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>It makes us uniform, bland, predictable neural networks, cogs involved in unifying the capitalistic market This. We have become mindless uber-consumers, copyi

>It makes us uniform, bland, predictable neural networks, cogs involved in unifying the capitalistic market This. We have become mindless uber-consumers, copying vs creating, regurgitating vs thinking. Reposting an animated gif meme is valued more than original thought. As a consequence, we are easily infected (perfect word) with ideas. Worse, we believe these ideas to be the product of our own creation. Beyond that, all we seem to be able to muster is endless streams of desparate duck-lipped photos, begging for validation. This is what we've been reduced to and convinced is normal. It's a form of collective mental illness, encouraged by mind-hackers who profit from it.

foobarian 9y ago
I blame secularization. Human beings are genetically very good conduits for transfer of ideas. This is why in the past religions had such success in becoming popular and "infecting" people's brains. But once modern society decided that religion is bad, they created a memetic vacuum, a population of brains with empty slots ready to attach to whatever big idea came next. And that happened to be social networks with their strong feedback loops and financial incentives to be as addictive as possible. I wish there was a church option again that was a bit less loony. Something focused on community and shared values, less on the mystical. Honestly I think Unitarians come close but I don't know why their numbers are record low; maybe there needs to be more of a social network backlash to get some new members through the door.
- IntronExon 9y ago
  The vast majority of people are part of a religion. What are you talking about? Religion has less ability to control people in some parts of the world, and people in some parts of the world are becoming less religious. Most of the world is still quite religiou though, often to their detriment. India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, huge swaths of the US, South and Central America, and so on are all very religious. So again, what are you really talking about?
  - foobarian 9y ago
    I'm talking about modern western society. Sorry I don't have scientific references, and this is all anecdata/personal observation but I don't know a single person in my large US city that is religious or attends church, and yet I know many that spend a lot of time on social networks and yet are lonely. Mostly combination of family/friends/work.
    - IntronExon 9y ago
      http://news.gallup.com/poll/200186/five-key-findings-religion.aspx http://news.gallup.com/poll/200186/five-key-findings-religio... http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/ http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/ https://www.prri.org/research/american-religious-landscape-christian-religiously-unaffiliated/ https://www.prri.org/research/american-religious-landscape-c... Atheists and agnostics account for a minority of all religiously unaffiliated. Most are secular. Atheists and agnostics account for only about one-quarter (27%) of all religiously unaffiliated Americans. Nearly six in ten (58%) religiously unaffiliated Americans identify as secular, someone who is not religious; 16% of religiously unaffiliated Americans nonetheless report that they identify as a “religious person.” Note that religiously unaffiliated represent ~21% only. Less dominant and slowly declining, but far from what you previously described as But once modern society decided that religion is bad.
      - arcseco 9y ago
        That doesn't necessarily mean that people who identify as religious also attend a church. My family would consider themselves Catholic, yet they don't attend church. In my opinion people have replaced the hole that religiosity used to fill with pop-culture. The amount of time dedicated to reading into the meaning of films/television shows, or worshiping actors/actresses (see tabloids) is reminiscent of the seriousness that religiously dedicated individuals take to scripture.
        IntronExon 9y ago
        A reorientation of priorities among people who self-identify as religious is about as far from the thesis of society deciding that “religion is bad” as can be. Mostly though, you should recognize that “pop culture” has been blamed for turning people away from religion for longer than people have spoken English.
- Bucephalus355 9y ago
  Thank you for your comment. I grew up in a liberal Democratic household and still consider myself as such, but I’ve found a lot of happiness by going back to (Catholic) church, the religion of my mother, which she hated. I barely even wanted to type this comment because I don’t feel like it’s that accepted of an idea on HN, but I really appreciated you posting.
- andrepd 9y ago
  Secularization is a phenomenon that predates the appearance of online social networks for several decades to a couple centuries, depending on your point of view. I don't see the connection. At any rate I don't see how you can link secularization and the stagnation of the transfer of ideas; very much to the contrary, being free from oppressive dogma led to radical advances in thought and upheavals in social order. Can you expound on the reasons you think that way?
- unclebucknasty 9y ago
  >ready to attach to whatever big idea came next Well, that's just it: the vaccum is being filled with tiny ideas. We don't seem to go much deeper than what can be communicated in an animated gif.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- mirimir 9y ago
  Yes, I was going to say Unitarian. There are also various ethical societies and Sunday assemblies.
thom 9y ago
Hacker News comments are no less preening, let's be honest.

