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>>> Surprisingly, it’s not our shared language or even our ability to dominate other species that defines us but rather, our shared fictions. Shared fictions s
by felipemnoa 8y ago
>>> Surprisingly, it’s not our shared language or even our ability to dominate other species that defines us but rather, our shared fictions.
Shared fictions seems to just be a euphemism for culture. I wonder why he doesn't just call it that.
- jasode 8y agoIf you're only going by the short snippet lordnacho quoted, yes it might seem like it's just "culture". Culture would be shared rituals like language, food preferences, music etc. YNH's "shared fiction" idea is about humans' ability to deliberately create new abstract entities that compels humans to act together in service of that entity. Examples of his shared fictions would be a "company" or "fiat money". These "fictions" somehow organize humans to cooperate and multiply their power over the world. Culture, on the other hand, like regional food recipes, would accumulate organically and accidentally.
- quadrangle 8y agoBecause culture also includes something like how we construct and decorate houses, and there's nothing fictional about that. Same with the types of food we eat or music we make. Only some parts of culture are shared-fictions.
- x3tm 8y agoSocial construct is closer to what he talks about. As for why he had to use a non standard formulation for this ... I believe it's marketing.
- InitialLastName 8y agoI actually like the way he uses "intersubjective truth"(on a spectrum with "objective truth" and "subjective truth) to describe things that are only true because enough people agree that they're true.
- pesmhey 8y agoWe’re being seduced into believing in social constructs. His language is much more palatable. For the record, I’m fine with it.