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People form rigid organizational structures around themselves. At first these structures advance progress, but eventually they run their course and become a bur
by DenisM 8y ago
People form rigid organizational structures around themselves. At first these structures advance progress, but eventually they run their course and become a burden. Natural death of the key members of the organization is one way to promote progress within. Absent that we're looking at massive stagnation.
The death of the organization itself is another way, which is basically the foundation of the free-market capitalism.
- scottLobster 8y agoThat's an awfully narrow view. Even today we see 80 year olds learning all sorts of new paradigms. Granted they're sadly the exception rather than the rule, but that's a cultural issue we can fix. The biggest cause of the stagnation you mention IMO is people thinking they deserve something simply because they've physically existed for longer. With the advent of the information age that illusion is becoming harder to maintain. Might take a few generations to develop the correct institutions, but longer lived humans could readily adapt. And that's assuming humans stay otherwise the same physically. Any knowledge that could lead to 4 digit lifetimes will almost certainly come with enough knowledge to turn us into legit cyborgs, or genetically engineered superhumans if we want, and all bets are off at that point.
- DenisM 8y ago> Even today we see 80 year olds learning all sorts of new paradigms. I said nothing about old people's ability to contribute, rather I was speaking about organizations staffed with the same people for a long time. See also: "Science advances one funeral at a time." http://www.nber.org/digest/mar16/w21788.html http://www.nber.org/digest/mar16/w21788.html
- Udik 8y agoIt will be solved by a brain-rejuvenating drug. Same people, but fresh brains. And some of those brains will be rejuvenated so much that they will leave the organizations anyway, to pick up music, or maths :).
- DenisM 8y agoProblem is you accumulate status and groupthink within an organization. Rejuvenating brain doesn't help against that, unless you plan to wipe it altogether.
- Udik 8y agoA property of a young brain is that of starting afresh, being able to change and follow entirely new paths. So yes, I suppose that a rejuvenated brain would end up partially wiping itself. On the other end, what's the fun of living forever if you always have to be the same person?
- scottLobster 8y agoAs am I. Science advancing one funeral at a time is an institutional and cultural failing, not a natural law. Our systems of governance alao used to advance one funeral at a time as well, we eventually figured out many ways around that.
- afthonos 8y agoThat is indeed a potential problem. But I think “let everyone alive now and forevermore die” is a poor solution.
- DenisM 8y agoI didn't offer that solution.