Desires are fundamental building blocks of human civilization and probably the catalyst that accelerated us into advancement. So the question is, why does all of religion and philosophy tell us to abandon desires. Does that not clash with advancement as desire therefore need is the mother of invention?
We will try to find the answer to this question through musings and at the end, I will give you my view on it.
Although on a more fundamental level, we can agree that desires shape us into what we are today, both as a person and as a society. Examples are various inventions, world wars, various revolutionary movements and even the discovery of the wheel and fire.
Humans at their core, desire more comfort in terms of the building blocks of life that are food, shelter and clothing and reproduction. Eventually, as society progressed, we developed more desires branching outward from these four base requirements. For example, the need for validation on social media was not at all present in early man. But, even this desire traces its roots back into early caveman days as a man higher in the social hierarchy will be deemed as Alpha of the group and will be given the best food and the best chance at mating.
All these desires have bought forward the best and worst in humanity. At one point we can see the increase in life expectancy through better quality of life and medicines. On the other hand, we can see the effect of various wars and weapons of mass destruction.
Even on a more personal level, desires bring out the best and worst in us. The basic desire towards a healthy life, money, food, clothing and shelter drives us to work every day. On the opposite spectrum, a man that is fanatic on world domination may break all norms to generate what he needs out of society.
According to a study [1], Happiness is not related to money, fame and position in the societal hierarchy. It is more related to your connections with people and what you have earned in an emotional aspect. On average, extremely rich people at the end, abandon the urge to generate more.