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> We were depersonalized by the industrial revolution, and then large numbers of us were killed in the wars that followed. We were depersonalized loooong befor

> We were depersonalized by the industrial revolution, and then large numbers of us were killed in the wars that followed. We were depersonalized loooong before that - read up on the 30 years war, or any other conflict before the Industrial Revolution. “Soldiers” of the time were mercenaries, many of whom were pressed in to ‘service’ when their village/town/farm was destroyed by said mercenary company. These mercenaries fought at the whims of princes and kings who squabbled over whims and privilege, and the princes and generals are the only ones who are remembered.

jjk166 5y ago
Sometimes we forget that the last 3-5 generations were the only humans in history for whom seeing a sibling die in childhood was not the norm. Instead of the industrial revolution dehumanizing us, for the first time ever we are raised from birth confident that we will live long and prosperous lives, that we need not kill nor fear being killed to live in this prosperity. Human life has become much more precious and cherished in modern times, not less. The middle of the 20th century was simply the last time that people who came of age before the massive improvement in living standards was in power in the western world.
- 411111111111111 5y ago
  whats also easily forgotten is just how many people are alive right now. the current estimate is that there have roughly been 105 billion birth since 50 000BC, with our current world population at almost 8 billion... about 8% of all humans that have ever lived are currently still alive.
  - bamboozled 5y ago
    What you're also forgetting is those huge numbers are often from countries where people probably do still watch their siblings die.
    - 411111111111111 5y ago
      Your phrasing makes it sound as if most people alive have terrible living conditions and high early mortality... Which is incorrect. The misery is pretty localized in Africa and some places in the middle east, which is less then 20% of the population. Life could be better in a lot of places, but it's incomparably better to life under the churches in the dark ages for example.
- beeboop 5y ago
  >we are raised from birth confident that we will live long and prosperous lives, that we need not kill nor fear being killed to live in this prosperity Given the number of countries with mandatory military service, and the looming threat of the draft in countries that don't, this maybe isn't capturing the whole story.

jjk166 5y ago

Sometimes we forget that the last 3-5 generations were the only humans in history for whom seeing a sibling die in childhood was not the norm. Instead of the industrial revolution dehumanizing us, for the first time ever we are raised from birth confident that we will live long and prosperous lives, that we need not kill nor fear being killed to live in this prosperity. Human life has become much more precious and cherished in modern times, not less. The middle of the 20th century was simply the last time that people who came of age before the massive improvement in living standards was in power in the western world.

411111111111111 5y ago
whats also easily forgotten is just how many people are alive right now. the current estimate is that there have roughly been 105 billion birth since 50 000BC, with our current world population at almost 8 billion... about 8% of all humans that have ever lived are currently still alive.
- bamboozled 5y ago
  What you're also forgetting is those huge numbers are often from countries where people probably do still watch their siblings die.
  - 411111111111111 5y ago
    Your phrasing makes it sound as if most people alive have terrible living conditions and high early mortality... Which is incorrect. The misery is pretty localized in Africa and some places in the middle east, which is less then 20% of the population. Life could be better in a lot of places, but it's incomparably better to life under the churches in the dark ages for example.
beeboop 5y ago
>we are raised from birth confident that we will live long and prosperous lives, that we need not kill nor fear being killed to live in this prosperity Given the number of countries with mandatory military service, and the looming threat of the draft in countries that don't, this maybe isn't capturing the whole story.