Desire facts for kids

For other uses, see Desire (disambiguation).

Desires are feelings of wanting something. They are like wishes or cravings. When you desire something, you imagine how the world *should* be, not just how it is.

Desires are closely linked to what you do. They give you a reason to act and try to make things happen. For example, if you desire a new video game, you might work to earn money to buy it. When you get what you desire, it usually feels good!

Many experts agree on these basic ideas about desires. But they sometimes disagree on the exact definition. Some say desires are about what makes us act. Others say they are about what brings us pleasure. And some believe desires are about what we think is good or valuable.

Desires can be different types. Some are for things you want for their own sake (like having fun). Others are for things that help you get something else (like studying to get good grades). Some desires are active in your mind right now, while others are just "in the back of your mind."

Desires are important in many areas, like marketing, art, religion, and psychology.

What Are Desires?

Desires are feelings that make us want to reach a goal or have something. They are different from beliefs. Beliefs are about what you think is true (like "the sky is blue"). Desires are about what you want to be true (like "I want the sky to be purple!").

How Desires Work

When you have a desire, it often makes you want to do something. For example, if you desire a slice of pizza, you might go to the kitchen to get one. But just wanting something isn't always enough. You also need to believe that your action will help you get it. If you desire a new phone, you need to believe that ordering it online will help you get it.

When your desires come true, it usually feels good and makes you happy. Even before they come true, desires make their objects seem good and appealing. Desires can also make you focus on the good things about what you want. They can also help you learn. For example, if you get a reward for doing something, you'll desire to do it again.

Different Kinds of Desires

Experts have different ideas about what makes a desire a desire.

Action-Based Theories

Some experts say that desires are simply what make us want to act. If you desire to play outside, you'll likely go outside. This idea is helpful for understanding why people do what they do.

However, there are some challenges to this idea. Sometimes, we do things even if we don't desire them, like doing homework we don't enjoy. And sometimes, we desire things we can't change, like wishing it wouldn't rain, but we can't make it stop.

Pleasure-Based Theories

Other experts focus on how desires bring pleasure when they are fulfilled. They say that to desire something means you expect to feel good when you get it. This idea helps explain why someone who can't move (like a paralyzed person) can still have desires.

But this idea also has challenges. Sometimes, we desire things that don't end up bringing us pleasure, or the pleasure isn't as great as we expected.

Value-Based Theories

A newer idea is that desires are about what we think is valuable or good. When you desire something, it's because it seems good to you. For example, desiring another drink means it seems good to you at that moment, even if you know it's not the best idea.

One challenge for this idea is explaining how animals, like cats or dogs, have desires. Do they think of things as "good" in the same way humans do?

Other Ideas

There are many other ideas about desires. Some say desires are about what we pay attention to. Others say they are about how we learn from rewards. Some look at the "job" desires do in our minds, and others say we understand desires by looking at how people behave.

Types of Desires

Desires can be sorted into different groups.

Intrinsic vs. Instrumental Desires

Intrinsic desires are for things you want just for their own sake. For example, you might desire to feel happy because happiness itself feels good.
Instrumental desires are for things you want because they help you get something else. For example, you might desire to study hard because it helps you get good grades, which then helps you get into a good college. You don't want to study just for the sake of studying.

It's possible to want the same thing both intrinsically and instrumentally. For instance, if you love driving, you might desire to drive to the cinema (intrinsic) and also desire to drive to the cinema because it gets you to the movie (instrumental).

Occurrent vs. Standing Desires

Occurrent desires are desires that are active in your mind right now. You are thinking about them, or they are influencing your thoughts or actions. If you are trying to convince a friend to go hiking, your desire to hike is occurrent.
Standing desires are desires that are "in the back of your mind." They are still there, but they aren't active or influencing you at the moment. For example, while you're talking about hiking, your desire to sell your old car might be a standing desire.

Even when you are asleep, you still have standing desires. Sometimes, a desire can be occurrent even if you don't act on it, like if you want to do something but decide not to.

Higher vs. Lower Desires

In some religions and philosophies, people talk about "higher" and "lower" desires.

Higher desires are often linked to spiritual goals or deeper meanings.
Lower desires (sometimes called "passions") are more about bodily pleasures or sensory experiences, like wanting a tasty snack.

Some religions, like Buddhism, teach that desiring too much can cause suffering. They suggest letting go of desires for worldly things to find true happiness. However, some parts of Hinduism and Christianity distinguish between "bad" desires for selfish things and "good" desires, like wanting to be closer to God or to help others.

Why Are Desires Important?

Desires are a basic part of being human and affect many areas of life.

Desires and Actions

Desires are a main reason why we do things. They motivate us. But usually, a desire needs to be combined with a belief to lead to action. For example, you desire to eat, and you believe there's food in the fridge, so you go to the fridge.

Some philosophers say that our desires are our reasons for acting. Others say that we can have reasons to do things even if we don't desire them, especially when it comes to doing the right thing morally. For example, you might feel you *should* help someone in need, even if you don't strongly *desire* to.

