Ask A Genius 677: Apex Species?
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen and Rick Rosner
Publication (Outlet/Website): Ask A Genius
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2022/01/11
[Recording Start]
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Do you believe humans are the apex species, and what framework do you use to define ‘apex’, especially considering nature’s indifference?
Rick Rosner: For many millennia, humans didn’t consider themselves part of nature. We believed we were superior, divinely created to rule and be better than all other entities. This sense of superiority became more pronounced with the advent of language and civilization. Before these developments, we might have seen ourselves as part of the broader animal kingdom, but without language, this perspective wasn’t articulated. With language came other advancements, including religion, which I don’t necessarily say is directly linked, but historically, it often developed early in civilizations on Earth. I theorize that if there were beings like us on other planets, they would likely develop religion and language in the early stages of their civilization.
Religion provided a framework that emphasized our special status and imposed moral obligations. I don’t believe any major religion promotes nihilism or encourages destructive behavior. Most, if not all, religions contain some form of the Golden Rule, advocating moral responsibility. However, with the rise of science, we began to lose this sense of exaltation and the moral direction offered by religion.
In recent times, civilization has undergone significant changes, particularly with the advent of social media and personal entertainment devices. These technologies provide tailored content that often reinforces self-centeredness. The rise of reality shows in America, and even a reality TV president, exemplifies how negative behaviors can be rewarded and gain prominence. Consequently, there’s been a noticeable increase in individualistic behavior and a decrease in altruism.
Concurrently, my wife Carol and I have been watching ‘Euphoria’, an HBO series about deeply troubled teenagers. The show features morally complex characters, including a drug dealer who is one of the more upright figures, and explicit content, including nudity and representations of underage individuals. Zendaya, the show’s lead actress, has warned viewers about its potentially upsetting content. This level of realism is a far cry from the sanitized depictions of humanity seen in shows like ‘The Brady Bunch’ from 50 years ago. Today’s shows, unrestricted in content, offer deeper and more profound insights into human behavior and society.
Nowadays, television provides hyper-realistic depictions of life, unlike the sanitized and unrealistic representations of the past. For example, in ‘The Brady Bunch’, even the backyard grass was artificial, and the unlikely scenario of six kids sharing one bathroom highlighted the lack of realism prevalent in shows of that era. Contemporary shows aim to present a more authentic picture of human life, going beyond simply filling a 22-minute slot for advertising purposes. While some shows adopt a gritty style primarily to attract viewers, many genuinely strive to explore and reflect current societal issues, delving into dark and complex areas.
This shift in media representation coincides with a loss of the sense of exaltation humanity once had. Our understanding of ourselves has deepened significantly, as our lives are filled with more experiences than those of previous generations. We live longer and have access to a myriad of stories, connecting us more closely with the broader spectrum of human experience. However, this increased awareness has also revealed our flaws more starkly. The traditional framework that positioned us as exalted beings has largely disappeared, leaving a void. There are no ‘alpha beings’ that dominate us due to superior intelligence, power, or moral standing. The religious framework that helped us understand our place in the world and maintain a moral order is no longer as influential.
Consequently, we find ourselves with a vast amount of knowledge about humanity, but this knowledge lacks a structured framework. We understand our strengths and weaknesses perhaps better than any previous generation, yet there is no clear system to guide us in interpreting and applying this understanding. So, we are left with a lot of knowledge but no clear framework to place it in, navigating a world where our traditional points of reference have shifted or disappeared altogether.
[Recording End]
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In-Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.in-sightpublishing.com.
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