unless we understand the basis of what drives us, well, we are no different from every creature – like the moth driving to the light and its subsequent death (as we see with drug addicts and perhaps no less tragic, people literally wasting away their lives trying to make another dollar when they don’t need to) at the very heart of a human being lies his ego – his ego is his self-perception, “I” – this I then desires to fulfill all its desires – this is very different from a person who has a specific desire – for example, I may need money as I need a banana, but I am not addicted to bananas, hence if my desire for something supersedes my need of it, that is called an addiction – addictions are based on the premise that “as I am so wonderful, I should get what I want” = we see this clearly in children that as we fed their necessities and their egos develop they start having irrational anger temper tantrums – so the only way to overcome this irrational mindset is to realize that "me and my desires are sick" (for this gives you an objective way to think)