Desires and Well-being

Many people believe that how well you are doing in life (your "well-being") is connected to whether your desires are met. The more desires you satisfy, the better your life is.

However, some people point out that not all desires are good for you. Sometimes, getting what you want can lead to bad results. So, some theories suggest that what truly matters are the desires you would have if you were fully informed and thought clearly about things.

Desires and Preferences

Desires and preferences are similar. A desire is wanting one thing (like ice cream). A preference is choosing one thing over another (like preferring chocolate ice cream over vanilla). Some experts think that preferences are just about having a stronger desire for one option compared to another. For example, if you prefer tea over coffee, it means your desire for tea is stronger.

Desires and Being a Person

Some thinkers, like Harry Frankfurt, believe that what makes someone a "person" is having "higher-order desires."

First-order desires are simple wants, like wanting ice cream.
Higher-order desires are desires *about* your desires. For example, you might desire to stop eating so much ice cream (a first-order desire), but then you might have a second-order desire *not* to have that desire to eat less ice cream, because you love ice cream so much!

Frankfurt says that being a person means you care about which of your desires you follow. Animals, on the other hand, might just have first-order desires without thinking about which ones they want to follow.

Where Do Desires Come From?

Both psychologists and philosophers are interested in how desires are formed.

Instrumental desires (those that help you get something else) depend on other desires. For example, you desire to find a charging station because you desire to keep your phone from dying. If you didn't care about your phone, you wouldn't desire a charger.

Intrinsic desires (those you want for their own sake) are different. Some people think these desires are born with us, like the desire for pleasure or food. Others believe we learn these desires through experience. For example, you might learn that a certain food is pleasurable, and then you desire it.

Sometimes, instrumental desires can even turn into intrinsic desires. A baby might first desire its mother only because she provides warmth and food (instrumental). But over time, the baby might start to desire its mother just for her own sake (intrinsic).

Some people believe that once you get what you desire, the desire goes away. But this isn't always true. For example, if you prefer dry clothes over wet ones, you'll still prefer dry clothes even after you've changed out of your wet ones. This shows that your desire for dry clothes doesn't just disappear.

Desires in Different Cultures and Fields

Desires in Philosophy

Philosophers have thought about desires for a very long time.

The ancient Greek philosopher Plato believed that personal desires should sometimes be put aside for a greater good.
Aristotle thought desires were important for how animals move and interact.
Thomas Hobbes believed that all human actions are driven by the desire for pleasure.
Baruch Spinoza had a different view, seeing natural desires as a kind of trap that limits our freedom.
David Hume thought desires were automatic body responses, and that our reasoning just helps us figure out how to get what our desires want.
Immanuel Kant said that actions based on desires are only commands if you want the goal.
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel linked self-awareness to desire.

Desires in Religion

Desire plays a big role in many religions:

In Buddhism, craving or intense desire is seen as the main cause of suffering. Getting rid of this craving leads to ultimate happiness, called Nirvana. However, desiring good things (like wanting to be kind) is seen as helpful.
In Christianity, desire is seen as a powerful force that can lead you closer to God or away from Him. It's not bad on its own, but it needs to be guided. Some "deadly sins" like gluttony (too much desire for food) and greed (too much desire for money) are examples of desires gone wrong. But desiring God is encouraged.
In Hinduism, some ancient texts say that desire was the very first seed of the mind, leading to creation. Some Hindu teachings suggest acting without desiring the results of your actions. But other parts of Hinduism distinguish between lower desires for worldly things and higher desires for closeness to God.

Desires in Psychology

Psychologists study how desires work in our minds and brains.

While many people think of desires as emotions, psychologists sometimes call them "ur-emotions" because they come from basic body needs (like hunger).
Studies have shown that even though desire and fear feel like opposites, they use some of the same brain pathways.
Research shows that when we desire something rewarding (like tasty food), certain parts of our brain, like the reward system, become active. Chemicals like dopamine and opioids play a big role in making us feel desire and pleasure.

Desires in Marketing

Marketing and advertising companies use psychology to make people desire their products.

They try to make you feel like you're "missing out" if you don't have the product (e.g., "Are you still driving that old car?").
They link products to things you already desire, like showing celebrities using them or making them look very attractive. For example, Nike's "Just Do It" ads appeal to people's desire to improve themselves.
Sometimes, people already desire a product before they enter a store (like a furniture lover). Other times, companies have to create the desire, like life insurance companies showing pictures of children to make parents think about protecting their families.

Desires in Art and Stories

Desire is a very common theme in books and movies.

Romance novels often focus on desire, showing how people's wants are sometimes blocked by rules, social classes, or cultural differences.
Famous books like Madame Bovary, Love in the Time of Cholera, and Jane Eyre explore deep desires.
Poets like W.B. Yeats and T.S. Eliot also wrote about the good and bad sides of desire.
Melodrama films (often called "women's movies" or "weepies") use plots that play on strong emotions, often showing desires that are blocked or not returned. Gone with the Wind is a famous example, where the main characters' desires drive the whole story.
Films can also play on the audience's desire to see beautiful or interesting things, like the futuristic city in Blade Runner.

Images for kids

A robot thinking about desires.