How can we fully appreciate being at the pinnacle (thus far) of human civilization?

B

brandon

New member
We as a society have many things to work on, HOWEVER we are also at the cumulation of all of the works and efforts of our ancestors. We have sooo many advantages that human beings have never had before....yet it is so hard for us to appreciate the quality of life that is right in front of us.

(Using my recent jog as an example, in order to be fit I was reaping the benefits of: 1. Clothes to protect my body from the cold 2. Paved roads preventing me from falling in holes. 3. Streetlights to assist my vision. 4. The equivalent of numerous orchestras playing for me personally at a whim wherever I go (ipod) 5. A transmitter in my shoe tracking my run for me, and on, and on. Never before in the HISTORY of mankind have humans had such luxuries assisting them to be fit and healthy...however...here we are, probably thee most UNFIT society earth has ever experienced!)

How can we more fully appreciate the position we hold as the most privileged and connected society that's ever existed?

Also, and more importantly, how can we take full advantage of these great tools and knowledge given to us?

We have the cream of the crop from all of those who have ever lived. We are standing on the shoulders of our ancestors of all cultures, who (aside from simply doing what they could to survive) have given their very LIVES in a sense to get us to where we are today! Yet our collective behavior seems nothing short of a slap in the face to all who have come before us. As a whole and on an individual level...how do we change this?
 
Do what we did 500 years ago when THEY were at the pinnacle of achievement: complain at the inefficiencies. "Damn it! Why won't my ipod hold 500,000 songs like the box said? What the hell am I supposed to do with only 450,000 songs?!"

Exaggeration obviously, but we as humans always complain no matter how easy we have it.
 
By realizing that we have failed, so far, to get it right. A heap of manure has a pinnacle and that about sums up our greatness.
 
As humans, we always want "more!", so really, we aren't looking back and thinking how lucky we are comparing to 50 years ago, we're thinking how much we're missing and how we can get that. We'll never appreciate what we have because we'll always want the better. (maybe thats why human kind has evolved so)

And really, as more of us are born into this technology, we will take it for granted more and more, but don't worry, we will use it - to make new and better ones.
 
Appreciate? What do we have to appreciate? We as humans are very pathetic creatures. All around the world, there are conflicts producing massive casualties. We kill because we have a different creation story than someone else. We assault those who do not have the same skin pigmentation as our own. 40% of humanity lives on less than $2 a day. 25,000 children die a day due to the effects of poverty. 1 billion people don't know how to read, or even sign their name. Less than 1% of what we spend on weapons each year could put every single child on the planet into school - it didn't happen.

We have very little to celebrate, my friend.
 
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