3 ms·

I don't see the relevance. We do live in society and do have technology. Without those things, we wouldn't have hospitals, cardboard, or Hacker News either, but

I don't see the relevance. We do live in society and do have technology. Without those things, we wouldn't have hospitals, cardboard, or Hacker News either, but what does that mean? There's a sort of meme which is like a lecture on how dangerous the world 'really' is, often to justify or advocate a lack of compassion. It's portrayed as 'realism' but I find it surreal: We don't live in a state of nature and we have no desire to. Why are we talking about it? Why don't we aim for more, as our ancestors who built this society did?

atlantic 8y ago
> There's a sort of meme which is like a lecture on how dangerous the world 'really' is, often to justify or advocate a lack of compassion. But on the other hand, compassion is not an absolute value either. Taken to extremes, it fosters individual weakness, hypersensitivity, emotionality. And, on a social level, degeneracy of all sorts - crime, mental disease, etc. That's why ancient societies took pains to train their young men in the arts of war, long after it had ceased to be objectively necessary. The predatory instincts have a great deal of character-building value.
- forapurpose 8y ago
  > Taken to extremes, it fosters individual weakness, hypersensitivity, emotionality. And, on a social level, degeneracy of all sorts - crime, mental disease, etc. I disagree. What is that based on? Compassion fosters crime? The experts I know, and my experience in the world, say compassion fosters emotional strength, reduces behavioral problems, and increases resilience. > That's why ancient societies took pains to train their young men in the arts of war, long after it had ceased to be objectively necessary. The predatory instincts have a great deal of character-building value. Again, is there any basis for this? It's bizarre. Even if it's true of "ancient societies" (what time period? which ones?), I have no desire to live in one - and neither would you. We've moved far beyond their bizarre, archaic beliefs and practices. Should we return to human sacrifice, illiteracy, and constant war too? I'm guessing that fostering "predatory instincts" fosters crime, mental disease, not to mention war and violence.

atlantic 8y ago

> There's a sort of meme which is like a lecture on how dangerous the world 'really' is, often to justify or advocate a lack of compassion. But on the other hand, compassion is not an absolute value either. Taken to extremes, it fosters individual weakness, hypersensitivity, emotionality. And, on a social level, degeneracy of all sorts - crime, mental disease, etc. That's why ancient societies took pains to train their young men in the arts of war, long after it had ceased to be objectively necessary. The predatory instincts have a great deal of character-building value.

forapurpose 8y ago
> Taken to extremes, it fosters individual weakness, hypersensitivity, emotionality. And, on a social level, degeneracy of all sorts - crime, mental disease, etc. I disagree. What is that based on? Compassion fosters crime? The experts I know, and my experience in the world, say compassion fosters emotional strength, reduces behavioral problems, and increases resilience. > That's why ancient societies took pains to train their young men in the arts of war, long after it had ceased to be objectively necessary. The predatory instincts have a great deal of character-building value. Again, is there any basis for this? It's bizarre. Even if it's true of "ancient societies" (what time period? which ones?), I have no desire to live in one - and neither would you. We've moved far beyond their bizarre, archaic beliefs and practices. Should we return to human sacrifice, illiteracy, and constant war too? I'm guessing that fostering "predatory instincts" fosters crime, mental disease, not to mention war and violence.