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> the average person will get most of their understanding of the past from time period movies and shows actually, that's how lots people get their understandin
by devmunchies 6y ago
> the average person will get most of their understanding of the past from time period movies and shows
actually, that's how lots people get their understanding of the present, too.
For example, I'd wager most people on HN have seen more horses in movies than in real life. I've never actually seen what the ocean looks like underwater with my own eyes.
It's actually mind boggling how much of our worldview is shaped by content we consume. Think about how different your worldview would be if it were based solely on things you've experienced first-hand.
- eru 6y agoAnd that humans can do that is one of our big evolutionary breakthroughs. Apes can only really learn from what they experience themselves. Teaching involves some other ape guiding them through the act, at best. Humans can learn from other humans (or their artefacts like books and films etc), even when the activity in question is not performed. (There might be some of that learning with some apes. There's some with crows. But it's not nearly as prevalent as with humans.)