The Urge To Seek

[Runt]

I'm paraphrasing part of the sermon my minister gave at church this past Sunday (because I wanted to discuss her sermon but it was a service, not a Covanant or Forum meeting )

"The human brain has changed very little since the Ice Ages. Our minds are more advanced, but it is like running high tech software on a stone-age hard-drive. Is it any wonder that we crash?

"One of the things that has stayed with us from our early days as a species is the need to SEEK. Today we see it in ideas like the American 'pursuit of happiness', in the quest to find religious truth, in the pursuit of the American dream.

"Some people step back from this system and may ask 'Why? Why do we never feel we have enough? Why do we always seek MORE?'

"Well, it goes right back to our ancestors. In the early days of human society we were hunter-gatherers. In Ice-Age society the desire to seek was probably an evolutionary advantage.

"We ask today why we don't feel we have enough... well, it is because back then, in the Ice-Age, there never was enough. Not enough food, warmth, comfort, or safety. Those who were programmed to seek these things stood a better chance then those who were not.

"This instinct to seek has survived until today. The only problem is, with our advanced society, we generally do not lack for these things, for food, warmth, comfort, and safety. But we still have that desire, that urge, to seek. With the most immediate necessities of life taken care of--food, shelter, clothing--we seek higher comforts. A nice house. A fancy car. A pretty dress for prom. A high paying job. Money. A career we enjoy. Love. Happiness. Spiritual truth."

 

[jonjohnrob11]

some people seek truth others self destruct. it's hard to seek truth when basic necessities are denied, but it can be done. most people are denied basic necessities internationally because of their governments. unfair laws or laws not enforced. at least in third world countries people own a hut be it cardboard or plastic. they can ride a bus as cars ore for the better off. in this country the poor don't have a square foot of land to call their own as they cant' afford to do a title search, pay for the deed and get it surveyed. they are more likely to make car payments as after they finish paying for the car if they can find a way to borrow the money, they can't afford to repair it or get another. i personally would rather own a house than a car. by the way what countries are in the second world. there are approximately 350 countries and only 70 industrialized ones. where's the beef?

 

[painted wolf]

look at the homless in our own country, and the starving and malnurished and the poor... we are perhaps worse than the 3rd world because we have the means to stop it.... but we don't because of greed.

As for life in the Ice Ages... there was food all around, you just had to look and work for it... True you may not have always been satisfied but was that a bad thing? Do we need to have our every whim instantly fofilled?
perhaps our ansestors had it better than we think 8)

why do we want more than we need now? I think its because we are constantly being told to buy more stuff... everywhere you look there are advertisements telling you that you life will be better.. if only you buy thier product.... its rediculous.... :roll:

I personally have gotten rid of most of my things and hope to get rid of more... I find my life is much better without them.

wa:-do

 

[Alaric]

Runt, the problem with humans is our self-awareness, ability to use abstract thought and lack of instincts to tell us exactly what to do. Seeking is the very nature of the human condition. Like I just said in the atheism forum, perhaps the quest for God is like the quest to return back to that unaware yet confident instinct-driven certainty that our animal ancestors experienced.

 

[Rex]

I'm paraphrasing part of the sermon my minister gave at church this past Sunday (because I wanted to discuss her sermon but it was a service, not a Covanant or Forum meeting )

"The human brain has changed very little since the Ice Ages. Our minds are more advanced, but it is like running high tech software on a stone-age hard-drive. Is it any wonder that we crash?

"One of the things that has stayed with us from our early days as a species is the need to SEEK. Today we see it in ideas like the American 'pursuit of happiness', in the quest to find religious truth, in the pursuit of the American dream.

"Some people step back from this system and may ask 'Why? Why do we never feel we have enough? Why do we always seek MORE?'

"Well, it goes right back to our ancestors. In the early days of human society we were hunter-gatherers. In Ice-Age society the desire to seek was probably an evolutionary advantage.

"We ask today why we don't feel we have enough... well, it is because back then, in the Ice-Age, there never was enough. Not enough food, warmth, comfort, or safety. Those who were programmed to seek these things stood a better chance then those who were not.

"This instinct to seek has survived until today. The only problem is, with our advanced society, we generally do not lack for these things, for food, warmth, comfort, and safety. But we still have that desire, that urge, to seek. With the most immediate necessities of life taken care of--food, shelter, clothing--we seek higher comforts. A nice house. A fancy car. A pretty dress for prom. A high paying job. Money. A career we enjoy. Love. Happiness. Spiritual truth."

Runt I find it strange that you only talk about the male approach, as we all know men were the hunters/gathers and the women were the nurturers and caretakers. So I don't think it's in everyone to seek but I do believe as humans we have come to a happy balance between the two.

Remember the key to happiness is Moderation (who said that??) .

 

[Runt]

Remember the key to happiness is Moderation (who said that??).

I don't know who said it FIRST, but I know Ben Franklin wrote about moderation (or temperance, I can't remember which) as a virtue in this autobiography... which is strange for a man who was kind of a "wild rover"...

look at the homless in our own country, and the starving and malnurished and the poor... we are perhaps worse than the 3rd world because we have the means to stop it.... but we don't because of greed.

So perhaps instead of seeking more for ourselves we should redirect that instinct toward seeking more for OTHERS?

As for life in the Ice Ages... there was food all around, you just had to look and work for it... True you may not have always been satisfied but was that a bad thing? Do we need to have our every whim instantly fofilled?

