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I'm led to believe that culture wasn't always as fast as it is now. Some period in human history lasted thousands of years, then hundreds, eventually decades. N

by jeffool 15y ago

I'm led to believe that culture wasn't always as fast as it is now. Some period in human history lasted thousands of years, then hundreds, eventually decades. Now things may be a constant stream, but looking in history, the marks of change in culture stand out like rings in a tree. It may still now and we're just too close to it... Or maybe things have truly changed. Maybe that's what hipsterism really is, an inability to differentiate from the immediate precursor.

JonnieCache 15y ago
Or, these "rings" have been imposed on history by the human race's psychological compulsion to impose an understandable narrative structure onto the chaotic, senseless, meaningless mess that is life. If we can't make sense of the past, how can we reasonably believe we have a chance of making sense of our own lives? Of course in actuality, we can do neither of these things. The problem is if everyone sincerely believed this, we wouldn't get anything done. This is a big part of why religion continues to be so popular.
cmhamill 15y ago
You've been led to believe wrong, if you ask me (I know you didn't). History has always been a constant stream, but you're ability to sample it with a certain frequency diminishes as you "look" back into the past. The historical, archaeological/material, and memorial, if you will, records all become less preserved, and your relatively flawless memory of the time you've lived will of course lead you to see the the time you've lived in as happening more quickly. Disclosure: my background is in archaeology/anthropology. Sorry for the rant, but this is a meme that I see all the time and really bothers me. As far as the OP goes, this article is asinine and meaningless. As a "millenial," I honestly don't give a shit about whether I have it worse or better than some X'er; what I do care about is a sane and just world. We'll continue to fight for that, thank you very much, while the OP continues to feel self-righteous.
Duff 15y ago
I don't think that's true. Life was slower when most people were farmers. But culture has always changed with time.

by jeffool 15y ago

JonnieCache 15y ago

Or, these "rings" have been imposed on history by the human race's psychological compulsion to impose an understandable narrative structure onto the chaotic, senseless, meaningless mess that is life. If we can't make sense of the past, how can we reasonably believe we have a chance of making sense of our own lives? Of course in actuality, we can do neither of these things. The problem is if everyone sincerely believed this, we wouldn't get anything done. This is a big part of why religion continues to be so popular.

cmhamill 15y ago

You've been led to believe wrong, if you ask me (I know you didn't). History has always been a constant stream, but you're ability to sample it with a certain frequency diminishes as you "look" back into the past. The historical, archaeological/material, and memorial, if you will, records all become less preserved, and your relatively flawless memory of the time you've lived will of course lead you to see the the time you've lived in as happening more quickly. Disclosure: my background is in archaeology/anthropology. Sorry for the rant, but this is a meme that I see all the time and really bothers me. As far as the OP goes, this article is asinine and meaningless. As a "millenial," I honestly don't give a shit about whether I have it worse or better than some X'er; what I do care about is a sane and just world. We'll continue to fight for that, thank you very much, while the OP continues to feel self-righteous.

Duff 15y ago

I don't think that's true. Life was slower when most people were farmers. But culture has always changed with time.