Because Gaia has re-created extinct humanity, Wayfarer tells her that:
"'You want to perpetuate war, tyranny, superstition, misery, instincts in mortal combat with each other, the ancient ape, the ancient beast of prey.'" (p. 245)
She wants to help humanity to transcend war etc. But Wayfarer sets up a false dichotomy between no humanity and predatory humanity. Obviously, many human beings are not predators and others can be guided away from predation, for example by living in a society where predatory behavior is unnecessary.
I once saw a TV discussion that counterposed violent humanity and peaceful civilization, apparently forgetting that humanity built civilizations and that civilizations cause violence. If we recognize the peace in the humanity and the violence in the civilizations, then we become able to address the problem without generating an irreconcilable antithesis.
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And I absolutely disagree with that TV discussion you mentioned! It was the other way about: civilizations TAMED or restrained the propensity to violence which is a part of all of us. It was CIVILIZATIONS which brought or enabled mankind to sometimes have some kind of peace at least sometimes.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean's right. Pre-civilization human beings (essentially, those before the State) were far more violent, and more consistently violent, than we are.
This has been demonstrated by forensic archaeology.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
And I hope that evidence derived from forensic archaeology will finally squash the Noble Savage bull twaddle which that idiot Jean Jacques Rousseau inflicted on us!
Ad astra! Sean
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