To sit here thinking about how ridiculous we all are?

[FecalVomit]

Society I mean.

Think of us, Humans as simple creatures. Think way back before cars and houses etc - when we were at our most primative. We ate, slept and reproduced like all other animals. But then as we "evolved" a bunch of our species decided they would be "in charge" and that the rest of us would follow.

Now think of the world today. We rush off to "work" each morning because we need those little bits of paper which we call "currency" in which we can exchange for our dwellings, our food - all the basics we need. Our young are shoved into a "school" for 6 hours a day because they "need" to be "educated" because the ones in charge say so. We HAVE to wear clothes because the ones in charge say so. We HAVE to pay for a fucking LICENSE to watch a "tv" because the ones in charge say so.

And TV - why do we sit there staring at a little device for hours at a time? It's so ridiculous. The whole world is so ridiculous.

Can you imagine a dog laying out in the sun and it's mate saying "woah steady on Fido, you'll burn out here" and the dog replying "yes, I'm intentionally trying to burn myself, don't worry."

It's all a bit weird when you sit and think about it.

The funny thing is, even if one of us decided we didn't want to be a part of this "modern" society and instead wanted to run around naked, killing our own food and sleeping in a cave - we wouldn't be "allowed" because that isn't what the ones in charge want for us.

It's about time people realised how insignificant we really are.

"We ate, slept and reproduced like all other animals. But then as we "evolved" a bunch of our species decided they would be "in charge" and that the rest of us would follow. "

Hmm, perhaps you should watch a few nature programmes. Very few species manage to insist without someone "being in charge"- unless they are totally anti-social and each adult lives on their own (e.g. sloths). All primates who live in flocks have social hierarchies and will do what the alpha male/alpha female tells them if they want to stay out of trouble.

The amazing thing about humans is the extent to which we can decide to go against the rules or try to invent a new way of interacting. Flocks of wild dogs or chimpanzees do not have democracy; they do not have the choice to argue that the same alpha male shouldn't be in charge all the time. Their only choice is to try to usurp the position as alpha male.

As for humans, many of us have lived happily without it television for decades: I'd say the fault lies with you if you imagine you do not have a choice in the matter. Home education is legal and I know several people who have chosen it. If you cannot bring yourself to do things differently then that is not the fault of the entire human race.

The reason we cannot go back to a hunting and foraging life is that this cannot sustain as many individuals as farming: so the only way it could function is if we accepted that the majority of the population had to starve to death to reduce the number of mouths. Which is what happens in animal populations when they outbreed their resources. Fine if you are prepared to be a martyr for the sake of this more authentic life...

It's true we are all insignificant.
It's a total luxury that we have, to be able to revel in the enjoyment of equally insignificant crap: the dewdrop on a petal, etc.
Just, you know, keep going....you'll get through it eventually

Great post cory.

I often find human society pretty odd. I mean, what's with clothes? Instead of just a covering to keep us warm, we have this huge array of fabrics with different colours and shapes which are used to convey our social status, wealth, personality, gender expression and sexual availability, and the signals sent by the clothes can depend on which specific group of people you're interacting with, and people spend much time worrying about which ones to wear and reading about which ones they should be wearing and designing new ones. Depending on which way you look at it, its a complete marvel of human complexity, or a complete waste of time.

Have you seen Melancholia OP?

It covers such matters in a beautiful albeit bleak way

I for one sometimes find perverse joy in the thought of our inevitable extinction. Despicable that we are.

Other times that makes me depressed, when I think of the innocence and joy of my children

I see it like the Matrix. Take one pill and buy into the insanity take another and face existential anxiety and depression. I feel I took the later and all I see is that somewhere (particularly in the west) we went wrong with all this.

Because there is a difference between existing and living. Because we have developed culture and explored science. Because 30 is no longer regarded as old. Because we have learnt to look after the weak rather than ensure the survival of only the fittest.

It's still perfectly possible to live a crofting/fishing type existence in a small holding with no telly and home educate. Hard work, but possible.

Are you stoned, OP ?

