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darkjackcork t1_j0vkkb7 wrote

Reply to comment by [deleted] in Will human intelligence fall? by Charming-Coconut-234

Here is another problem. Our society says to us it is more moral than the past because small numbers of people were treated harshly. Yet it is our time that has the highest prison populations and ubiquitous consumer debt. It looks like we just smeared out a negative across a larger number of people, it is not clear the total harm caused is lower.

Every society in history jerks itself off. Look at those statues of Kings boasting about their achievements, we are the same, it is what I call chrono-centrism.

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[deleted] t1_j0vl96f wrote

in my country we don't have the highest prison population in history. at least not per capita. we don't have serfs anymore either.

consumer debt is higher because access to credit is easier.

i can guarantee that i live better than my parents, and grand-parents, and grand-grand-parents.

you have a very idealistic vision of the past.

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darkjackcork t1_j0vqu4z wrote

I don't think the past is better on all dimensions, only that we do not live in the best of all possible worlds and if we want to continue improving we can't stagnate - which I suspect we are outside of computing and some narrow areas like solar panels. Prices are supposed to go down and quality go up if technology is improving, you don't have to search far to find places this is not true. Peter Thiel has videos explaining this general view, controversial but widely regarded as the cleverest person in Silicon Valley.

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