is it fair to say that civilization is hierarchical and totalitarian? and the opposite would be tribalism, which has a more of an "equal way of living" where the structure is a circle instead of a pyramid and the community is not controlled or forced to live the same way/one way.
Civilization - "globalization"
Tribilism - groups that have the potential of forming communities all over the world
great playlist and cool idea room 105 ;) I think it's very important to understand the definition of the words we use, crucial when trying to communicate with others, share ideas and understand the world around us. Keep up the great work Adam
Technology exists outside of civilization. All tools are a form of technology. "Hi-tech" is something unique to our culture. If someone wants to bring this beyond civilization then the burden is on them to figure out how.
At last, someone who's making some sense. There is a lot of dogmatic neo-Luddism around there. I think the way to bring hi-tech beyond civilization is having some sort of tribal cooperation, like tribes of tribes or something. Because it's clear that 150 people just can't make a laptop from scratch. So, in addition to Erratic Retaliator, we need to have some cooperation game. It seems to me that there are many people who won't step beyond civilization unless they can take their laptops with them
I'm glad you asked that. Room 105 is where Ishmael taught his students in the Ishmael trilogy. Both the video series and fictional room are places where saving the world is discussed.
Civilization is a tricky term. At different times, and to different people, it has meant different things. The French once used it in a snobby kind of way to refer to French society. Then, over time, the term became more broadly applicable but still referred only to hierarchical state-level societies. The term became useful in arguments intended to justify the colonization of Africa by European states in the 19th century. Civilization is something "we" have and need to bring to the savages.
It was thus used as a moral cover for the base self-interest and urge to acquisition that drove European imperialism. And of course, we've heard about the clash of civilizations, East vs West - another false dichotomy, as Quinn rightly points out in his books.
It's false because Western and Eastern systems of power and worldviews are FUNDAMENTALLY indistinguishable. In both we see massive inequalities in wealth and power AND we see a religious or (in the case of Buddhists) pragmatic rejection of this world, the world of the senses, this wretched world of illusion and suffering. (Of course, we see resistance to the consensus views, as well.)
Thus, civilization is a loaded term, packed with value judgements about particular social arrangments and technological advances. For most people, civilization (in its broadest sense) is a good thing, a uniquely human thing, something grand we've been working on since the fabled Agricultural Revolution. Civilization is thought of as being dynamic, always on the move, involving rapid technological advancement.
It manifests a human striving for transcendence, a Nietzschean Will to Power, some might say - a protest against our limitations that bind us to Earth, to nature. But like Icarus, civilization threatens to bring us too close to the sun. As a bold attempt to deny what we can't accept - that is, our limitations as finite creatures in and of nature - civilization is a project that tries to take us beyond nature. But this can't happen; we are rooted in nature. the project is doomed to fail.
solid explanation. it's seriously pathological to hate one's body so it must be that much worse when an entire culture hates their body which is the earth. the idea of "transcending" nature suggest that nature is firstly alien and hostile and secondly a thing to be conquered.
Thanks! I think people are uneasy about the body not because they're pathological, but because the body reminds us of our fate as creatures-that we ARE creatures-and that we're in for death and decay. So people in all places at all times modify the body to make it other than what they know it to be naturally (and therefore less shameful), leaving the mark of culture through circumcision, scarification, footbinding, neck-elongation, tattoos, piercings, clothing, etc.
These are all attempts to deny creatureliness and assert a culturally informed symbolic identity-a symbolic self that transcends the body and nature. Anthropologist Ernest Becker talks about this in The Denial of Death and Escape from Evil. It all amounts to a kind of madness, but some forms of madness are more destructive than others, as both Becker and Quinn say in different ways.
The thing that's been in my head is...hmm...money has become more valuable than life, because so many people BELIEVE it's the only thing that lets them live.
weird...I'm just about to post a video (hopefully tonight) that mentions the confusion over certain words/terms that we use, like "civilization" and "tribal." I think some people that are actually allies think they are adversaries because they misunderstand the words/terms that each other use...you know...people misunderstand what certain words mean to us when we use them, because those words may mean something else to them.
is it fair to say that civilization is hierarchical and totalitarian? and the opposite would be tribalism, which has a more of an "equal way of living" where the structure is a circle instead of a pyramid and the community is not controlled or forced to live the same way/one way.
Civilization - "globalization"
Tribilism - groups that have the potential of forming communities all over the world
UnifyingField 3 years ago
great playlist and cool idea room 105 ;) I think it's very important to understand the definition of the words we use, crucial when trying to communicate with others, share ideas and understand the world around us. Keep up the great work Adam
John
UnifyingField 3 years ago
What about technology ? Can you have hi-tech without civilization ? Neo-Luddism sucks.
gabi83tm 3 years ago
Technology exists outside of civilization. All tools are a form of technology. "Hi-tech" is something unique to our culture. If someone wants to bring this beyond civilization then the burden is on them to figure out how.
