Literally history repeats itself. Neither the first time, nor the second, nor ever will any human pay heed, learn from what has already happened and improvise at any significant level.
We will stabilize to organize, organize to prosper, prosper to conquer, conquer to plunder / suffer afterwhich we again pursue stability. This cycle will probably repeat itself until sky falls down on us.
One reason could be that human / animal reasoning evolved to function in the immediate vicinity of time, space and being. Largely we care more about ourselves than others, about our immediate habitat than far away lands and about now more than past and future. This is good for survival at individual / micro level but when projected onto a social / macro level this tendency locks us together in a small narrow bubble of space-time that keeps traversing the same path over and over again.
For any given species very few things change over generations. Every generation of monkeys lives and dies nearly the same way. In comparison we, homo sapiens, did improvise over generations in terms of means and ways but have been pursuing the same thing since the time of hunter-gatherer societies.
We will stabilize to organize, organize to prosper, prosper to conquer, conquer to plunder / suffer afterwhich we again pursue stability. This cycle will probably repeat itself until sky falls down on us.
One reason could be that human / animal reasoning evolved to function in the immediate vicinity of time, space and being. Largely we care more about ourselves than others, about our immediate habitat than far away lands and about now more than past and future. This is good for survival at individual / micro level but when projected onto a social / macro level this tendency locks us together in a small narrow bubble of space-time that keeps traversing the same path over and over again.
For any given species very few things change over generations. Every generation of monkeys lives and dies nearly the same way. In comparison we, homo sapiens, did improvise over generations in terms of means and ways but have been pursuing the same thing since the time of hunter-gatherer societies.
Save
Cancel
So then what is the ultimate goal you see Humanity having? Personally I think we have let the Media cloud our judgement and technology to idle our minds. We need to get past where we are now if we a s a race are to survive.
Save
Cancel
Humanity has a goal? I don't think so! Nor does any other life form we know of! Our only goal as a species is to survive and metamorphosize over millions of generation into another species that is better than us. contd..
Save
Cancel
Further to that, media and technology are not idling our minds but enabling us to do more by shrinking time and distance. Just imagine what it would take to convey these words across the oceans and distance separating us. Of course people will use them to influence others but their utility cannot be discounted on these grounds.
Save
Cancel
agreed, but if you take a look at the modern American teenager, technology has been given to them, this incredible tool to have the world at their fingertips, and they are totally unaware of what is going on in the outside world. Should not a race that has developed the ability of extra-genetic learning have some sort of aim other than one encoded in our genes?
Save
Cancel
@Nicholas - Sadly thats the situation everywhere and I would like to bring up the purpose of extra-genetic learning in the first place to answer your question! We learn from experience mostly to achieve our genetically determined goals! Of course thats not an all encompassing phenomenon and we do formulate goals out of what we learn in our lifetime but those goals themselves are more often a complex manifestation of one or more genetic goals than otherwise. contd...
Save
Cancel
For example, we learnt to safeguard our ecosystem because we learnt that we may not be able to survive without it. This goal is a derivate of survival instinct and the instinct to conserve resources and contrary to our reasoning this may not be a learnt goal after all. In fact we find the picture of a lush green forest calming and that of an arid dry plain repulsive because we already have this goal manifested as an emotion and this goal is more of an elaboration of this emotion.
Save
Cancel
@Praveen- It could be a genetic behavior, one that we as a species are intent on ignoring despite its blatant usefulness. We seem to be ever constantly approaching a society of use and disposal without regard for renewable resources, despite the long standing and arduous efforts of renewable resource programs such as solar energies and recycling of materials like petroleum, how do you see this situation?
Save
Cancel
@Nicholas - I am not sure how much of our psyche is about long term goals. Most of us are compulsively stuck with short term agendas and survival. Probably because there is no tomorrow unless we survive today. Most medium to long term goals manifest as minor instincts in us. Love, empathy, parenting, etc. cater to a larger than self agendas. Coming to ecological goals, we as species never faced a ecological catastrophe that we can affect to evolve any eco-protective instincts. contd..
