Time perspective

[Twig]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7AWnfFRc7g

I think this guy is onto something Big.

[Nightfalls]

That is a very interesting perspective. I love when things like that make me think all deep and philosophical So the question is, Is it possible that this empathetic civilization will happen?

[Twig]

I, for one, sure hope so. If people understood themselves better (like which of the time perspectives they are and other Big Stuff), I think they would have more empathy for others. It seems so easy, but not.

[treegod]

Is it possible that this empathetic civilization will happen?

If it's possible between two people on the planet it's possible with everyone on the planet

Whether we can make it happen is a different story.

It starts here with us though, between us

[katie bridgewater]

I take issue with his assumption that the brains of a gatherer-hunter ancestor, a medieval peasant and a 21st century human are 'wired differently'. For a start there are people living as hunters and foragers in the present day who have a very deep and empathetic understanding, not only of other humans, but of their whole bio-community. For a better insight into how such people view their living community, there are some excellent books including The Broken String, The Other Side of Eden, The Forest Within and many many more. Or just watch any of the fashionable Tribe / Tribal Wives type programmes on TV if you can. There are also people currently who live in situations very similar to medieval European culture.
If we are different from those who have come before, it is, IMO, largely to do with the fact that we live after the Enclosures, the exploitation of fossil fuels, the dispersal of the workforce to serve capitalist ideals and the seemingly unstoppable growth of human population (among other things). I think it is more that our brains are wired the same, but that we are exposed to far more external stimulae of contact with strangers, noise, toxic materials etc. The idea that blood ties have been replaced with national ties etc betrays a lack of understanding of how a Bushman or Nenet herder views their world - the Native American expression 'all my relations' sums up nicely the worldview of many 'primitive' tribes, who see not only humans, but plants, animals, mountains, weather as part of their tribe. Now, if only we could revert to this level of emapthy, we might do something good for all, and not just for humans...

[Eilthireach]

I take issue with his assumption that the brains of a gatherer-hunter ancestor, a medieval peasant and a 21st century human are 'wired differently'.

Good point! I think that only the framework of human existence has changed, but the basics are summa summarum still the same. I can now jet to another continent in 12 hours, but I still have to work, to eat, to sleep, I still get sick, old and will die and I still love and laugh and cry. There are 2,000 years old letters from Roman times where people complain about the tax load, sounding as they were written yesterday. Whenever we have the chance to really think ourselves into another epoch, we will notice that the way people thought and acted was very similar. Such experiences can be very touching. And these glimpses of the past can even teach us something very spiritual; that we are not the center of the universe, and that our age is not that enlightened and exalted as some people want to make us believe.

Second point, observations are made and consequences drawn often from a "modern" and "western" standpoint, even by advanced scholars and thinkers. This disregards the fact that the majority of the world's population today lives neither under "modern" nor "western" conditions. Global solutions need global perspectives. Where western perspectives will lead can be judged from the state of the western world: in politics, in the economy and also on the ethical, philosophical, or spiritual plane.

Eilthireach

[treegod]

Global solutions need global perspectives.

And so begins the empathy

[saphera]

Wow!! beautifully explained. - saphera

[FoxPhantom]

Maybe some people forgot empathy due to being hard wired to computers for so long, (not saying computers are a bad thing, just saying it's possible we are losing natural connection with daily online computers.) Still if we are in a world of change right now, then I wonder if the USA will change it's mind on how the people thinks.

[Nightfalls]

Maybe some people forgot empathy due to being hard wired to computers for so long, (not saying computers are a bad thing, just saying it's possible we are losing natural connection with daily online computers.) Still if we are in a world of change right now, then I wonder if the USA will change it's mind on how the people thinks.

You are right and it is all too obvious. I play a lot on the internet with my friends in what little time we are all on nowadays, and i am actually concerned for the future of humanity. If you need proof, make a trial account on World of Warcraft, and log into any server. Go to the biggest city and sit back and watch the chat. Or go to youtube and look at the comments being posted on videos. It looks to me like a bunch of kids that have somehow devolved into monkeys and are now throwing digital poop at each other over the internet.

Interesting read: http://bobwise.wordpress.com/2008/06/25/an-expose-on-john-gabriels-greater-internet-fuckwad-theory/

[Twig]

I read an article about how spending time on the Internet creates different kinds of neural connections in our brains than any other type of activity. The conclusion was that we are becoming more and more shallow. To me, that is something that would also alter time perception.

[FoxPhantom]

@ Night falls: I play the game World of Warcraft, and I have read the posts the people will do. but yes I agree you are right that with some people dumbing down, it does make them look like children. Yet, I noticed there are some who are not acting like there shoe size. So it's also possible that some people are keeping themselves up from falling down.

@ Twig: I think that's well thought on time perception.