Reality check: evolutionary theory suggests people's desires should be nailed down as hard as possible to those things that lead to raising good quality babies. Almost 7 billion humans shows how well this theory works.

So: men can be expected to desire status to the extent that it increases their access to young, fertile mates - while women can be expected to desire attention to the extent that it gives them access to a good selection of prospective partners and their genes.

The maternal instict is strong - and it has little to do with attention - and a lot to do with raising your very own cute, lovable baby.

Check with the fees paid to fertility clincs for evidence that many people want babies pretty directly - just as a naive interpretation of evolutionary theory suggests that they might.

People might not always say they want babies. However, the conscious mind is the human PR department, not an honest hotline to their motivation system. By their actions shall ye know them.