Dear Aidan,

«few nowadays choose to have big families, even though that's what would fit best with out animal nature»

Animal nature itself is tricky and versatile: Dawkins explains in his book how the genes adapt and select different tactics in different situations. The bottom line is, they want to multiply and propagate themselves, only the tactics vary.

Why should we serve them at all?

«There's more interesting things to see and do, as well as more opportunities to make money.»

Yes, this would suit a materialist view of life.
Personally I am not out looking for interesting things and the reason I need money, is to buy my freedom. If I could have my freedom without money then I wouldn't need money.

«I don't know where you got the idea that life's purpose is to escape regimentation.»

This is a means, not an end: regimentation strangulates the spiritual purpose of life, thus renders life meaningless. Once regimentation is out of the way, we are still responsible to fulfil our life's purpose, but at least society then doesn't stop us.

«But completely cutting yourself off from civilisation for decades at a time is the very antithesis of life's purpose!»

Saints and sages have done so for millennia.

For others, so long as civilisation is agreeable to their religion, it may temporarily support their life's purpose, but ultimately life's purpose cannot be transient, while civilisation is: transient means may be used on the way, but nothing is worthy of being called "purpose" unless it is everlasting.

Yet to keep it down to earth, look at the link I provided earlier: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/for-40-years-this-russian-family-was-cut-off-from-all-human-contact-unaware-of-world-war-ii-7354256/

What would you say better serves life's purpose: retreating to the Siberian wilderness where the family was able to continue practising its religion, or succumbing to the demands of Stalin's regime?

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Dear Paul,

It all boils down to the question whether or not life has any purpose higher than getting $20,000 to buy party pies and sausage rolls for our family and friends.

Yuyutsu, the $20k is not just for party pies and sausage rolls, it was remiss of me not to mention cocktail franks as well, my personal favorite at any wake, sauce included goes without saying.