A Discourse on Urges

We all have the urges of hunger, to reproduce, and for friendship. Some of the people also have the urges of creating music, to write novel, and for the belief in the almighty, while the others have the urges of possessiveness, to discriminate, and for cruelty. These persistent and somewhat uncontrollable urges are the driving force behind a life of wonder and splendor as well as blunder and squander. We are a living being that requires certain basic needs to keep us alive and well. We are also a creature with desires that have to be satisfied to keep our sanity. These urges play a vital role in our survival against all odds.

Hunger

To quench the urge of hunger, we have devoted a lot of efforts to cultivate a robust agriculture and a healthy meat and poultry farms that feed an efficient food processing and distribution network. The food production is engineered and automated to ensure that it is always outpacing the needs of an ever increasing population.

Reproduce

The urge to reproduce serves us well till the population reaches a hard to manage size. As the population explodes, so there come the social and economic pressures to keep the urge under control and the family size to a minimal. As a result, some more advanced and developed countries start to have a negative population growth.

Friendship

We are a social animal by necessity and choice. We know that we have to work with strangers in public to make a living. But, we also have the urge for friendship to share our inner feelings and common interests in private. As we get older, due to each person’s unique personality, mental capacity, and social background, having close friends is a pipe dream for most people.

Music

Everyone listens to and is inspired by music of one kind or another. Countless music was created. Some disappeared, some stayed on, and a few will never be forgotten. The urge to create music is a gift that most people can only dream about. Nature makes sound and only human makes music that calms our emotions and lifts our spirits. Most importantly, music is a universal language that can be understood by people around the world to convey happiness, togetherness, and peace.

Novel

In the public library, we can find all kinds of books which can be divided into 2 main categories. The technical book usually contains scholarly information or life experiences that worth sharing. Then, there is the novel that is usually the concrete product of people’s fantasy and imagination. We all have fantasies and imaginations but only a tormented few have the urge and ability to translate them into writings. The novel is a popular and essential pass time reading material that offers a temporary escape from a world of routines to a realm that lets us experience the improbable.

Belief

We all know that we are a being who is capable of great kindness as well as unspeakable violence. Some have found ways to live with the contradictions from within and to cope with the turmoil that they caused from without. Some have the urge to believe the presence of an overseer who will absolve their sins, reward their good deeds, and make sure that righteousness and justice will prevail in the end. Today, 2/3 of the population has religious faith in one institution or another. The overall effect is good as the true believer gets a peace of mind, adheres to a higher moral standard, and convinces that there is a purpose to everything.

Purpose

Without doubt, these urges keep us alive and make our lives more enjoyable so much so that we are no longer constantly aware their roles in our survival.

- Foods are conveniently and affordably available at local supermarkets and fast food restaurants.

- Medical consultations and drugs are provided at low cost to keep birth rate in control.

- A host of social clubs and activities give people a choice to meet potential soul mates.

- Music of all varieties is free for the ears on the radio.

- Novels of all imaginations can be checked out for 3 weeks with a free library card.

- Churches, temples, synagogues, and mosques can be found almost everywhere in the city for people seeking spiritual guidance.

Our abilities to control and fulfill our urges make us the king of the jungles and develop the only civilization on Earth, while the rest of the animals is still a slave to the urges of hunger and reproduction all their lives. But, this does not mean that we are the master of Nature. Far from it, as one of its byproducts, we will forever be under its spell. These urges will help us to unravel the mysteries and the layered treasures of our provider. Our journey from the African savannas started around a million years ago has been filled with indescribable hardships and timely discoveries. Without these built-in urges as guide, we will likely be still stuck in the jungles.