What Drives/Controls Us?

I was having a discussion with my friends one night about what has the most control over us. I myseld said that the ambition of power is what has the greatest control over people and one of my friends said that it was the ambition of money and i thought that the two were actually one in the same. I would like to hear the opinions of everybody and if anyone has some imput or any other comments please post away!!!

Self-preservation.

First and formost, we are here to survive by any needs nessecary. I simply believe it is this viscercal drive that leads man to his fate.

Deep

People aren't cookie cutter copies...different things drive different people. I've known those driven by greed/money/power and some driven my the persuit of physical pleasure. I'm driven by an insatiable thurst for knowledge. So the answer is "lots of stuff".

You thirst knowledge for what reason? Many people thirst knowledge because with knowledge come many other different things which one of which may be power. Self preservation most liekly leads one to find ones fate but by preserving oneself one gains power etc..

Gravity is always holding me down.

Originally posted by Kaiser617
You thirst knowledge for what reason? Many people thirst knowledge because with knowledge come many other different things which one of which may be power. Self preservation most liekly leads one to find ones fate but by preserving oneself one gains power etc..

For the sake of understanding, nothing more. I actually have walked away from money and power on sevral occasion because i was missing a learning opportunity.

On the inside we are controlled by the instinct to survive.

On the outside we are controlled by the far-reaching sociological memes, particularly delivered via the television.

The primary human instinct is survival. The secondary is procreation, which is a form of the primary (genetic survival) the ambition for money power etc. are outgrowths of these two primary drives. The tertiary drive is satisfaction i.e. self satisfcation, the thirst for knowledge, etc.

My .02

Fear, and the will to live, is what I would say our driving forces are.

I agree that different things drive different people. I discovered my drive at a moment when I thought it would be my last. Looking back, I find it interesting and kinda amusing to see what thoughts go through your head at a moment of truth. What I realized was I was not afraid of dying, but rather abandoning those people in my life whom I had loved and I knew needed me to help them through life. After reflecting on the moment (no I did not die :up I knew the thing that drives me is my desire to help, assist and teach those who I come in contact with, especially those closest to me.

Awesome posts !!! I would like to hear some more opinions. I remember having a near death experience and unfortunatly my mind just went blank i guess it had something to do with the panic but thankfully that also made me realize how fragil and small we are in the grand scheme of things