Function Lust

A few years back I received an album from my horn professor entitled "Function Lust." I've always been slightly put off by the title, know full well the implications of the word "lust." Yet now as I grow older, I think I'm beginning to understand that part of the human soul that the horn player was trying to explore, that pure joy that comes from performing an action, over and over again, perfecting one's execution with each repetition.

This Function Lust becomes and all-consuming passion. We've all experienced it - you might have loved to play basketball or create something from paper and glue. But what about those obsessions that last into adulthood? These actions as object are what is meant by Function Lust. And as adults, we can let the action replace what was once gained from performing the action, that is we lose sight of the action's original purpose.

In most cases, this Function Lust began as something that helped us escape the quotidian, the mundane. And perhaps this activity was supposed to enrich us and those around us. But when is it that one crosses the line from helpful and health activity into Function Lust? It is my belief that the line of Function Lust is crossed when one neglects either themselves or the people around them, or both.

This is what I'm afraid I see in some people close to me. And once healthy activity quickly transforming into Function Lust. And it breaks my heart that one day they will be faced with the decision feeding their Function Lust, or keeping the ones they love. To me it is obvious what one should choose - people should always win over objects, but sadly Function Lust can become so powerful that many of the people who suffer from it will be blinded and choose to continue their passion, rather than continue to love the people that should mean the most to them.

This is simply an obersvation: nothing more. I wish I knew how to correct this issue, knowing that even talking about an affected person will more than likely result in feelings of contempt... May both our mind and our spirit within us dwell as one, making one music as before...

But vaster...