A Sad Revelation

I am now thoroughly convinced that humanity can never create a mostly egalitarian society free from violence, where people needn't worry about the daily aspects of living. Despite the fact that we pay so much lip service to the ideals of equality, fairness, peace, justice and goodwill, it's not a part of who we are...or at least it seems that way.

If there is a God (or some pantheon of deities) out there and he/she/it(/they) want to see all the things that the religions worshipping he/she/it(/them) claim is part of their dogmas, then the only way to do so is to start over.

We are simply too proud and too inclined to focus on superficial in-group/out-group characterizations to ever achieve any sense of the collective good. We are slowly shifting towards an individualistic society, where only individual actions matter; what's actually happening is increased heterogeneity in society and specialization in function. People are more focused on one specific thing -- the scientists are even more narrow in their studies and the true artisan always found one medium in which his/her brilliance could shine through. As a result, we depend on others more than ever because we have so intently focused our actions on the task we are assigned (this is Durkheimian sociology).

Yet we continue to believe in this nonsense called independence. As George Bernard Shaw said in Pygmalion, "Independence? That's middle class blasphemy. We are all dependent on one another, every soul of us on earth." By our genetics, we are a social species. Isolate a person from the rest of humanity and the person will go insane. In our society today, we depend on others more than ever to do the task assigned to them: the farmers provide sustenance, the scientists provide innovation, the construction workers build the shelters and transit infrastructure and so on.

And still we hold so dear this poison called "independence." Yes, there is a certain extent to which we do not need other people and are "self-reliant," and no person should ever be forced under the yoke of another's rule for no reason; we have the idea of democracy to attempt to ensure that everyone's voice is heard and build a consensus to address our differences.

But 99 percent of people are so bloody set in their ways that nothing will convince them. I try not to be that way: if you show me convincing evidence that my belief is wrong, I will adjust my belief. Others...well, not so much.

The only way to see real change is to start over. Until then, I will do what I can, as futile as it may be.