foobarian 9y ago

I blame secularization. Human beings are genetically very good conduits for transfer of ideas. This is why in the past religions had such success in becoming popular and "infecting" people's brains. But once modern society decided that religion is bad, they created a memetic vacuum, a population of brains with empty slots ready to attach to whatever big idea came next. And that happened to be social networks with their strong feedback loops and financial incentives to be as addictive as possible. I wish there was a church option again that was a bit less loony. Something focused on community and shared values, less on the mystical. Honestly I think Unitarians come close but I don't know why their numbers are record low; maybe there needs to be more of a social network backlash to get some new members through the door.

IntronExon 9y ago
The vast majority of people are part of a religion. What are you talking about? Religion has less ability to control people in some parts of the world, and people in some parts of the world are becoming less religious. Most of the world is still quite religiou though, often to their detriment. India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, huge swaths of the US, South and Central America, and so on are all very religious. So again, what are you really talking about?
- foobarian 9y ago
  I'm talking about modern western society. Sorry I don't have scientific references, and this is all anecdata/personal observation but I don't know a single person in my large US city that is religious or attends church, and yet I know many that spend a lot of time on social networks and yet are lonely. Mostly combination of family/friends/work.
  - IntronExon 9y ago
    http://news.gallup.com/poll/200186/five-key-findings-religion.aspx http://news.gallup.com/poll/200186/five-key-findings-religio... http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/ http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/ https://www.prri.org/research/american-religious-landscape-christian-religiously-unaffiliated/ https://www.prri.org/research/american-religious-landscape-c... Atheists and agnostics account for a minority of all religiously unaffiliated. Most are secular. Atheists and agnostics account for only about one-quarter (27%) of all religiously unaffiliated Americans. Nearly six in ten (58%) religiously unaffiliated Americans identify as secular, someone who is not religious; 16% of religiously unaffiliated Americans nonetheless report that they identify as a “religious person.” Note that religiously unaffiliated represent ~21% only. Less dominant and slowly declining, but far from what you previously described as But once modern society decided that religion is bad.
    - arcseco 9y ago
      That doesn't necessarily mean that people who identify as religious also attend a church. My family would consider themselves Catholic, yet they don't attend church. In my opinion people have replaced the hole that religiosity used to fill with pop-culture. The amount of time dedicated to reading into the meaning of films/television shows, or worshiping actors/actresses (see tabloids) is reminiscent of the seriousness that religiously dedicated individuals take to scripture.
      - IntronExon 9y ago
        A reorientation of priorities among people who self-identify as religious is about as far from the thesis of society deciding that “religion is bad” as can be. Mostly though, you should recognize that “pop culture” has been blamed for turning people away from religion for longer than people have spoken English.
Bucephalus355 9y ago
Thank you for your comment. I grew up in a liberal Democratic household and still consider myself as such, but I’ve found a lot of happiness by going back to (Catholic) church, the religion of my mother, which she hated. I barely even wanted to type this comment because I don’t feel like it’s that accepted of an idea on HN, but I really appreciated you posting.
andrepd 9y ago
Secularization is a phenomenon that predates the appearance of online social networks for several decades to a couple centuries, depending on your point of view. I don't see the connection. At any rate I don't see how you can link secularization and the stagnation of the transfer of ideas; very much to the contrary, being free from oppressive dogma led to radical advances in thought and upheavals in social order. Can you expound on the reasons you think that way?
unclebucknasty 9y ago
>ready to attach to whatever big idea came next Well, that's just it: the vaccum is being filled with tiny ideas. We don't seem to go much deeper than what can be communicated in an animated gif.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
mirimir 9y ago
Yes, I was going to say Unitarian. There are also various ethical societies and Sunday assemblies.

thom 9y ago

Hacker News comments are no less preening, let's be honest.