Save
Cancel
We evolved a sense of beauty to choose the right dwelling, spouse, etc. but then there is a catch. We seem to be inherently addicted to choices and options that we don't understand the concept of 'indispensable' rightly enough. To me this concept of indispensable appears to be a learned one and hence its a difficult job for our eco whistle blower peers to warn and modify our behaviour at large.
Save
Cancel
@Praveen- What of recent evidence of piles of bone shards collected in caves that seem to have been used for various things by early humans, marrow for paint and other needs, and bones for weapons, utensils, tools, etc?
Save
Cancel
@Nicholas - Forgive me but I do not understand the relevance of these pre-historic findings to the present context of this conversation i.e. long term vision and sustainability.
Save
Cancel
@Praveen- The way I see it, we as a race have a long standing history with needing to recycle resources to survive, yet we cannot see past short term goals to recognize the necessity, for example, my town doesn't do recycling pick up, but the town less than a mile from us does. It has a lot to do with the economic tensions of the area, but if residents forked over $100 for the first two months each, as an investment, and the town then after 1 year gave residents 5 cents for ever lb of... contd
Save
Cancel
... recycled metal, and 3 cents for every lb of recycled cardboard, it would provide an incentive to recycle. By starting on the small scale, changing little things, one at a time, we can usher in huge changes over decades that would otherwise take centuries.
Save
Cancel
@Nicholas - It could be a matter of necessity for the prehistoric man. Bones make sturdy and sharp tools which are a treasure to behold before the age of metals. Similarly marrow is an easily accessible dying agent given that pigments are a rarity even in ancient egypt much later. If the supply is scarce mankind will be forced to reuse & recycle. Nevertheless, I am pleasantly surprised at what a modest neighborhood did for a sustainable living. Small steps make a huge difference in the long run!
Save
Cancel
@Praveen- See I have pitched it to town council but they are not eager to take the small steps
Save
Cancel
@Nicholas - If men did ever listen to ideology or were wise enough to act before the roof falls down the world would have been a much better place by now. Its all about incentives buddy! If there is big money to be made for a few, then they will rally the support required. Dont expect anything to happen, good or bad, when nobody is making any money! Devise a scheme to make good money for yourself and a few others while doing the required good as envisioned and it will happen :-)
Save
Cancel
@Praveen- Making money is all well and good, but this kind of philosophy is what is strangling America, why should a few benefit and do all the work when something like this is beneficial to an entire community? Which would truly work best in the long term? What if the few get bored but don't train any replacements and leave the system?
Save
Cancel
@Nicholas - Now that was for dealing with existing office bearers, public representatives and the status quo. Large populations respond to issues that are commonly felt and believed and elected representatives only respond to common sentiments. Does a majority in your town feel this is required? If not, the task for you is to sensitize them to this issue. On a broad level, do you have a place where you or anybody can reach out to your local community with issues and ideas? Contd..
Save
Cancel
Why not start a Facebook Page for your town / neighborhood and work on getting everyone aboard. This could serve as a forum for your community. Then the residents can start discussing this and other issues. Once there is a common sentiment, elected representatives cannot afford to ignore it. Nor can they afford not to participate in this internet age community forum. Governance 2.0 :-)
Save
Cancel
@Praveen- Brilliant Idea!
Save
Cancel
@Praveen I have tried to create a community-based forum - the most logical categorization and sorely lacking on FB etc. - but being in a TV station/corporate structure I have to be careful - one small example, a discussion of the best pizza in town inevitably will turn into one on the worst - and then advertisers won't be thrilled. They must develop thick skins, but corp. bosses aren't thrilled;-)
Save
Cancel
There is a 500 character limit on every comment.
The input box border turns 'Orange' when you are half way through and 'Red'
after you reach the limit. Line breaks are not allowed in comments.
Post Comment
Cancel