I'm trying to boil down all most possible reasons for actions into a set of general motivations. So far I have Fear/Survival, Love/Admiration, Protection (of others), Revenge, Power/Greed, and Curiosity. Are there any major ones I've missed? Thanks!
Men have died and worms have eaten them but not for love as the great Bard said. Also, I don't know how this would feature but death needs to appear in your list, perhaps that we are motivated by the acceptance or denial that we all will one day die.
Glad to see this reaffirmed by someone else. I am writing about a character who cannot be remembered by anyone, which strikes directly at the heart of that basic human desire, so it is nice to see that people really do care about that kind of thing. I think Groundhog Day, which is a good movie, could have been a great movie if it would have explored that theme just a bit more. The time loop in that movie (when you wake up, the world is exactly the same as when you last woke up, but you keep your memories) is one of the most interesting ways to explore that theme that I have seen. It's a Wonderful Life is a great movie that uses a different, equally interesting mechanism (an opportunity to see what the world would look like if you had never been born) to explore that theme to its full potential. Other motivators: Comfort is a big motivator, especially when it motivates someone not to do something. People will go to great lengths not to leave their comfort zone. Think about how hard it is to get out of bed when you need to hurry to get to school/work, but you did not get enough sleep, it is cold in your room, and your blanket and pillow are so soft and so warm. Apply that feeling to any other situation when comfort is at odds with what needs to get done.
