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I think that homo sapiens was happiest in the hunter gatherer era, right before we've started to think more and more in abstract and conscious ways. Sure, it's

by shafyy 3y ago

I think that homo sapiens was happiest in the hunter gatherer era, right before we've started to think more and more in abstract and conscious ways. Sure, it's cool we can fly humans to the Moon and robots to Mars, but everybody is miserable in the capitalist hamster wheel and an increasing number of people are getting depressed and committing suicide. The other day I was at the lake and looking at ducks, contemplating this. Is a duck really less happy than an average human? Sure, they can't buy fancy iPhones and might get eaten tomorrow, but it's all relative anyways, right? And before you start suggesting that I'm depressed: I'm not, I have been lucky. I have a happy life, great job, great friends and family. But still, one can't stop and wonder about these things...

52-6F-62 3y ago
There’s nothing odd about that thinking. You’re just scratching the surface of philosophy and you should continue. Nothing is an inevitability and tomorrow will look different than anyone here or anywhere else tries to predict. Don’t stop wondering. But I definitely recommend exploring others’ wondering. Especially when it has nothing to do with tech and all to do with your own existence.
- shafyy 3y ago
  Do you have have any good book recommendations?
  - 52-6F-62 3y ago
    Beware dogma. It’s mostly trappings. Study classics, eastern and western and everything besides. Then reading Carl Jung and modern theoretical physicists will then blow the doors off of what you think you knew. Feynman sees ways around everything. Bohm sees behind everything. Whitten’s trying to connect it all together. They will all point you to other readings worth some time. After that reading Robert Anton Wilson, Terrance McKenna, Ram Dass, and Tim Leary will leave you probably going back to the start to find all of the things you’ve missed. Don’t take them at their word, either. They use a lot of tricks, but it’s just to add perspective. Then if you’re still feeling wild take a journey through comparative religion and it will add another dimension to it all yet again. …then you will go all the way out and back again. Don’t take anything for granted. It’s your life you’re living, and all of these writers and more could recognize at least that. Just don’t forget your good humour. Wilson will remind you of that.
    - shafyy 3y ago
      Thanks a lot!
krona 3y ago
> homo sapiens was happiest in the hunter gatherer era I get the point you're making (progress is an illusion etc.) and have some sympathy with it, but starvation and the constant threat of being killed or dying slowly of a toothache is surely not a 'happy' life. Personally I think a fulfilling life doesn't need much happiness at all, just contentment with your situation. There isn't much contentment these days, it seems.
- shafyy 3y ago
  > but starvation and the constant threat of being killed or dying slowly of a toothache is surely not a 'happy' life. But how do you know if a duck is thinking about this? This reasoning only makes sense from a perspective of a 21st century homo sapiens. I think that happiness is relative; I don't believe a duck contemplates how live would be not thinking about where to get the next bite of food. The same way that people 200 years ago led happy lives. However, a person that lives today but only has access to technology and medicine, while still knowing and seeing that the others have access to today's technology and medicine, would be super unhappy.

by shafyy 3y ago

52-6F-62 3y ago

There’s nothing odd about that thinking. You’re just scratching the surface of philosophy and you should continue. Nothing is an inevitability and tomorrow will look different than anyone here or anywhere else tries to predict. Don’t stop wondering. But I definitely recommend exploring others’ wondering. Especially when it has nothing to do with tech and all to do with your own existence.

shafyy 3y ago
Do you have have any good book recommendations?
- 52-6F-62 3y ago
  Beware dogma. It’s mostly trappings. Study classics, eastern and western and everything besides. Then reading Carl Jung and modern theoretical physicists will then blow the doors off of what you think you knew. Feynman sees ways around everything. Bohm sees behind everything. Whitten’s trying to connect it all together. They will all point you to other readings worth some time. After that reading Robert Anton Wilson, Terrance McKenna, Ram Dass, and Tim Leary will leave you probably going back to the start to find all of the things you’ve missed. Don’t take them at their word, either. They use a lot of tricks, but it’s just to add perspective. Then if you’re still feeling wild take a journey through comparative religion and it will add another dimension to it all yet again. …then you will go all the way out and back again. Don’t take anything for granted. It’s your life you’re living, and all of these writers and more could recognize at least that. Just don’t forget your good humour. Wilson will remind you of that.
  - shafyy 3y ago
    Thanks a lot!

krona 3y ago

> homo sapiens was happiest in the hunter gatherer era I get the point you're making (progress is an illusion etc.) and have some sympathy with it, but starvation and the constant threat of being killed or dying slowly of a toothache is surely not a 'happy' life. Personally I think a fulfilling life doesn't need much happiness at all, just contentment with your situation. There isn't much contentment these days, it seems.

shafyy 3y ago
> but starvation and the constant threat of being killed or dying slowly of a toothache is surely not a 'happy' life. But how do you know if a duck is thinking about this? This reasoning only makes sense from a perspective of a 21st century homo sapiens. I think that happiness is relative; I don't believe a duck contemplates how live would be not thinking about where to get the next bite of food. The same way that people 200 years ago led happy lives. However, a person that lives today but only has access to technology and medicine, while still knowing and seeing that the others have access to today's technology and medicine, would be super unhappy.