h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Heart of Darkness... - A2550485
Author: TheAetheist - U678391

The quote from Joseph Conrad made me angry at what we, as a race have become. We have abonndoned our primative, animalistic roots, in a futile attempt to find happiness through technology and money. When all we really have to do is abandon these things and once again live in harmony with nature.

This is a bit naive. Living in 'primitive' societies might or might not have advantages over western consumer society, but to say it is 'untainted' or indeed that it is the panacea...

Life expectancy of 30 odd - no thanks!

sprout

I don't know whether they all had, or have, short life expectations but I do think it's a mistake to assume the apparently simple hunter gatherers had, or have, no moral codes or social constraints in their cultures. You might in fact find that their doctrines were much less liberal than those we're used to in the developed West.


The hunter/gatherer life is simpler in that is has fewer choices. I don't know whether it's simpler or less stressful in other ways.

The idea of being in greater contact with the natural world is one I find attractive about their lifestyle. Also the fact that living in much smaller circles gives far more people in the group a real role in their community. So much talent is frustrated and wasted in our culture where increasingly we only want to watch and listen to the world's best.

Well you've started off a discussion TheAetheist
Waz

I think that I woulde prefer to live for only thiry years if I could feel at one with myself, if I could feel happy instead of just being content. I think a life like that would be better than living a thousand years as the rich mans slave. But maybe that's just me.