It just hit me the other night. As we have evolved from our primal form fighting for survival amongst other species of animals in nature, we have evolved different needs. For in our primal form, we only had 2: survive and reproduce. Now, living in a society completely separate from nature, we have evolved far beyond the need only to survive and reproduce, and we have evolved another very significant need that supercedes all other needs that some may think are neccessary (such as love and close contact). That need is belief. We as humans, must have something to believe in. Belief gives us a sense of purpose and meaning, without which our lives are empty and meaningless. Belief itself can encompass a vast array of things. For many, belief in their own family is enough. Having children and dedicating everything to your own children is enough to give some a strong sense of belief. It is a belief that you are doing something right; raising your children to the best of your ability and providing them with everything for them to succeed. And it gives parents a sense of purpose. There is also a belief that comes from religious and spiritual teachings and ways. Christians hold strong to the belief that God is always there to protect them and save them a rightful place in heaven if they live their life a certain way. Buddhists hold strong to their own sets of beliefs that help them attain a state of nirvana. The Vikings believed they will be saved a seat in Oden's golden hall for fighting with ferocity, valor, and dying a beautiful death. Belief can also come from science. Making discoveries and doing research for the future good of humanity can give one a strong belief that his or her actions will save future generations. Discovering the equations to relativity, electromagnetism, and quantum mechanics and belief in those can help give a sense of purpose in life. Belief in your career, belief in your everyday actions. We need it more than anything in life to live a long and happy life. Those who struggle to find it suffer in depression, drug abuse, mental illness, loneliness, and other hardships. \ So what do you believe in? I believe in the power of music. And I know that nothing else in life would make happier than to do something with music. Whenever your days are dark, and you are searching for an answer that seems forever lost, ask yourself, what do you truly believe in?
It seems there are many false differentiations alluded to in this post. Belief is not the thing we need necessarily. IE, I can believe in all these things that will make me happy but at the end of the day, realize they are only beliefs. I see lots of things around me and consider them. This tears them apart and shows they are not real. I think it's more of a need for something *real*. IE, truth... How do you define "love?"
When the belief is strong enough to definitely your actions and what makes who you are, it really is something real. Love gives us that feeling. When you love someone so much, your actions are based on that unconditional belief in that love. It helps one feel fulfilled, and it feels like something real.
Yes. You can make things real in that sense... But if you want to balance yourself with the macrocosm (and understand what that means) then you've got to go a whole lot further. Basically, something can be real to you, but you may just be a bit gullible. You know people who treat things as real that you would consider superficial? Can you tell me/us more about how you feel about love? Just write whatever comes to mind if you don't mind... I'm curious!
Belief = Evolutionary process As humans we've evolved far enough to not have to worry to much about our basic needs. Of course there are always exceptions but generally we as a whole don't have to worry about food, water, shelter, safety and interaction unlike any other species on earth. We have the ability to focus on other needs such as the one you stated, belief. We can focus more on why things work and how, thus perfecting our already basic needs. Without that belief that we interpret as motivation we wouldn't advance as a species. Simple as that.