This reminds me of something Rory Southerland always talks about. Apparently 20% of bees go off searching for new sources of pollen. 80% go to where pollen has already been found. Most of the of the time the adventuring bees find what Rory calls, "bugger all." But occasionally they find a great new source of pollen.
The luxury belief problem is that the consequences of new ideas about social structures take years to manifest. So society's smart people are touting new ideas with no clue how they will work out.
As ever, I like your approach and your reasoning, for the most part. But I do think you have some biases and prejudices as well. Primarily illustrated in your use of "intelligence", a term that was taught to you in your hard won education and IQ, which is defined by people with conflicts of interest. Even your description of intelligence - vocabulary, etc. - really just correlates to education. Smart and that kind of intelligence are not the same thing. Some of the smartest people I know are plumbers, electricians, and mechanics. I know this because I have to take the hat that covers my superior, educated brain in my hand and seek their expertise routinely. You know this. That's why you take pains to point out that "lower IQ" people reason perfectly well. (I use "lower IQ as a slur. I interpret it that way when others use it.) So much of this intelligence, education, smart dogma is just extreme navel gazing by the credentialed class trying to justify their existence. (I do not include you in this group BTW). One of the things I have learned in my long life is that truly worthwhile people do not brag. Not about their credentials. Not about their wealth. Not about their status. They do not have too. The cream rises to the top as they say. But IMO, and that's all it is, we have jumped the shark by "educating" people without sufficient "intellect" to grasp much of the material in which they are to be educated. In the social sciences and art but also in history, math and science. Which has created a serious dumbing down of the more recently educated. They are not prepared to advance their fields. They are rather trained seals clapping for their rewards.
This reminds me of something Rory Southerland always talks about. Apparently 20% of bees go off searching for new sources of pollen. 80% go to where pollen has already been found. Most of the of the time the adventuring bees find what Rory calls, "bugger all." But occasionally they find a great new source of pollen.
The luxury belief problem is that the consequences of new ideas about social structures take years to manifest. So society's smart people are touting new ideas with no clue how they will work out.
A very wonderful description of human activity, exploration, and its costs. Thank you.
As ever, I like your approach and your reasoning, for the most part. But I do think you have some biases and prejudices as well. Primarily illustrated in your use of "intelligence", a term that was taught to you in your hard won education and IQ, which is defined by people with conflicts of interest. Even your description of intelligence - vocabulary, etc. - really just correlates to education. Smart and that kind of intelligence are not the same thing. Some of the smartest people I know are plumbers, electricians, and mechanics. I know this because I have to take the hat that covers my superior, educated brain in my hand and seek their expertise routinely. You know this. That's why you take pains to point out that "lower IQ" people reason perfectly well. (I use "lower IQ as a slur. I interpret it that way when others use it.) So much of this intelligence, education, smart dogma is just extreme navel gazing by the credentialed class trying to justify their existence. (I do not include you in this group BTW). One of the things I have learned in my long life is that truly worthwhile people do not brag. Not about their credentials. Not about their wealth. Not about their status. They do not have too. The cream rises to the top as they say. But IMO, and that's all it is, we have jumped the shark by "educating" people without sufficient "intellect" to grasp much of the material in which they are to be educated. In the social sciences and art but also in history, math and science. Which has created a serious dumbing down of the more recently educated. They are not prepared to advance their fields. They are rather trained seals clapping for their rewards.