It comes down to purpose and goals.
“Why am I here” is a very deep and complicated question but it doesn’t have to be. It can be very simple. At the simplest level you have wants and feelings. You might combine them to decide you want to help people or give life to another human being so they can have experiences and such- but at the end of the day your being here at the minimum requires you to survive. You need oxygen, nourishment, water, shelter, and other care. You have psychological needs as well. If you don’t tend them you die. Most of your “silly little tasks” relate to you being here, surviving. We’ve made it relatively easy to consistently survive in the developed world. It’s unlikely that a drought or bad harvest or bad luck hunting or gathering will result in your death.
Instead you do some other job, some task to get money and you use that money to get things you need. There are various ways to get at least the barest necessities without doing this- but the rest sort of ties in. Work is used to take care of shelter and food generally. Intend of wandering a forest or tending a field the average person in the developed world works a desk or a cash register or drives a truck or builds things or does things other people want to get what they need. You also may need transportation and so just like if they didn’t want to walk, ancient humans had to gather the resources to have a boat or a riding animal or a cart or such- just like the upkeep and care of these creatures and vehicles required they put time and effort into them- so to does your work supply and maintain transportation perhaps.
Just like ancient man, with transportation you can travel further, faster, to find new resources and opportunity, more favorable climates, new people and relationships, etc. transportation unlocks additional abilities to thrive or survive.
You may need to maintain a certain social position- just like ancient man. If you aren’t known and don’t seem trustworthy or to adhere to the customs and conventions of the land, it can hurt your chances at commerce, acceptance, social interaction and opportunity. A combination of social position or perception and fitness- how well you seem able to protect or provide or provide or raise offspring for example- can factor into your chances at mating opportunities or the mates if your choice.
Silly errands like grooming and routine errands, fashion and the deeds needed to get and keep up these things- Can impact your ability to thrive and make your way. Modern society tends to dissociate actions and results- hunting your food and preparing it tend to make the work to get your food more tangibly linked than detailing cars for 8 hours and then giving the money you made to someone else who gives you food to eat. Spending a year or more gathering materials and assembling them to create a shelter and then maintaining it regularly tends to be more of a direct feeling than getting a loan and being given a home that is complete then working for decades to pay for it.
In most modern societies we can’t just kill people- especially to take what we want which they have or are preventing us from. So what could be achieved in moments when it comes to getting what you want might take years or decades as you work and maneuver. It’s certainly different engaging a rival in direct and decisive combat than maneuvering around with them out of sight so you can get permits or advance your career or the less direct way we have to compete for those sorts of things in modern society.
But in the end when was it ever not silly, or when was it ever silly? It’s about the same things now as it pretty much always has been. People trying to survive and people trying to be able to have the things they want in life and make their own way.
To do that you’ll often need to face nature and reality but you also often need to face other humans who’s desires may contradict or prohibit yours. Other humans are both the greatest help and greatest obstacle in having the freedom to do what we want in life. No human Can do everything alone. There are few cases where a single person can beat the strength and ability to thrive of a group with any level of ability or competence.
“Why am I here” is a very deep and complicated question but it doesn’t have to be. It can be very simple. At the simplest level you have wants and feelings. You might combine them to decide you want to help people or give life to another human being so they can have experiences and such- but at the end of the day your being here at the minimum requires you to survive. You need oxygen, nourishment, water, shelter, and other care. You have psychological needs as well. If you don’t tend them you die. Most of your “silly little tasks” relate to you being here, surviving. We’ve made it relatively easy to consistently survive in the developed world. It’s unlikely that a drought or bad harvest or bad luck hunting or gathering will result in your death.
You may need to maintain a certain social position- just like ancient man. If you aren’t known and don’t seem trustworthy or to adhere to the customs and conventions of the land, it can hurt your chances at commerce, acceptance, social interaction and opportunity. A combination of social position or perception and fitness- how well you seem able to protect or provide or provide or raise offspring for example- can factor into your chances at mating opportunities or the mates if your choice.
To do that you’ll often need to face nature and reality but you also often need to face other humans who’s desires may contradict or prohibit yours. Other humans are both the greatest help and greatest obstacle in having the freedom to do what we want in life. No human Can do everything alone. There are few cases where a single person can beat the strength and ability to thrive of a group with any level of ability or competence.