I just read a story in the Thousand and One Nights, in which a prince survives many disasters in which others die, and was judged blameless because "so it was written." I thought, that's an awfully convenient thing to be able to say if you happen to be one of those on top already!
Then I read Fransisco's criticism of Wilson, and find similar words in his objection. This feels almost like a dream, this time we're in. It seems to affirm the rather evocative description of the human condition in what Gene actually quoted from Wilson. Time and life have become dreamlike, and the world notably chaotic. I talked to a friend on the phone the other day, and felt like I had just seen him, in person -- but, no, it had only been a video conference. Even though I know I've been home for almost two months, I had to think about it! And I am grateful for Francisco's criticism, for it prodded me to at least minimally read more about E.O Wilson, whom I had really only known as a name. While I don't see it in this particular quotation, he lays out what seems like a reasonable line of criticism. > On May 2, 2020, at 11:21 PM, Francisco Torres <fjtorre...@gmail.com> wrote: > > It seems harsh to put the responsability of our current situation on > all of humanity when actually it is the product of decisions taken > since ancient times by those in power and not by anything like ''human > nature''. If today the Amazon burns and African rainforest are razen > it is because decisions taken in boardrooms and presidential palaces > and, if we want to go further back, when Columbus and Da Gama got > money and ships to ''discover'' America and Africa... > > But that is a political view of history, one that seems to be rapidly > being replaced by others like the one created by Mr. Edward O. Wilson, > Sociobiology. In Sociobiology we humans have no other choice but to > compete against each other without any hope of ever getting out of the > systems of control and explotation created by the state and capital. > After all it is our genes who are on the driver seat, selfish genes > who only care for their replication. So why despair about domination > and destruction of all of nature then? A very useful ideology to > those sitting at the top of the heap because it makes them feel better > by liberating them of responsability and for the rest of us who expect > to accept the rule power as the only possible way of living. ''Dont > worry, if it is just the way of nature, the strong survive and the > weak perish, either on the forest or the stock market''. That sounds > just like the words the priestly caste have been feeding us since > Babylon. > _______________________________________________ > FrameWorks mailing list > FrameWorks@jonasmekasfilms.com > https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks > <https://mailman-mail5.webfaction.com/listinfo/frameworks> >> “Humanity today <http://airmail.calendar/2020-02-20%2012:00:00%20MST> is >> like a waking dreamer, caught between the fantasies of sleep and the chaos >> of the real world. The mind seeks but cannot find the precise place and >> hour. We have created a Star Wars civilization, with Stone Age emotions, >> medieval institutions, and godlike technology. We thrash about. We are >> terribly confused by the mere fact of our existence, and a danger to >> ourselves and to the rest of life.” >> ~ Edward O. Wilson >>
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