The amazing thing about humans is the extent to which we can decide to go against the rules or try to invent a new way of interacting. Flocks of wild dogs or chimpanzees do not have democracy; they do not have the choice to argue that the same alpha male shouldn't be in charge all the time. Their only choice is to try to usurp the position as alpha male.

Hmmm. See I would counter that with dictatorships and absolute monarchy in tribal areas. Alpha male. pecking order.Heirarchy. What ever term you use. And that is the natural order of things. Not democracy.

Although I do have these musings in my head also, OP.

Useless fact of the day: collective noun fof chimpanzees is a cartload

Agree with Sposh
Have you been taking acid OP?

''There is no point other than to make the most of your life while you've got it. The very pointlessness of our existance makes it even more important that individually we live and make our life have meaning.''

This I agree with. It's why I could never be religious, because it seems too much like spoiling your life and restricting yourself in order to achieve some future benefits (that in my view will never happen), what a waste of a life. I do understand why people believe in god/gods though- it is a more comforting idea than thinking we are totally unimportant and once we are dead, that's it. The whole thing religion thing revolves around us holding some kind of status, an importance in the grand scheme of things, and I just don't think we are that important.

I think I'd like to try a hunting and foraging lifestyle, but I'd sure as hell like to know I still had the option of accommodation, food and water on tap and medical care to go back to! We are pretty lucky here and now, to live in this country in this time.

All species have a leader

I'm not convinced snails do .

Or penguins. Terribly egalitarian, penguins.

Wow

Ok if you want to feel really insignificant watch this.....

I sometimes think about this sort of thing. My tiny human brain cannot comprehend that dinosaurs were around for millions of years and, relative to them, we are a mere pinprick on the thumb of existence. And yep, will be history one day.

Makes you put stuff into perspective...especially that most of our bullshit really doesn't matter. Like TOWIE for example!

I often drink too much wine and bore my DH with stuff like this.

How do you know Fido isn't lying there, thinking exactly that?

I think we need a MonkeyThoughtTranslator, DressDownFriday...

I totally get you, i work in end of life care and this makes me question us as a species more and more and also appreciate my family and friends every day :)

It is called civilised society. I hear where you are coming from but as humans we function better with hierachy, boundaries, small goals, education to keep children from being bored.

I do know where you are coming from but maybe try and look outside your immediate life. Personally I am more troubled hearing about the death and horrors that happened in Bosnia and the hell and inhumanity in Syria. I don't dwell on whether people want to burn themselves in the sun or claim a few too many benefits.

I like being human. I like my life and I like living in the UK.

If I end up writing a book eventually - and I'd only do it for the money - this would be one of the chapters - about how they don't want us to live outside of the crazy box you described so clearly.

I'm only 43, soon to retire forever (in 4 weeks) but have already had 3 years of retirement since 2006.
I have a sailing vessel, my 'homes'(investments) are not in the UK, and whilst the rest of the world doesn't mind this, the world bully, USA, which I often need to pass through to get from a to b to c, does mind.

I am often taken aside and questioned till Kingdom come.
"Why don't you work?"
"Why did you go to Saudi Arabia?" (Fools, it was Syria)
"When are you going to return to the UK to live?" (Never, not even in a coffin)
And so on.
Being 'free' makes you realise just how they don't want you to be free.
It is quite interesting actually to experience not being somebody who fits the description for a 40 something-er.

It makes me angry, yes, to be suspected of being more than just free, that I am some kind of delinquent.

One border officer took me into a back room and said, 'Where do you get your money?!'
I said, 'Officer, even before the current recession, I was thrifty and saved.'
He looked at me as if I were barmy.

Yes, we in the West especially, are ridiculous.
Especially those who are willing to work for 40 plus years for the paltry pension at the end of it.

Good thought-provoking post, by the way, and yes, I agree, why do folks still lie in the direct sun?
I always travel with a parasol.

Your name is shit op

Yours is pretty shit too clowns!

I reckon Fido's contemplating the emergence of stratified societies as elites formed through the control of resources and secondary products following the invention of farming.

But fucking Engels knew this a century ago.

Keep up, Fido.

thanks to our society, you could learn how to catch and prepare any animal.

I think you'll find you could do that without Bear Grylls
intervention if you were hungry enough.

I agree with Hecate