“On ‘On nobody caring about you/me/whoever’”,
I’ve also realised that there’s a transactional or obligatory purpose to every interpersonal and religious relationship. If you’re dating someone it’s because there’s something you want from them (good sex, personality, experience, etc.) and they want something from you (money, house, etc.) so you build a relationship to exchange it. If you’re friends with someone it’s because there’s something you want from them (social status, personality, etc.) and vice versa, so you build a relationship to exchange it. You’re reading this essay, likely on my website, because you either are obligated to (ex. you know me, were assigned it somehow, etc.) or you’ve found something you like in it (voice, tone, subject matter, etc.) and I provide it to you. If you talk to your boss it’s because you want something from them (promotion, favour, etc.) or you’re obligated to (in the elevator together, company function, etc.). This obligatory purpose comes from social values/virtues/priorities, either from the society you live in or systems of belief you subscribe to/are influenced by (ex. Stoicism, Islam, Christianity, Confucianism, etc.). For example, a Muslim maintains contact with their less-than-pleasant brother for Eid because Islam prohibits cutting off family members. Catholics go to Mass every Sunday because they are religiously compelled/required to. This doesn’t mean that emotional or personal values can’t be present in the relationship or support it strongly; rather, the transactional/obligatory purpose is present and necessary to every interpersonal and religious relationship. That was long, maybe I should be a philosopher. ♦