Are we born with a biological/genetic imperative. If you think so, what is the imperative?

We are here. Must we be handed a purpose for it? If reason can explain the how of it, if it has all happened without intent, are we any less here? Should it be we have to find our own way, using only reason and character, is that so bad a thing?

I live my life as if this were just so, and it is full and meaningful. It is a short story, maybe a novel, but will have an end. I hope it will be, "He had lived all his days, and found what peace there is for a man in this world. He loved, created, and maybe even was loved a little. That is enough."

Biological Imperative

Our realities are defined by environmental stimuli. Everything we witness (in our families, in our communities, on TV, etc.) from birth until the present shapes and drives the decisions we make. There is obviously an innate human imperative to survive which compels us to try to avoid death at all costs. We have other innate traits as well such as the drive to procreate, the need for touch and intimacy, the need for comfort etc. But there is a crossover between our biological characteristics and our frontal lobe abstract thinking which can confuse these things.

Humans are very intellectual, so even though we feel compelled to procreate and escape danger, higher brain functioning sometimes tells us to act contrary to our instincts. Animals operate 90% on instinct, but humans are able to analyze things in a way that animals cannot. We are the most sophisticated creatures on the planet.

But thinking is defined and shaped by environment which can also change our imperatives based upon which culture we live in. If we lived on a planet where killing was acceptable and rape was the only kind of sex, obvioulsy we would have different imperatives.

Good question.

Hmmm, yes we have a biological imperative. And Bowen is exactly right. But WHY do we have the biological imperative to reproduce? What is so important about reproducing?

Well in today's world we are ALL sideswept from our real purpose with all this man made LIFE that we are born into.

Think of it.

If you were on a desert island with a bunch of people and nothing, your life would be completely different than this life, and frankly if you were to come to this life after 30 years of that life you would probably hate the world and feel lost.

We ARE lost, because everything we live is complete and utter BULLSH*T with no purpose whatsoever.

When you are on your deathbed, what do you want to be remembered for? What should people remember about you?

How many years you spent in university? The 40 years you worked behind a desk?

WHAT? How many teeth you shined? How many buttholes you plugged?

Think about that.

Our genetic imperative is biological self-preservation. I think you are speaking of spiritual imperatives.

We have the same biological imperative as all other species; survive long enough to reproduce.

ma: Tony is THE metal riff master and extremely modest about it. He just stands there and channels engery. He doesn't even headbang or even move much, yet the crowd is going nuts. ma2: I got to see Sabbath in Seattle '99 on their Reunion tour. I had seen Ozzy solo before and didn't have the same energy. The 4 original members together was a great moment to witness on stage. ma3/4: too many classic riffs and solos to choose from.

the jist is this.....the earth itself is a tiny little speck not really worth mentioning considering the universe's vast existance.

i don't believe there MUST be some greater reason why we are here. i think we are on the same level as most other animals. at least they don't use car-bombs or rob the mom and pop store on the corner.

if there really was a god he'd surely have moved on by now.

I am here as a result of my parents.

And evolution works through natural selection, so of course we are inclined to make choices that are beneficial to the survival of our species. That's what life is.... and it always finds a way to survive. Which is the beauty of evolution. Even if one life dies off, or one branch of life... there are still plenty of other evolutionary branches left to continue to live and reproduce.

Our individual lives aren't solely based around this, however. I have my own individual purposes in life, as do you and everyone else. That's what is so great about life, in my opinion. You get to live yours and I get to live mine, exactly as we each wish to.