Aswad
Posts: 6082
Joined: 4/4/2007
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Tal Leonidas,
Damn, outdone on memetics (sp?). That's an unfamiliar experience. Kudos.
That said, you may be downplaying the diversity side of evolution, as well as the division of labor element.
To the first, I agree that it is counterproductive- from any number of angles, not just the evolutionary angle- to completely isolate people from the consequences of their actions. Bear in mind that I live in a country that has perhaps the strongest isolation to be found anywhere. I won't ruin your day by explaining just how strong it is. I'll just say that I have seen the problem outlined very, very clearly, for many years. A limited degree, however, gives humans the ability to do more parallell exploration, which is something that can result in accelerated evolution, and that makes sense, considering how long our generations are. Simple bacteria can "afford" to have one mistake equal one dead bacteria, since they replicate on a timescale of seconds, with immense populations and low resource requirements. Humans spend 9 months to replicate, and several more years to mature to the point where the next cycle can begin, to say nothing of conscious prediction of consequences and evaluation of whether to proceed with a course of action or not.
As for the second, I would argue that it is in our genes- though funny smelling poxes are visible on some of the more recent developments at the memetic level- for some humans to exist primarily for others. The species minds itself, as one important rule of thumb. Unless your actions are specifically intended to affect the species as a whole, it is quite likely that these actions are going to be drops of rain in a lake. You of all people know better than to attempt to guide the evolution of the species. You know we aren't equipped to do a good job of that, at least not yet. What that leaves, is primarily the choice between the role of the priest-king, who serves the species through leadership and unity, or the role of the follower, who serves the species through putting society ahead of him/herself. The former is what Nietzsche referred to in the bit I paraphrased. And, yes, (s)he's allowed to skim. Perks of the job. The latter is what many have called a slave, whose fundamental nature has- in some suggestive respects- been illustrated by Hitler, Milgram, Stalin, Tolstoj, Mao, Ghandi, Cæsar, Jesus, King and others who have been able to direct them in a manner of their own choosing, to bend them to their own vision, their own will.
In a sense, this reflects an analogy of scale. The human brain is organized as a small-world neural network. Societies organize themselves as small-world networks, as well. Such networks work well by virtue of the hubs that allow the various pertubations to propagate quickly throughout the networks. And what is a ruler but the hub of his people? I don't see a problem with the remainder of the populace rising and falling with a ruler they have not deposed (which, except for democracies, is possible, despite frequent arguments to the contrary- hard choices still have to be made).
Division of labor has stuck with us for a very long time, and one of the implications has always been that some of us get to be less altruistic than others, although it might be argued that the best of us are altruistic on a macro scale, and less so on a micro scale. Indulging in the wenches of the court, good. Eating a feast every day of a famine, bad. Roughly that, neh?
Losing a nation or culture is just evolution (who weeps for Somalia, anyway?).
Tainting global culture can be an avalanche of bad for the species (e.g. French revolution and egalitarianism).
quote:
At the end of the day, it still returns to freedom, and consequences. They are good. That which inhibits either is bad.
With the noted reservations about the latter, I'll leave it at "Amen."
quote:
Been a while, my friend. Glad you posted here.
It has. Also glad to see you posting. Good stuff, and much to think about. If you ever feel like a phone call, or hauling the "hole in the ocean that [you] throw money into" up to the pier in Bergen (it's nearing on 33 Celsius here, now, so a good time for it), I'd like to talk or meet up. Besides, the pier is loaded with underdressed blondes. 
Health,
al-Aswad.
_____________________________
I have taken up arms against justice.
— Arthur Rimbaud, A Season in Hell
It is only hubris if I fail.
— Cæsar, Rome
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RE: Gorean Philosophy - 
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