In class essay #3: Sustaining species.. that important?

     According to the clip, 'The Maker', one rabbit-like doll hurries to make another doll, and when the time runs out, he disappears, leaving the other doll the same task.

Handsome Dawkins :)

     The first time I watched the clip, I thought of the book, "The Selfish Gene" by Richard Dawkins. The book mentions that there's an organism that can copy itself, and all other living things, from microorganisms to people, are just means to transport them, enhancing the chance to survive and reproduce. Consequently, Dawkins concluded that all actions, including the altruistic ones, are all egoistic, as all living things just want to leave descendants and spread their species.
     'The Maker' clip, for me, represented this fundamental desire of all living things. The first doll tried hard to leave the descendant, in this case the second doll, and disappears after it succeeds. I saw such 'hard work' as an altruistic action as the time remaining for the doll was not much. However, such action ended as continuing the species, the most essential action of organisms, which Dawkins ultimately saw as an egoistic behavior.

The actual book- The selfish gene

     As I interpreted the clip this way, I considered that the clip, at least my interpretation, was a bit negative. Such consideration drew me a question, "Are all actions other than reproduction not important? Relationships, feelings, memories... are they secondary?" My personal answer was, "no". After interpreting the clip and answering questions to myself, I watched the clip again. In the clip, I found that the dolls never smiled except the finish of reproduction. What I mean is that if the 'reproduction' is an only, critical objective of life, the dolls wouldn't have time to smile in other parts of their life, would they?
     So, with the additional information, I tried to interpret the clip again. As a result, I believed that the clip was trying to mention the things that's completely opposite of the last interpretation. Instead of emphasizing the importance of reproduction, it was implying, 'enjoy your life more during the short life longevity.' As the clip showed, achieving only the fundamental goal of a living thing doesn't bring you anything, including happiness, when you're doing other things than reproduction. We're not vehicles of organisms that want to leave and copy their species. It's not our duty to leave descendants, so enjoy the life while it's remaining.
     Imagine if the doll played and had joy doing other actions. Though the species wouldn't continue, at least he had a happy life. Our happiness, I believe, should not be obstructed with compulsive duties, including the reproduction, because it's our own life.

It's my life - by Bon Jovi

     Lastly, 'relationships, feelings, memories.. and happy life; that's what's important'- the clip gave me such lessons. Thus, from today, I will try to enjoy and thank every moment in my life as much as I can.