I think Equilibrium is an amazing film. Very interesting, very beautiful environments and the acting is generally pretty good.

But

What exactly do these people life for? What drives them? At one point early in the film, John gets a new partner. His partner mentions he is 'excited' about this new position as he was told it will further his career.

Why does that even matter to him?! I mean, seriously, what does he do it for? How can anything have value and meaning if there are no emotions to reward or 'rate' certain actions?

Sure, sure, one can see that every single person in the world of Equilibrium secretly 'forgets' to take their medicine, but that would be a rather easy solution to explain their actions, and it would make the film a lot less good to me, but that might just be me.

Anyway, let's get to the point of this post: Can somebody please explain to me how it is that without emotion people manage to do anything in life other than eat and sleep, because I feel like that's impossible. There is no motiviation to do anything.