Friday, January 5, 2024

 Humanity, a morning muse:

It is often stated that the Human species is fundamentally flawed. This is also placed as a comparison with other sentient beings…even the most ‘advanced’ wild primates.

I have often thought about this. A phrase coined by my former high school principal (N.B.C. Lucas) comes to mind who used to give us ‘General’ lessons of a wide range. It was “Flow of Feeling”. We are a complex species that has, in its evolution, become to be very aware of the phenomenon which we call “love”. The primary emotion of us all is the love we feel for our parents. We celebrate this very much particularly initially toward our mothers. All mammals feel the latter to some degree. The more intelligent, the more obvious. If anything occurs, particularly in early life, that distorts or harms this relationship and awareness of such, there will be consequences. Lucas was referring to this when he used “Flow of Feeling”. Famous Psychologists like Sigmund Freud were acutely aware of this delicate relationship and its vulnerability.

So, most of us are aware that any disturbance of this can have a spectrum of effects on behaviour in later life. I believe that we may have evolved a level of consciousness and intelligence which renders an instability in our present Global societies. In short, this phenomenon has become exponential. We all are aware of PTSD, Psychopathology, O.C.D. etc. We could even blame some major wars on impairments of experiences from early childhood. Just study some histories of many of our past and present world leaders. Not only this but we might, in part, lay blame for rises in crime upon such effects.

Are we doomed as a species? Some say yes. Throughout History, we have used religion as a crutch to help us. To help us ‘Love’ each other more, but even this has diversified into tragic misunderstandings. Now Religions are fighting each other. Beliefs throughout the world are clashing. Now …Heh, ho we have AI, and we are not sure where this might lead us. Will the ‘Bots’ take over and accelerate us toward an early demise of our species? Will we be gradually assimilated as is described in many science-fiction works? I have a lurking fear.

More and more I look back to my own early childhood and wonder how events have moulded my present state. A wise person once said to me…be careful not to think too much, it could fuck you up!

No comments:

Post a Comment