AdamHintz 3 years ago
At last, someone who's making some sense. There is a lot of dogmatic neo-Luddism around there. I think the way to bring hi-tech beyond civilization is having some sort of tribal cooperation, like tribes of tribes or something. Because it's clear that 150 people just can't make a laptop from scratch. So, in addition to Erratic Retaliator, we need to have some cooperation game. It seems to me that there are many people who won't step beyond civilization unless they can take their laptops with them
gabi83tm 3 years ago
I'm glad you asked that. Room 105 is where Ishmael taught his students in the Ishmael trilogy. Both the video series and fictional room are places where saving the world is discussed.
AdamHintz 3 years ago
Civilization is a tricky term. At different times, and to different people, it has meant different things. The French once used it in a snobby kind of way to refer to French society. Then, over time, the term became more broadly applicable but still referred only to hierarchical state-level societies. The term became useful in arguments intended to justify the colonization of Africa by European states in the 19th century. Civilization is something "we" have and need to bring to the savages.
huffdaddy76 4 years ago
It was thus used as a moral cover for the base self-interest and urge to acquisition that drove European imperialism. And of course, we've heard about the clash of civilizations, East vs West - another false dichotomy, as Quinn rightly points out in his books.
huffdaddy76 4 years ago
It's false because Western and Eastern systems of power and worldviews are FUNDAMENTALLY indistinguishable. In both we see massive inequalities in wealth and power AND we see a religious or (in the case of Buddhists) pragmatic rejection of this world, the world of the senses, this wretched world of illusion and suffering. (Of course, we see resistance to the consensus views, as well.)
huffdaddy76 4 years ago
Thus, civilization is a loaded term, packed with value judgements about particular social arrangments and technological advances. For most people, civilization (in its broadest sense) is a good thing, a uniquely human thing, something grand we've been working on since the fabled Agricultural Revolution. Civilization is thought of as being dynamic, always on the move, involving rapid technological advancement.
huffdaddy76 4 years ago
It manifests a human striving for transcendence, a Nietzschean Will to Power, some might say - a protest against our limitations that bind us to Earth, to nature. But like Icarus, civilization threatens to bring us too close to the sun. As a bold attempt to deny what we can't accept - that is, our limitations as finite creatures in and of nature - civilization is a project that tries to take us beyond nature. But this can't happen; we are rooted in nature. the project is doomed to fail.
huffdaddy76 4 years ago
solid explanation. it's seriously pathological to hate one's body so it must be that much worse when an entire culture hates their body which is the earth. the idea of "transcending" nature suggest that nature is firstly alien and hostile and secondly a thing to be conquered.
mikezephyr 3 years ago
Thanks! I think people are uneasy about the body not because they're pathological, but because the body reminds us of our fate as creatures-that we ARE creatures-and that we're in for death and decay. So people in all places at all times modify the body to make it other than what they know it to be naturally (and therefore less shameful), leaving the mark of culture through circumcision, scarification, footbinding, neck-elongation, tattoos, piercings, clothing, etc.
huffdaddy76 3 years ago
These are all attempts to deny creatureliness and assert a culturally informed symbolic identity-a symbolic self that transcends the body and nature. Anthropologist Ernest Becker talks about this in The Denial of Death and Escape from Evil. It all amounts to a kind of madness, but some forms of madness are more destructive than others, as both Becker and Quinn say in different ways.
huffdaddy76 3 years ago
Or, to put it another way, some forms of cultural madness are more life-enhancing and sustainable than others.
huffdaddy76 3 years ago
Right on. Thank you.
dnHooligan 4 years ago
hehe
I linked up "Money as Debt" in my latest video.
The thing that's been in my head is...hmm...money has become more valuable than life, because so many people BELIEVE it's the only thing that lets them live.
i think that's what i wanted to say.
dnHooligan 4 years ago
I understand...and it's a keen conductor, but is it more valuable than freedom? More valuable than life?
Plus, when was the last time you heard of anyone being paid with gold?
dnHooligan 4 years ago
Believing the "money delusion"
Wasn't it 12k? I thought it began aboot 10k BC.
dnHooligan 4 years ago
You're right. I should've known that. I'm always living in the past. :P I guess I got the whole BC thing confused with the actual years in the past.
AdamHintz 4 years ago
Well, I don't want to piss anyone off. I've just noticed a lot of regurgitation, without independent thought.
I find myself doing the exact same thing all the time, but when I think about different aspects, and try to disprove things-big truth sinks in.
We NEED to educate everyone, like yesterday. I've got money on the brain, lately. When did people start thinking gold had so much value, and why?
dnHooligan 4 years ago
weird...I'm just about to post a video (hopefully tonight) that mentions the confusion over certain words/terms that we use, like "civilization" and "tribal." I think some people that are actually allies think they are adversaries because they misunderstand the words/terms that each other use...you know...people misunderstand what certain words mean to us when we use them, because those words may mean something else to them.
ItsFilthy 4 years ago 2
That is a weird coincidence. Almost seems... magical.
AdamHintz 4 years ago
morphic resonance
pennilesscripple 4 years ago 2
yay i've been wanting to make that video thank god you're doing it. drop me a note when you post? i'm not keeping up with youtube very well lately.
pennilesscripple 4 years ago 2
I will indeed.
ItsFilthy 4 years ago 2