What motivates this species?

In my story, there is a planet that experiences near constant sunlight. Since sunlight so plentiful and reliable most organisms are, at least in part, photosynthetic.

The only intelligent life on this planet is plant-like people that get their energy entirely from photosynthesis, and absorb nutrients and water from suitable soil (which is not rare).

They are roughly similar to humans in size, shape and appendages, and general intelligence. They are mobile, because they are prey, although this changes as they get older: they never stop growing and can live for several centuries. At some point, the creature becomes so large that it plants itself and never moves again. These elders continue to grow wiser as they age (their bodies essentially becoming shelters for continually growing brains), though not many reach these extremely old ages.

They have never really developed a psychology that promotes warfare for three reasons:

1. Since they are photosynthetic, they don't need to kill (or even farm) for food.
2. They are hardy, and younger members can quite reliably regrow, which makes war among the species impractical with their level of technology. This is so reliable that 'murder' in their society is still a crime, but not nearly as terrible as it is on Earth
3. Their predators are much more capable than them, so they can't feasibly exterminate them.

My question is fairly open ended: these creatures don't need to collect resources for food or shelter, so what would drive them to do anything but lay in the sun all day?

The species prizes the arts over sciences, but I can't see why or how they would have developed the tools to make paints, instruments, sculptures, etc.

posted about 5 years ago

Aetherfox‭

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