"I didnt want to have anything to do, really, either with Japhy's ides about society or with any of Alvah's ideas about grasping life as much as you can because of its sweet sadness and because you would be dead some day."

Its clear these three amigos have very differnt view on life. Japhy is really philisophical and beleives in anti materialism. Alvah is live every day as if it were your last and enjoy everysecond. Thou Ray is down for whatever sort of inbetween doesnt really care either way he likes a nice dinner but enjoys at times living as a bobo.