That being the point... there WAS food, but we had to LOOK and WORK for it... we HAD to seek it or we wouldn't get it. Today in America we really don't have to seek, because everything we need to sustain basic life is within our grasp. Even if you're homeless and you're hungry...you stand on a corner, scrounge up a few bucks, and go to a Taco Bell. Takes a little work, but nothing like having to recognize what plants are good to eat or find, attack, kill, butcher, and cook your own food.

Yet we still have that instinct to seek... so what do we seek if not the basic necessities of life (food and shelter)? MORE. Always more. Nothing is ever good enough.

 

[Rex]

We seek knowledge, money, power, and the fountain of youth.

Not necessarily in that order

:lol:

 

[painted wolf]

rex-

women were just as important in the hunting/gathering society...women infact did most if not all the gathering and provided more than half of the food... in some cultures women eaven hunted (small game such as rabbits) or in the case of small game it was done by the whole community.

the myth of man the provider is a relitivly recent thing designed to 'keep women in their place'....

runt-
in a study done with hunter/gatherer societies (the bushmen in particular) it was found that the 'hard work' of keeping yourself fed worked out to about 10 hours a week the rest of your time was open for other activites.... nothing like the 40+ hour work week we have to strive for now....

the problem with modern society is the need for instant gratification....

as for seeking for others, I think we have an obligaion to help those less fortunate then ourselves. what does it say about us when we ignore our neighbours suffering?

my needs are simple, I have enough....

wa:-do

 

[Alaric]

Runt, the problem with humans is our self-awareness, ability to use abstract thought and lack of instincts to tell us exactly what to do. Seeking is the very nature of the human condition. Like I just said in the atheism forum, perhaps the quest for God is like the quest to return back to that unaware yet confident instinct-driven certainty that our animal ancestors experienced.

 

[Rex]

I'm paraphrasing part of the sermon my minister gave at church this past Sunday (because I wanted to discuss her sermon but it was a service, not a Covanant or Forum meeting )

"The human brain has changed very little since the Ice Ages. Our minds are more advanced, but it is like running high tech software on a stone-age hard-drive. Is it any wonder that we crash?

"One of the things that has stayed with us from our early days as a species is the need to SEEK. Today we see it in ideas like the American 'pursuit of happiness', in the quest to find religious truth, in the pursuit of the American dream.

"Some people step back from this system and may ask 'Why? Why do we never feel we have enough? Why do we always seek MORE?'

"Well, it goes right back to our ancestors. In the early days of human society we were hunter-gatherers. In Ice-Age society the desire to seek was probably an evolutionary advantage.

"We ask today why we don't feel we have enough... well, it is because back then, in the Ice-Age, there never was enough. Not enough food, warmth, comfort, or safety. Those who were programmed to seek these things stood a better chance then those who were not.

"This instinct to seek has survived until today. The only problem is, with our advanced society, we generally do not lack for these things, for food, warmth, comfort, and safety. But we still have that desire, that urge, to seek. With the most immediate necessities of life taken care of--food, shelter, clothing--we seek higher comforts. A nice house. A fancy car. A pretty dress for prom. A high paying job. Money. A career we enjoy. Love. Happiness. Spiritual truth."

Runt I find it strange that you only talk about the male approach, as we all know men were the hunters/gathers and the women were the nurturers and caretakers. So I don't think it's in everyone to seek but I do believe as humans we have come to a happy balance between the two.

Remember the key to happiness is Moderation (who said that??) .

 

[Runt]

Remember the key to happiness is Moderation (who said that??).

I don't know who said it FIRST, but I know Ben Franklin wrote about moderation (or temperance, I can't remember which) as a virtue in this autobiography... which is strange for a man who was kind of a "wild rover"...

look at the homless in our own country, and the starving and malnurished and the poor... we are perhaps worse than the 3rd world because we have the means to stop it.... but we don't because of greed.

So perhaps instead of seeking more for ourselves we should redirect that instinct toward seeking more for OTHERS?

As for life in the Ice Ages... there was food all around, you just had to look and work for it... True you may not have always been satisfied but was that a bad thing? Do we need to have our every whim instantly fofilled?

That being the point... there WAS food, but we had to LOOK and WORK for it... we HAD to seek it or we wouldn't get it. Today in America we really don't have to seek, because everything we need to sustain basic life is within our grasp. Even if you're homeless and you're hungry...you stand on a corner, scrounge up a few bucks, and go to a Taco Bell. Takes a little work, but nothing like having to recognize what plants are good to eat or find, attack, kill, butcher, and cook your own food.

Yet we still have that instinct to seek... so what do we seek if not the basic necessities of life (food and shelter)? MORE. Always more. Nothing is ever good enough.

 

[Rex]

We seek knowledge, money, power, and the fountain of youth.

Not necessarily in that order

:lol:

 

[painted wolf]

rex-

women were just as important in the hunting/gathering society...women infact did most if not all the gathering and provided more than half of the food... in some cultures women eaven hunted (small game such as rabbits) or in the case of small game it was done by the whole community.

the myth of man the provider is a relitivly recent thing designed to 'keep women in their place'....

runt-
in a study done with hunter/gatherer societies (the bushmen in particular) it was found that the 'hard work' of keeping yourself fed worked out to about 10 hours a week the rest of your time was open for other activites.... nothing like the 40+ hour work week we have to strive for now....

the problem with modern society is the need for instant gratification....

as for seeking for others, I think we have an obligaion to help those less fortunate then ourselves. what does it say about us when we ignore our neighbours suffering?

my needs are simple, I have enough....

wa:-do