Of Spiders and Functions

Think of this for a moment...

Why do spiders want to build webs?

Very much like me, and all the other people, your answer might be very well... to catch flies la.. or to catch their food..

"We may think that a spider builds a web to catch flies, but this is true only at the functional level. There is no evidence that spiders have any idea what webs are for. In other words, a behavior's purpose says nothing about its underlying motives." (de Waal, 2003, p. 25, cited in Smith, Nolen-Hoeksema, Fredickson & Loftus)

That got me wondering.. about what people do which seems to be profitable only at a functional level, but in essence, they don't really know why they do what they do...

For example, why do guys GENERALLY (generally cause i am not one of them) adores football so much, and at the same time, why do females GENERALLY adores shopping so much?

From the surface, it seems that guys like football cause it's enjoyable? (i really don't know y ok.. it's just a guess) and women likes shopping to.... equip themselves with.... cloths to protect themselves? ok.. maybe both of them has to do with the social surroundings.. it is a generalization that men loves football and women loves shopping, so if i am a guy/girl then i should like football/shopping

Funtional purpose.. socializing.. make sense?

So what are the underlying motives then? i don't know..

Why did i gave an example of football and shopping? Because i read an intresting article entitled True love is .... football by A. Asohan.

According to him.. "it was every woman’s dream to find a beau who’s not into football. Just like it’s every man’s dream to find a woman who’s not into shopping, I guess." (Asohan, 2008)

His article is quite enjoyable and you can have a look at it at http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2008/1/13/lifefocus/20080112154018&sec=lifefocus

God Bless~

References:

Asohan, A. 2008. True Love is .... Football. The Star, Lifestyle, Malaysia.
Smith, E. E., Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Fredrickson, B. L. and Loftus, G. R. 2003. Atkinson &
Hilgard's Intoduction to Psychology, 14th edition. Thomson Wadsworth, United States of
America.