Environment & Energy

GliderGuider

(21,088 posts)

24. Thank you!

Thu Jan 31, 2013, 10:53 AM

Jan 2013

What an insightful and provocative set of questions!

Your last comment resonates with me personally: "Whenever a human rises beyond a state of ego, it could be argued, they are no longer sociologically human."

We have defined the state of being human in very anthropocentric and culture-centric terms. It seems to me that definition includes operating from the ego. Those who transcend ego, whether we call them saints, sages or fools, seem to us mortals to have transcended their humanity. Those who withdraw from the victory dance of desire and denial, selfishness and altruism, politics and power, but do not become victims in the process are seen instead as vehicles for something larger than the merely human.

But of course those saints, sages and fools know they still use energy and impact the environment: "Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water..."

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A question about greed [View all] GliderGuider Jan 2013 OP

Bad genetics pscot Jan 2013 #1

The issue is one of the evolutionary process itself? GliderGuider Jan 2013 #4

Bad in a survival sense pscot Jan 2013 #8

OK, I wondered if that was how you meant it GliderGuider Jan 2013 #9

thinking much farther ahead than the next meal has nearly zero evolutionary value phantom power Jan 2013 #2

So all this is perfectly normal, then? GliderGuider Jan 2013 #3

I guess my answer is "yes" phantom power Jan 2013 #6

Too much Social Darwinism reteachinwi Jan 2013 #5

Thanks! GliderGuider Jan 2013 #7

That competitiveness seems to be cultural pscot Jan 2013 #10

That's an interesting point. GliderGuider Jan 2013 #11

You hit the nail on the head Shankapotomus Jan 2013 #22

Everything wants resources and energy from something else NoOneMan Jan 2013 #12

Do humans need more than 2800 calories a day of food, GliderGuider Jan 2013 #15

In general, no NoOneMan Jan 2013 #17

Crashing back to a Zimbabwean standard of living would be catastrophic GliderGuider Jan 2013 #21

Greed... Fumesucker Jan 2013 #13

If we harm others without knowing we're doing it, is it still greed? GliderGuider Jan 2013 #14

I pointed out when it's *definitely* greed.. Fumesucker Jan 2013 #16

Actually, I don't have any quibbles at all with what you posted. GliderGuider Jan 2013 #19

Death by a thousand improvements? The2ndWheel Jan 2013 #18

Yes, that's my take on how we got here. GliderGuider Jan 2013 #20

Until humans think and act communally, ... CRH Jan 2013 #23

Thank you! GliderGuider Jan 2013 #24

Thank You! I absolutely love ... CRH Jan 2013 #25