I am testing a theory. I have read many theories regarding why human beings did not 'progress' technologically in any significant way during the first ninety-nine percent of their time upon the planet. Real progress, as defined by modern civilization and its measure of success did not occur until roughly ten to fifteen thousand years ago- an eye blink in the eye of our history as a species. Why was this so?
Were humans not yet 'fully evolved', as has been many times suggested. Anthropology seems to be constantly discovering evidence, such as Neanderthal flutes and stone tools used by the so called Hobbit that place doubt upon this theory.
Were humans so desperate and taxed by the quest for food as hunter-gatherers that they did not have the time for such innovation? Studies repeatedly show that the hunter-gatherer lifestyle takes fewer calories and leaves more time for rest. So this seems unlikely.
Were humans not yet properly using division of labor, a societal technology which allows greater specialization and greater productivity? In fact humans were not, but given that they had greater leisure time that civilized humans, they certainly could have made up at least some of the difference very easily. Thus, this seems unlikely to be a decisive factor.
Perhaps the key answer lies in what humans were, rather than what they were not. Hunter-gatherer cultures, where they are still able to practice their lifestyle undisturbed, are well adjusted and generally content. Modern civilized humans suffer from chronic stress and anxiety and depression and all the resulting side effects that these things produce upon society. Hunter-gatherer cultures do just fine. The are happy, they are content, they are not worried about the future most of the time. They are confident in their ability to face the future. They are not the neurotic wrecks that modern humans are.
When you have a pebble in your shoe, you shift your weight or remove your shoe and get rid of the pebble. When you have an itch, you scratch it. If you cannot reach it, you grab something that will enable you to reach and scratch the itch. When you are placed in an uncomfortable place, you try to fix the situation. When you are placed in an intolerable situation, you fight back.
Perhaps the problem is that we are approaching the situation from the wrong viewpoint. Perhaps, because we civilized humans are constantly feeling as though we are trapped in an intolerable situation, we assume that all humans must be. Perhaps, hunter-gatherer humans did not invent all the things that we invented, because they did not feel the itch that we feel. Perhaps it is only civilized humans trapped in an intolerable situation, and those humans who are not trapped inside with us do no feel the itch. Perhaps, early humans did not 'innovate', not because they were less able than us- but because they were less bothered than us. We are trapped in a prison, and do not understand why our free neighbors next door are not trying to escape as we are. The answer is simple- we are in prison, not they.
Were humans not yet 'fully evolved', as has been many times suggested. Anthropology seems to be constantly discovering evidence, such as Neanderthal flutes and stone tools used by the so called Hobbit that place doubt upon this theory.
Were humans so desperate and taxed by the quest for food as hunter-gatherers that they did not have the time for such innovation? Studies repeatedly show that the hunter-gatherer lifestyle takes fewer calories and leaves more time for rest. So this seems unlikely.
Were humans not yet properly using division of labor, a societal technology which allows greater specialization and greater productivity? In fact humans were not, but given that they had greater leisure time that civilized humans, they certainly could have made up at least some of the difference very easily. Thus, this seems unlikely to be a decisive factor.
Perhaps the key answer lies in what humans were, rather than what they were not. Hunter-gatherer cultures, where they are still able to practice their lifestyle undisturbed, are well adjusted and generally content. Modern civilized humans suffer from chronic stress and anxiety and depression and all the resulting side effects that these things produce upon society. Hunter-gatherer cultures do just fine. The are happy, they are content, they are not worried about the future most of the time. They are confident in their ability to face the future. They are not the neurotic wrecks that modern humans are.
When you have a pebble in your shoe, you shift your weight or remove your shoe and get rid of the pebble. When you have an itch, you scratch it. If you cannot reach it, you grab something that will enable you to reach and scratch the itch. When you are placed in an uncomfortable place, you try to fix the situation. When you are placed in an intolerable situation, you fight back.
Perhaps the problem is that we are approaching the situation from the wrong viewpoint. Perhaps, because we civilized humans are constantly feeling as though we are trapped in an intolerable situation, we assume that all humans must be. Perhaps, hunter-gatherer humans did not invent all the things that we invented, because they did not feel the itch that we feel. Perhaps it is only civilized humans trapped in an intolerable situation, and those humans who are not trapped inside with us do no feel the itch. Perhaps, early humans did not 'innovate', not because they were less able than us- but because they were less bothered than us. We are trapped in a prison, and do not understand why our free neighbors next door are not trying to escape as we are. The answer is simple- we are in prison, not they.
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