I often think of life in terms of biology. To humans, consciousness is only the firing of neurons. Nowadays, it is not enough to have a roof over our heads, food in our stomachs and clothes on our backs. People want to have their neurons stimulated, and they want them stimulated in a certain way. In America, we don't have a chance to go out and do what we want, we work hard for an education, then we work hard to climb the corporate ladder. There is no room for whimsy or exploration, we are a culture constantly moving into the future, without time to reflect on what has just happened. Those who stay behind are called "weak". But these people are the strongest, they are the ones who appreciate life. They found out what their "neurons" like d and they stimulated them so.
Like every person is different, so are there likes and dislikes. Many people today do not run there lives around these things though. The people who really live are the ones who find out what they like, and they just do it, pouring their heart and soul into it. Take, for example, steve wozniak, he had a great job at apple, he was free to do what he liked, to engineer. But he was free in more places than just his workplace. He felt that he needed to take a break from Job's purges, so he did.
Most people would say he was an idiot for leaving a high paying, exciting job, but he was smart. He had to gall to do what he loved, but to do it on his own terms. He put his life in front of his corporate career, something that few people are willing to do.
Well i rambled for quite too long, but who can explain life in short simple sentences?
I'm sure your version is much more different than mine.