B. U. G. S.

After a really fine comment on the subject, you apologize for it in the last line.

This demonstrates how our society discourages thought.

I run into this regularly. The best comments in Bob’s Blog — and they are generally excellent — often end as yours did.

It amounts to this:

“Oops, I started THINKING, didn’t I? I should have learned after all those years of schooling that the minute I start to THINK, my teacher or professor tells me I am getting off the subject.”

I know the feeling. I, too, got the full course of training on how NOT to think.

What you are apologizing for is precisely what you should be proud of. All those trillions of dollars spent on education and a few people like you still have a functioning brain.

Sparrow, in a world of intellectual zombies, you are a welcome relief.

[QUOTE=sparrow]I’m not sure I get your point.

But I think there is a Genetic basis for Morality in this.

We believe, I think correctly, that our progeny are extensions of ourselves. Therefore to hurt our progeny is to hurt ourselves. Hence we have to adjust our lives in a way that protects our progeny in addition to ourselves. In a world where a man doesn’t believe his progeny is an extension of self, he really has no reason to care about the future. Why do I care if there is overpopulation, why do I care if there is pollution, why do I care if there is famine, why do I care about 100 years from now, since I will be dead then.

There are only a few reasons… ego (I just get off on the fact RIGHT NOW that people will be looking at this piece of art I made today a 100 years from now), bloodline immortality (as long as my descendents live, I live), belief in reincarnation (i might come back and have to live in the filth I left behind), fear of the divine (I must do this or god will punish me, both here and in the afterlife), or some sort of genuine altruism. I think if you rely on genuine altruism you will find it doesn’t work. I’m sure there will be a few, but I doubt they could sustain any kind of culture or build any kind of future.

I think for the supermajority of people we care about the future because we have the ego to want to live forever and we believe that progeny is the only way to do that.

I’m sure some one will point out Christianity, but you will note that Christianity doesn’t discourage Bloodline immortality. In a sense a Christian is encouraged to hedge his bets… Accept Immortality through Christ AND have tons of children.

I’m sorry have I gone off on some weird tangent?[/QUOTE]