Thank you for your comment, but the fact that I'm here having this discussion strongly suggests that I consider life still worth living; I never thought it wasn't. I find comfort in the small life of loving family, a few friends, pets and the immediacy of everyday things.
And yes, humor is essential, especially in trying times.
That said, the idea that humans were always slaves and tyrants has been thoroughly debunked (there was never proof of that theory to begin with). It was the advent of totalitarian agriculture around 10-thousand-years-ago that gave rise to oppressive leaders and systems.
By "totalitarian agriculture" I mean the near total dependence on farming for the feeding of civilizations vs. earlier hunter/forager societies. Nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes didn't have the luxury of stockpiling possessions or foodstuffs because they were regularly on the move, following the herds and seasonal flora. Thus, there wasn't the need for totalitarian rule by the leader or elders. As one Native American Chief (I can't remember which) responded when Indian chiefs were compared to white leaders "If I made my braves do things they didn't want to do, I wouldn't be chief for long." Even in the settled traditional Native American tribes and other indigenous communities, wealth and power were, and remain, much more evenly distributed than in any civilization.
Thank you for your comment, but the fact that I'm here having this discussion strongly suggests that I consider life still worth living; I never thought it wasn't. I find comfort in the small life of loving family, a few friends, pets and the immediacy of everyday things.
And yes, humor is essential, especially in trying times.
That said, the idea that humans were always slaves and tyrants has been thoroughly debunked (there was never proof of that theory to begin with). It was the advent of totalitarian agriculture around 10-thousand-years-ago that gave rise to oppressive leaders and systems.
Peace to you and yours. :)
By "totalitarian agriculture" I mean the near total dependence on farming for the feeding of civilizations vs. earlier hunter/forager societies. Nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes didn't have the luxury of stockpiling possessions or foodstuffs because they were regularly on the move, following the herds and seasonal flora. Thus, there wasn't the need for totalitarian rule by the leader or elders. As one Native American Chief (I can't remember which) responded when Indian chiefs were compared to white leaders "If I made my braves do things they didn't want to do, I wouldn't be chief for long." Even in the settled traditional Native American tribes and other indigenous communities, wealth and power were, and remain, much more evenly distributed than in any civilization.
Making your own beer, what more do you need? lol. ;)