What if everything we did had only 2 driving purposes?
I have single-handedly uncovered the true meaning of humanity.
Every action we perform has only 2 driving factors—reproduction and pleasure.
Think of an action- any action.
Ping-pong is an example of an action done for the express purpose of pleasure. You have fun playing ping-pong.
Take the flip side.
What about a professional ping-pong player (we’ll say Timo Boll of Germany, just for argument’s sake)? Is it possible that he doesn’t like ping-pong, but he’s just so good at it that he uses it simply to make a living?
Absolutely.
Then how would “making a living” relate to reproduction or pleasure? Well, he makes a living so he can support himself and his wife (Rodelia Jacobi). Why would he do this? Two reasons— the ability to raise a family with her (reproduction) and the ability to spend the rest of his life with her in their German home eating toaster strudel and wiener schnitzel (pleasure).
Give me another example- literally anything.
Eating food. You eat food to sustain your body (for reproduction) and/or because it tastes good (pleasure).
Riding the train. Where are you going? If you’re going to work, odds are you’re on the train for reproductive reasons because you’re trying to earn an income. If you’re going to a concert, odds are you’re on the train for pleasurable reasons (unless you work at a concert, in which case it’s probably still for reproductive reasons).
What about working out? Working out- you’re sculpting yourself. Why? To look good and feel good. Right there- reproduction and pleasure. Look good- for reproduction. Feel good- for pleasure. Give me a tough one, man.
There isn’t a single action that falls under “miscellaneous.”
Some of you may be asking, “what about my old, decrepit, and bedridden grandparents? They won’t be reproducing anytime soon.”
You’re absolutely right (and thank God). Once you reach a certain point, everything you do falls under the category of “pleasure.” Reading, eating, sleeping, playing bridge, hanging out with the grandkids, going to church—can you think of anything old people do that isn’t for pleasure? You won’t be able to, because there isn’t.
Old people are hedonists, plain and simple.
Babies most clearly exemplify the argument I’m making. They don’t do very much, so you can break down their very few actions easily. Sleeping and eating would fall under reproductive purposes (though speaking in much longer terms than adults). Crying and laughing would fall under pleasure. Allow me to clarify– though crying in and of itself isn’t pleasurable for the child, the crying is a warning to the baby’s caregiver to make him/her more comfortable, so its end-goal is pleasure.
For those individuals who are incapable of having children, for whatever reason, whether it be sexual orientation, infertility, or something else entirely, their lives (obviously) can be just as fruitful and selfless as those individuals capable of reproduction. However, all actions in these cases would fall under the category of “pleasure,” but that’s not a bad thing. “Pleasure” can just as easily mean going for a bike ride as volunteering in a soup kitchen. Ultimately, “pleasure” is a word that I’m using here to refer to “that which is good, yet also unrelated to reproduction.”
So, there you go.
To all fellow human beings– rest easy knowing that none of your actions can have any profound impact on the world because of your inherent motivations.
Until next time,
Michael J. Erickson, CEO & Co-Founder
