Religion

MineralMan

(147,576 posts)

23. If I were still just 50 years old, I'd be working on books

Tue Jan 15, 2019, 12:58 PM

Jan 2019

about all this stuff. I'm not, though. I'm 73, and don't have the time or energy to develop my thoughts as I'd like to. So, I just sketch things out.

Civilization has outpaced evolution dramatically. We have not evolved significantly enough to adapt to current conditions. We didn't have a few tens of millions of years to do that. So, now, we've poisoned our planet, run out of space, and are still functioning like we live in small warlike tribes. It doesn't fucking work.

There's a significant chance that, within another 10-20 generations, we may end up being reduced to living in small tribes once again. I wonder if we'll survive that as a species. I don't know. We're sort of on the verge of a global disaster, I think, one of our own making.

That is why I did not reproduce. We've been warned already of the path we're on. I listened to the warnings. Soon enough, I'll be gone, so I won't find out where humans end up. Oh, well...

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Of course religion is connected to tribalism. [View all] MineralMan Jan 2019 OP

Lots of things are connected to tribalism. Act_of_Reparation Jan 2019 #1

Yes. Only religions can span those time periods. MineralMan Jan 2019 #2

Philosophy, art and science can span those time periods marylandblue Jan 2019 #4

As academic interests, yes. Act_of_Reparation Jan 2019 #10

That's only because you don't live in my neighborhood 😀 marylandblue Jan 2019 #18

Sounds dangerous. Act_of_Reparation Jan 2019 #20

All three are part of the story-telling part of tribalism, really. MineralMan Jan 2019 #19

Politics is "war by other means," that is marylandblue Jan 2019 #5

It's supposed to be, at least. Act_of_Reparation Jan 2019 #13

The basic framework I described in the OP MineralMan Jan 2019 #22

Sounds like you've never been to a Yankees game Major Nikon Jan 2019 #6

More than a few, actually. Act_of_Reparation Jan 2019 #9

Patriotism is tribalism. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #24

Women. littlemissmartypants Jan 2019 #25

By both women *and* minorities. nt TwistOneUp Jan 2019 #28

Thank you for the referral. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #30

Yes. Act_of_Reparation Jan 2019 #31

And what replaces it? guillaumeb Jan 2019 #33

Nonsensical question. Act_of_Reparation Jan 2019 #44

Patriotism does not always lead to war. marylandblue Jan 2019 #32

They also provided banking services for the Nazis. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #34

Like I said, their patriotism did not lead to war. marylandblue Jan 2019 #35

True. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #39

This is just a case of special pleading, marylandblue Jan 2019 #42

No, this is a case of every group approaching things as they feel best. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #45

You said "And patriotism has always led to war." marylandblue Jan 2019 #46

Agreed that the word "generally" instead of "always" would be better. eom guillaumeb Jan 2019 #47

I think that is more important than it may seem marylandblue Jan 2019 #48

An excellent point, and I agree. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #49

Religion tends to support a patriarchal family structure marylandblue Jan 2019 #52

Less prevalent? guillaumeb Jan 2019 #53

Does the government say wives must submit to their husbands? marylandblue Jan 2019 #54

Society does, in many cases. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #55

Yes, society has long been patriarchal, but we've improved. marylandblue Jan 2019 #56

Yes, we have, and yes, some do. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #57

Well not in my family, and I'm sure not in yours marylandblue Jan 2019 #58

Honest assessments of your country edhopper Jan 2019 #37

Exactly. guillaumeb Jan 2019 #50

For a certain segment of the population, yes edhopper Jan 2019 #51

I agree generally, but you left out one powerful motivator cilla4progress Jan 2019 #3

Early tribal humans feared pretty much everything. MineralMan Jan 2019 #7

Cool.... cilla4progress Jan 2019 #8

It's way complicated now. The United States has about MineralMan Jan 2019 #12

Modern people are afraid of pretty much everything, too. Act_of_Reparation Jan 2019 #15

We humans survive because we're fearful, I think. MineralMan Jan 2019 #16

I think it's a mixed bag. Act_of_Reparation Jan 2019 #21

If I were still just 50 years old, I'd be working on books MineralMan Jan 2019 #23

Yes, it's possible civilization will collapse, but I think our species will survive it. marylandblue Jan 2019 #29

Except that we may have ruined MineralMan Jan 2019 #36

The Old Testament is all about tribes. MineralMan Jan 2019 #11

The problem is tribalism married to politics Major Nikon Jan 2019 #14

Yes. Also, we're all part of multiple tribes, often with conflicting rules. MineralMan Jan 2019 #17

Thanks for the post, MineralMan. littlemissmartypants Jan 2019 #26

Oh Yeah? Well, My god can beat up Your god. TwistOneUp Jan 2019 #27

If we agree that religion is just another edhopper Jan 2019 #38

Yep. Iggo Jan 2019 #40

Yes. It's all derived from storytelling within tribal cultures. MineralMan Jan 2019 #41

So it seems to me, but I'm an atheist, so it would, I suppose. MineralMan Jan 2019 #43

Interesting posit Mineral Man. The connection as I see it between religion and tribalism c-rational Jan 2019 #59