3 ms·
"Complex societies are possible and durable only when people are emotionally invested in, and help, one another; we’d be living in smaller units and more solita
by peterwwillis 8y ago
"Complex societies are possible and durable only when people are emotionally invested in, and help, one another; we’d be living in smaller units and more solitary fashions if we weren’t equipped for such collaboration"
Has this person lived in a city? I don't see how you could be more solitary or isolated. Big, complex societies are almost entirely dependent on collaboration with small groups in compartmentalized ways. Usually you're very far removed from the things and people that actually support your life, and emotional investment is zero. It's really the smaller, more rural areas where combining collaboration with emotional investment is necessary.
- kderbyma 8y agoI have to disagree with your statement because in my experience having lived in a big city for my entire life - we are highly collaborative to the point of dependence. Smaller communities are much more isolated and self sufficient, but larger cities have larger demands which results in a general understanding of the population that they need to do their part. It is not biologically possible to be invested in millions of people, so we get invested in the culture we participate in