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I often wonder if our civilization is in some sort of false vacuum. While it's true our lives are better than in the Middle Ages, stories like this and the myr

by eksith 12y ago

I often wonder if our civilization is in some sort of false vacuum. While it's true our lives are better than in the Middle Ages, stories like this and the myriad of misconceptions and outright lies that follow cannabis really demonstrate, superstition still rules law. We've clothed ourselves in technology, but not wisdom.

InclinedPlane 12y ago
Of course. We exist in a world that has benefited greatly from and been transformed by a more "enlightened" world view (one that is accepting and embraces scientific principles), but at the same time it largely rejects that world view, with abundant evidence everywhere. We think we are sophisticated and advanced but there's only a skim of sophostication on top of our primitivism. Look at our criminal justice system, which makes a mockery of justice, perverts society, and embraces medieval ideas about punishment, retribution, and suffering. You see similar things everywhere you look. The idea of rule of law, then the subversion of law with favoritism for the powerful. And so on. We don't notice much of this because we see the good, which to be fair is important and nevertheless real, and ignore the bad because it has become familiar (or worse, it is familiar but we dismiss it as being exceptional, like sexual violence or police corruption).
- eksith 12y ago
  Extremely well put!
wpietri 12y ago
Well, we're made out of meat, so I try not to expect too much. We'll always be savannah survival machines, at least until we do a lot of genetic self-engineering. Superstition is a survival trait. But don't knock the technology piece. Humans may not be very good at thinking, but we're definitely better at it when we're safe, warm, and well fed. Especially so if that's what we've had a lifetime of. Maybe this is a little too engineer-y of me, but I think if we want wisdom, we have to construct environments where people naturally produce wisdom.
happyscrappy 12y ago
For some reason everyone wants to believe that they are in some epic struggle with the current world situation. Humankind in general has never had it softer, easier, safer and more luxurious in the entire history of the world. There must be some innate complex to explain this.

by eksith 12y ago

InclinedPlane 12y ago

Of course. We exist in a world that has benefited greatly from and been transformed by a more "enlightened" world view (one that is accepting and embraces scientific principles), but at the same time it largely rejects that world view, with abundant evidence everywhere. We think we are sophisticated and advanced but there's only a skim of sophostication on top of our primitivism. Look at our criminal justice system, which makes a mockery of justice, perverts society, and embraces medieval ideas about punishment, retribution, and suffering. You see similar things everywhere you look. The idea of rule of law, then the subversion of law with favoritism for the powerful. And so on. We don't notice much of this because we see the good, which to be fair is important and nevertheless real, and ignore the bad because it has become familiar (or worse, it is familiar but we dismiss it as being exceptional, like sexual violence or police corruption).

eksith 12y ago
Extremely well put!

wpietri 12y ago

Well, we're made out of meat, so I try not to expect too much. We'll always be savannah survival machines, at least until we do a lot of genetic self-engineering. Superstition is a survival trait. But don't knock the technology piece. Humans may not be very good at thinking, but we're definitely better at it when we're safe, warm, and well fed. Especially so if that's what we've had a lifetime of. Maybe this is a little too engineer-y of me, but I think if we want wisdom, we have to construct environments where people naturally produce wisdom.

happyscrappy 12y ago

For some reason everyone wants to believe that they are in some epic struggle with the current world situation. Humankind in general has never had it softer, easier, safer and more luxurious in the entire history of the world. There must be some innate complex to explain this.