Great collage with interesting discussion to go with it. Unfortunately, the conversation usually gets mired into right vs left larval polarities, instead of the wide array of spicy fuzzy-logic possibilities that human development actually entails. For instance, history books completely ignore biological-neurological realities of human history. As mammals, we're bound by our biological history and make-up, and yet, this is completely ignored by those who write the history books. They prefer to focus on the brawling mammalian politics that led to this war or that struggle or that death. Important as these topics are, they do not represent the whole tale of our historical development.
Leisure, and its closely related subject of sexuality, rarely appear in history books except as tawdry shameful elements of culture. Personally, I see leisure as a form of sensual pleasure that comes from having the freedom (political, religious, economic, etc) to design your own reality. It used to be accessible mainly to the elite royal and priestly classes, but as the industrial revolution increased people's spare time, resources, and political power, leisure became accessible to a larger number of people. The importance of this development cannot be overstated. The Nazis understood the power of leisure and they even tried to control the workers' leisure time in a systematic way. Their motto was Strength Through Joy.
Thankfully, we rejected the Nazi way of doing things. Instead, we democratized leisure and gave its power to the individual. A ten year-old in the modern information age has experienced more leisurely realities than any king of England in medieval times. This is mind-bending fact. Our brains are hungry for pleasure signals that come when we have the freedom to design the reality we wish to inhabit in a particular moment. We take it for granted that the suffering of others not only should be (and has been) minimized, but leisure should be increased and labor eliminated altogether. Let robots do the work!
How's that for a morning brainstorm?
Excellent topic and collage.
Hello @litguru,
As always, your comments add a thought-provoking perspective.
It is certain our biological profile influences behavior. But are we doomed by it? According to Freud, civilization requires that we suppress instinct. History is a function of civilization. Primitive biological drives--that's the stuff of other disciplines 😁.
Maybe for you and me, and people we know. But look around the world. Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia. Migrant workers in the U.S. Child labor in India.
Oh yes, please!!!
Thanks so much for brainstorming about this blog. It's always a pleasure to learn what's on your mind.
I wouldn't say so much doomed but driven by them. Unfortunately, we do not give careful attention to this important aspect of human experience, then we act completely surprised when some members of our species chimp out and cause territorial troubles. But understanding behavior it's not just about primitive behaviors of the past but also the new yet-to-be developed behaviors that emerge when a new type of consciousness appears on the scene. I consider the pleasurable experience that arises from leisure activities an aspect of that new consciousness.
There is no question that more work needs to be done to minimize suffering, but objectively speaking we (westerners and non-westerners) are living in times like no other in terms of the superior standard of living. A few centuries ago, leisure time, retirement, fast travel, tele-communication, contraception, modern medicines, literacy, justice, exotic foods, mass media, and such niceties that we now take for granted were unheard of or confined to the ruling classes. It's different now. We're riding a formidable wave of abundance, in spite of the hiccups along the way. Even the ability to publish and share our thoughts is a magnificent luxury, made possible by the omnidirectional grid of satellites and cybernetic devices that allow us to caress each other's eyeballs with delightful thought-signals transmitted at the speed of light! Astounding! Talk about leisure and pleasure. Some people do not have access to this for whatever reason (religion, political corruption, crime, etc) As long as we're stuck in this planet, there will always be suffering, but I'm hopeful for a different outcome. I think you know where this is going, so I'm gonna stop right here. 😄 🚀
Of all the things you mention in your comment, this one I think is the most compelling. Information is everything. The ability to publish, to communicate instantly can change the world. Which is why there is such a push to stifle that. Look around the world. Millions of people do not have access to information. And yet...somehow, like water, it manages to flow.
Information and education. These are the most dangerous developments (in the eyes of government) and the most precious gifts to the rest of us. Change minds and you change lives, change governments, change economies.
You're right. One fact that really amazes me is that a handheld phone today is millions of times more powerful than the computers that took the Apollo astronauts to the moon. We have amazing power that is relatively cheap and accessible. This is changing many parts of the world as people access and share information. Hive is a great example of what can be done! Coupled with a solid education, this technology can be transformative for communities in need.