The use of the word "ritual" seems to imply behavioral patterns done without fully understanding them. But a full explanation for human behavior requires a lot

The use of the word "ritual" seems to imply behavioral patterns done without fully understanding them. But a full explanation for human behavior requires a lot more than just understanding monkey behavior (why stop there rather than at mammal behavior, or tetrapod behavior, or RNA replicator behavior), it requires a perfect model of the universe extrapolated over 14 billion years which is forever beyond our grasp. "Ritual" also implies behavior that is done by rote or under duress. But that leaves out behavior that is done because it is desirable or an expected end of it is desirable. The drive to pursue pleasure does not require an explanation, it is its own explanation, much like the drive to avoid pain requires no explanation either. > It makes me wonder what would happen to us if we didn’t have any more rituals to perform or standardized games to wake up to. You describe the absence of all drives, a very unusual state. Sounds like depression, frankly.