What Is Desire Here, the definition of desire is slightly different from its usual meaning. I regard desire as behavior that goes beyond what the subject actually needs. The rest is only to respond to needs. What counts as “beyond need” is related to the average level of demand. The standard varies according to era and nation, and is also connected with effort.

In the time of primitive humans, desire might only have meant having more food than one could finish. By the industrial age, desire turned toward money and material enjoyment. As we progress, desire expands accordingly. The difference between nations lies in their level of progress. Basically, the degree of progress is proportional to desire.