What is essential to life?

In My Humble Opinion
1

What, in your opinion, is essential? In the music thread, a lot of people were saying that they thought music was one of those things. Iampunha thinks that love and veggies are essential.

These could be things that are essential to your life, or to life in general. I shall name some things that I believe are essential.

[li]Love. Romantic or otherwise, because without love, we would wither and die.[/li]
[li]Music…For me, at any rate.[/li]
[li]Books/Writing- again, for me. They provide some sort of creative outlet.[/li]
[li]Vegetables. (Sigh, I’m putting this on for you, punha. I suppose they are important.)[/li]
[li]Chocolate. It provides a nice aftertaste for those yucky veggies (kidding, kidding!)[/li]
[li]Shoes- and a lot of them.[/li]
Shelter, of course. Preferably a penthouse, or a huge sprawling mansion, with a kidney shaped pool in back, and a sexy cabana boy. Okay, not ESSENTIAL. Essential would be something…um, cozy.

2

Change.

Change is the Only thing sure to last.

I think we as humans are capable of getting bored with all but three things - food, sex, and change.

3

Food, water, natural light, companionship, shelter.

It wouldn’t make for a fun life, but since you’re only asking what’s essential…

4

Oxygen is big in my book.

5

I wanted to post a less philosophical answer than my first one…

Things that are essential to my life (but that I don’t necesarily have)
A very very good sound system

After hearing music on my dad’s ridiculously expensive system I cannot accept anything less.

A TV to watch in bed (with digital satelite)

Sounds lazy, but it’s functional for me - I have trouble sleeping, nothing puts me to sleep like a TV!

A good mountain bike with two-wheel suspension

My ideal form of excercise

Comfortably powerful PC

I am not mad, I can cope with never having a top-of-the-range PC all the time but I like to keep up and be able to at least play the modern games. My current spec is AMD Athlon 1000Mhz, 256MB RAM, 20GB HD, Geforce 3, 17" monitor, etc…

A Hobby

Technicaly I don’t have a hobby. There are plenty of things I wish I could be arsed/good enough to do. The main ones are - creative writing, 3d design, computer programming (I am good at that but I can’t be arsed), photography (people and scenery), being organized.

No debts/money worries

Right now I have a good job with the potential to get better, but I also have a huge overdraft, credit-card debt, catalogue debt and student loan; all caused by university, and all being paid off gradually.

A house of my own

I live with my mum and step-dad (because It made sense to come to the Isle of Man, and it made sense to live with them initially) but I feel like I am in the way of them, and I feel like they are in the way of me. I would like a house so I can be lazy sometimes, and be in complete and total control all the time.

Freedom

Having just left university (a low point) and being in the situation I am in (low, but climbing fast) I have a growing excitement about being able to do the things that the established-adults in my life have always been able to do; go wherever I want, eat in whatever restraunts I want, even go abroad without having to inform/consult anyone.

A family

I know I have a family, I mean a family that is MY family, a wife and kids. I adore kids (I am male if that made you think I was female) and would love the feeling of responsibilty one gets as a father/head of the family.

Sex,food,air

Can’t live without those now can I.

Did I miss anything important?

6

To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of their women.

But that’s only what’s best in life. The essentials have all been covered: food, shelter, companionship and love, intellectual stimulation of some sort.

7

Loved ones: family, friends, significant others, pets…someone to share yourself with (in the case of pets, a very limited sharing, though)

Music

Laughter

Imagination and something to keep it going

Joy

Conflict

and then the animal basics: shelter, food, water, pie.

8

This thread might have a better chance od surviving/growing if people are more specific about their essentials. It’s all been covered because people are being too general.

Not dictating here, just suggesting [smiley of somesort]

9

Freedom to choose right from wrong. (What God intends for us)
A purpose. (Family, work, mission in life)
A good pair of sunglasses.

10

:slight_smile: Well, I like reading these response. And Crusoe- what else could I have expected from someone with your username?

11

Health, which I haven’t seen before.

If you have your health, you can get the rest. If you don’t, you won’t want the rest.

Companionship in whatever form. We’re not meant to be alone.

Personally, I must have books or books on tape. When I’m in my decline, my heirs – if they want to stay my heirs that is – must rig up a tape recorder so I can listen to books while the minutes drain away.

That’s why Mencken’s stroke saddened me; he had lost the ability to read and write.

12

Rain
Sun
Ocean
Friends
Starbucks
Denim
Favorite T-shirts
French Fries
Forgiveness
AM Radio

13

Yes Conan, these things are good. But what is steel compared to the hand that wields it?

14

Heh, it didn’t even occur to me.

15

Maslow’s Hierarchy.

Good ol’ psych 101.