't be reason which makes us live, since pure reason is nihilistic in nature. Except for emotions, there is no point to life, and there's this one particular emotion we're aiming for.
Happiness. Now, before you start moaning how the idea of fluffy bunnies and other assorted goody-goody stuff makes you violently sick, let me remind you that everyone has a personal definition of happiness, those which are lucky enough to find it. Writing stuff like this does bring a smug, bastardly smile to my face... However, in order to be happy, well, we've first got to satisfy our instinct, if we bear in mind that instinct is keeping us alive. That means we've got to have material conditions to satisfy these needs. Of course, today, there's a lot of needs to be satisfied, since making a living is a tad more complicated then it was when all you had to do is club some other animal to death and eat it. Of course, that's where the brainwashers come in telling you what you really, really want, which will make you happy. Until the next hit comes by. However, leaving them out of the equation, this time, since I'm sure you're all sick of my talk about that ( if not of my talk overall, what wouldn't suprise me, by the way ), let's just say that the system is rigged so that a smaller part of the population is actually producing the goods we're all using.
Now, they've got material conditions. Of course, it's not enough. So many people have the material conditions and drown them in cheap liquor, or don't feel like working for them, and feel generally miserable. The next need we've got, you see, is the need to be loved. The need to be cared about, you know, is something we've all got, although you could talk about the "tactical advantages" of having someone ( i did that, too, just for the hell of it ), it's based on emotions, not reason. I don't know, but it makes people happy to have someone, in fact, it gives a sort of meaning to life, which it otherwise doesn't have. You know, most people crave for company, and it's generally known we're pack animals. Of course, then silly games about power happen, but that's exactly how animals behave, except they do it with teeth, while we have words, and an assortiment of weapons enough to wipe us all out a few dozen times. Then you also get all those little fantasies, or, frustrations, more like it, coming up and screwing up inter-personal relationships. I'm sure you've noticed how packs of sexually frustrated men talk viciously about someone else's relationships, and brag about sexual experiences they've never had. Generally, pettyness of every sort, since most human desires are petty, of course.
There's a few more things people need, however, to feel positive. A sense of perspective, first. If the future looks bleak, and the past wasn't much better, what can you expect? However, quite often we're talking about material security here. A sense of security, too, is needed for someone to be content with their life, although security alone won't make anyone happy. Being secure in misery isn't something that's going to lift anyone's spirits, really. Oh, yes, most people attain a sense of security by burying their heads in the sand, or occasionally, up their arse, and won't wake up until something serious happens and really shakes them, and then it's usually too late to act. Generally, people need support structures, a sense of purpose, and that kind of stuff. Of course, you should probably try to live without outside help, since you won't be always able to count on it, and while being helped out is a good thing, having to count on it, well, isn't the brainy thing to do. You know, all the things we've got today make it possible for the weak to live quite comfortably, but, we can't count on stability in a world that's in a state of constant flux. We've just got to be ready for change, since you can't avoid it. Having a solid personality is one step towards it. Now, to build a personality like that, you need tools. Philosophy, knowledge, and that kind of stuff.
Now, there's one thing that should be avoided, since it's what psychiatrists and drug manufacturers live off, and seeing how well they are living, it's a big issue. Stress and anger at yourself. Now, unresolved obligations, guilt, not acting the way you feel, not doing the stuff you want to do, that's what's causing it, and it's the biggest problem most people have. They just can't bring themselves to do what they want, what they think they should. Is it fear stopping them, is it restrictive sheep training, or they're just not strong enough? Anyway, the major cause of frustrations is not doing the things you feel like doing, and seeing how feelings are what we live for, anyway, it's very natural you'll feel lousy. Of course, that doesn't mean you should just act on every impulse you have, that would probably lead to unpleasant things. There's where reason jumps in. How can I get what I want? Planning, perseverance and action is what'll make it happen. The thing you call "will" and take pride in having is what you'll need there. Even girl's magazines have popular psychology crap how to do this and build up your self-esteem, and all that shite that's actually relatively useful in life, if you have a reason to use it.
Of course, there comes the question, what do you want? Well, although the brainwashers I mentioned somewhere will very tactfully tell you you want that blue BMW, a fancy house and all the nice stuff, it usually proves to be a load of marketing BS, and you prove to be an idiot for listening to it. Religious fanatics will tell you a life of worship is what you really, really want, and some will even find joy there. Conservative politicians will tell you you want to have a family with three kids, be a good, tax-paying, law-obeying, grass-eating sh... eh, citizen. Anarchists will tell you what you really, really want is to live in a system which doesn't tell you what to want, and which doesn't also rob you and kick you in the arse by the way, what's probably something you wouldn't mind, but I highly doubt the object of your deepest desires is a political system. Nobody knows, and, while, ideally, you should know what -you- want, I'm betting you don't know jack. Most people just have a vague notion or two, and the influence of other people always has some effects. Well, that's a question I can't answer. Nope. I don't have an idea what you want. Maybe you want too many things to get them all. Maybe you just want to be left alone. Maybe, if you strip the masks off and be honest with yourself, maybe, you'll find out what you want, like I now know I want a nice, warm cup of strong coffee, extra sweet, but I'll go for a beer, because I don't have to trouble myself with making it. Tip: That's an example of the kind of thinking that doesn't get you far...