Next Big Paleo Thing? page 5

[Hoss2626]

A paradigm I would like to see shifted is our economic system's dependency on exponential, limitless growth... Another thing I would like to see is the end to centralized energy. Rather than destroy the desert with solar plants (you should see them, oh my god) we should all have solar on every building.

These seem like opposite, competing ideas to me. The ideal of having solar power on every house is dependent on the exponential growth/effeciency gains of solar panels.

sbhikes I completely agree with you, we have to stop thinking of exponential growth. The earth can't take any more of it. We need to scale down our consumption. Instead of filling the desert with solar panels we need to figure out how we can live with less energy.

Or figure out how to create more energy with less disruption to the earth. I think that exponential growth in technologies will save the world, not destroy it. Didn't you see "Back to the Future" and Mr. Fusion?

[Uncephalized]

These seem like opposite, competing ideas to me. The ideal of having solar power on every house is dependent on the exponential growth/effeciency gains of solar panels.

Not in the infinite, indefinite sense it's not--it's only dependent on exponential growth of the technology (and a corresponding decay in prices) until such point as it catches up to the population's demand for energy per dollar, at which point it could remain in a steady state, or even shrink if we a) reduce the population b) increase energy efficiency c) change to a less energy-intensive lifestyle or d) any combination thereof.

Or figure out how to create more energy with less disruption to the earth. I think that exponential growth in technologies will save the world, not destroy it. Didn't you see "Back to the Future" and Mr. Fusion?

I agree, but the point to bear in mind is that this technology growth is only required as long as the population and/or demand for energy/materials continue to increase exponentially. If population and demand were at a steady state then production could be as well, theoretically. It would be a fundamentally different economy, sure, but there's no reason it couldn't work IMO.

[Finnegans Wake]

Hoss, the "growth" of solar panels on discrete buildings as opposed to solar farms, and the efficiency gains of solar, are not the same as a growing economic system - or more to the point, a growing consumer system. We can achieve reductions in waste and overall usage and reduce the environmental footprint, even with renewable resources. Maximizing the energy efficiency of office buildings, increasing the renewable production at the homestead level, and increasing efficiency all work together, especially if consumers become more conscious of usage and waste.

[Urban Forager]

Or figure out how to create more energy with less disruption to the earth. I think that exponential growth in technologies will save the world, not destroy it. Didn't you see "Back to the Future" and Mr. Fusion?

You are talking about a techno fix, I'm more interested in re-examining our place in the web of life on the planet. Looking to technologies to solve our problems will only buy us a little more time. And with every clever solution there is a price to pay; mining for rare earth, disposing of out dated technologies, seeding the clouds to change the weather; there are consequences to all these things.

[jaye]

For me the next big thing is Tribe.

I thought Tribe should have been in Mark's PB rules and thought it was weird when human connections weren't included in the list. I do understand why one might want to leave it out, though, because if you follow that topic too far down the rabbit hole it gets political and starts to undermine the myth of the nuclear family being the "natural" social structure of humans.

Anyway, I'll use my life as an example. Starts with a narcissistic father and a passive mother (from a long line of others like them and each generation getting progressively more isolated and mentally ill). The ONLY way I made it out was by the influence of elementary school teachers that gave a s**t. Fast-forward to my life now. Few family connections due to above and my husband and I decided not to have children for environmental reasons. So...I've had to fill my need for tribe/family with friends. I am making a greater effort to really search out people with similar worldviews and overlook trivial character "flaws" (that would have been deal-breakers in the past) in order to have many strong, trusting, human relationships. I crave time with children and also with other women. I think that's natural. Most women fill the first need by having children - but then I've witnessed many of my friends become isolated by the insane time requirements involved in both working and taking care of children. Tribe solves that problem.

It's a really difficult thing to do. This social system depends on competition between individuals and that leads to isolation. One of the things I've done is to stop comparing myself to other women. Women do this all the time and it's so counter-productive!

Anyway, there is a lot more to this but I thought I'd at least throw the idea out there.

[Knifegill]

While sapiens was very social, neanderthal was not. Males were largely intolerant of each other, limiting the average group to between 3 and seven members, mostly female, if I recall correctly. So base your "need" for humans on your ancestry, not on textbook norms.

[Leida]

I crave time with children and also with other women. I think that's natural. Most women fill the first need by having children - but then I've witnessed many of my friends become isolated by the insane time requirements involved in both working and taking care of children. Tribe solves that problem.

Don't kid yourself. Time with other people's children is not the same as rising your own. I thought I would be an old maid. I have a graduate degree and studied and worked in a man dominated field. I don't like other children. I never hold one till they put my daughter in my hands. It takes insane amount of time, energy and thought. It is the best thing that ever happened to me, and the most interesting project, raising this human and seeing her turn form the dearest peace of meat into a real person.

[jaye]

While sapiens was very social, neanderthal was not. Males were largely intolerant of each other, limiting the average group to between 3 and seven members, mostly female, if I recall correctly. So base your "need" for humans on your ancestry, not on textbook norms.

I'm not following Knifegill. Can you expand on that a little?

[jaye]

Leida - I'm sure you're right - that it is definitely not the same. I'm just not willing to create another industrial human for my own selfish desire to feel that experience.

[Knifegill]

Many people have neanderthal genes. That is known. But some theories suggest that many autism traits may be neanderthal behavior to a degree, or a distorted form of it. Some evidence that supports these ideas include high-protein diets being effective in controlling a lot of asperger's traits, and neanderthal was a big game hunter.

The Neanderthal Theory of Autism

Ticket to Elsewhere

Neanderthal theory of Autism and occipital bun - General Autism Discussion

Neanderthal anatomy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Check those traits against some autistic people!