Did I evolve the desire to be a mechanic?

[Improvision]

Note title

 

Also, what is "desire" and how did it come to be?

[Mokele]

No. While humans do have excellent spatial reasoning (probably a result of arboreal ancestors), the desire for a particular career has much more to do with personality and upbringing than anything else.

 

Desire itself is simply the anticipation of reward. In the past, you performed an action (or a version of it), and this triggered the release of dopamine in your brain, resulting in a feeling or reward. Now you seek that again. The original cause likely has to do with psychological effects, such as emulating a role model, or peer pressure, etc.

[Improvision]

No. While humans do have excellent spatial reasoning (probably a result of arboreal ancestors), the desire for a particular career has much more to do with personality and upbringing than anything else.

 

Desire itself is simply the anticipation of reward. In the past, you performed an action (or a version of it), and this triggered the release of dopamine in your brain, resulting in a feeling or reward. Now you seek that again. The original cause likely has to do with psychological effects, such as emulating a role model, or peer pressure, etc.

What is a reward?

 

I was introduced to automobiles by my dad. I didn't get encouragement from anyone and I didn't want to follow in his footsteps. I just wanted to make engines and suspensions do what I wanted them to do, so that I could build automobiles that could kick some ass.

 

This wasn't something that could increase my survival, so why would I want to do it?

Edited July 27, 2009 by Improvision

[Sisyphus]

What is a reward?

 

As Mokele said, it's something that triggers pleasure. Why it does depends on the person, how you came to it, etc. I might suggest you think of it in more general terms. For example, we're not evolved to work on cars, obviously, but we are evolved to solve problems (and to enjoy doing so), and we're evolved to appreciate the feeling of power that comes with a kickass car. As for why you specifically enjoy the specific activities that you do, nobody can possibly answer that without having witnessed and analyzed every moment of your life so far.

Edited July 27, 2009 by Sisyphus

[Improvision]

As Mokele said, it's something that triggers pleasure. Why it does depends on the person, how you came to it, etc. I might suggest you think of it in more general terms. For example, we're not evolved to work on cars, obviously, but we are evolved to solve problems (and to enjoy doing so), and we're evolved to appreciate the feeling of power that comes with a kickass car. As for why you specifically enjoy the specific activities that you do, nobody can possibly answer that without having witnessed and analyzed every moment of your life so far.

Going fast was fun, but being involved with my vehicles was what gave me real satisfaction. I don't care as much for it now.

 

Video games triggered pleasure, but ever since I sold my 360 last year and started spending more time with myself, I find myself being less and less interested in building a gaming PC that I planned on doing.

 

The things I thought I wanted are not making me happy and they don't have any real meaning to me. I don't know who I am.

[Mokele]

The human brain is immensely adaptable and impressionable. People's interests change, as does what they find 'fun', for a wide variety of reasons, none of which are evolutionary, but rather psychological.

 

However, I should add a serious caveat - loss of interest in things you formerly enjoyed can be a symptom of depression. If so, this is in no way your fault, and is merely a chemical imbalance in your brain. There should be plenty of pages on the topic online, and I'd suggested scheduling an appointment with a local psychologist to discuss this general loss of interest in formerly pleasurable activities. It may just be stress, but it pays to be sure.

[Improvision]

The human brain is immensely adaptable and impressionable. People's interests change, as does what they find 'fun', for a wide variety of reasons, none of which are evolutionary, but rather psychological.

 

However, I should add a serious caveat - loss of interest in things you formerly enjoyed can be a symptom of depression. If so, this is in no way your fault, and is merely a chemical imbalance in your brain. There should be plenty of pages on the topic online, and I'd suggested scheduling an appointment with a local psychologist to discuss this general loss of interest in formerly pleasurable activities. It may just be stress, but it pays to be sure.

I never enjoyed those things. They were just stimulating and now I know that that was all I was looking for at the time. As time has gone by, I started to feel the desire for stimulation and material possesion was enslaving me. I don't know what I enjoy. Now is the time I start finding out.