Source Code

A few strong instincts and a few plain rules suffice us.

—Ralph Waldo Emerson—

All plants and animals are driven by instincts, including us. We are different from all other plants and animals in that we can think complex thoughts and feel complex feelings - but these are just subjective differences. What are instincts? For lack of a better analogy, think of a computer program. If the plant or animal is the machine, then their instincts are the source code for their computer program.

Source Code is the fundamental part of a computer program, it sets the exact rules. Here are the 2 Source Code rules that drive all of life, just 2 unambiguous instructions: 1) Survive (try not to die), and 2) Multiply (try not to become extinct)

These 2 rules are encoded into every single cell contained inside of every living thing.

All plants and animals including us have nothing else identically in common other than these 2 specific instincts. Any instincts thereafter that get more complex, no matter how wildly diverse they might be - all variations derive from just these 2 rules.

And just like Source Code evolves into a computer program which evolves into wide-ranging software applications and algorithms - getting more and more complex at each higher level, while always remaining in service of their core Source Code rules. All living thing's Instincts evolve into consciousness which evolves into wide-ranging feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and patterns - getting more and more complex at each higher level, while always remaining in service of life's 2 fundamental Source Code rules.

These 2 Source Code rules are the 2 reasons we remain so unrelentingly motivated to 1) Get money (for the food, water, medicine and so on that's needed to prevent dying), & 2) Get laid (which never ceases to be the number-1 most fun preventer of extinction)