"These super memes are a human response to complexity, valuable heuristics to fall back upon. Our vulnerability to these beliefs grows greater as our ability to acquire knowledge decreases. When faced with overwhelming complexity, our brain is susceptible to unproven ideologies and “herd” mentality. A variety of memes is good (diversity) for a society’s resilience. Super memes endanger humanity by “putting all our eggs in one (or few) basket (s)” so to speak."
Well, this is a masterpiece, Adam! A beautiful tour of our cognitive landscape and some of the fatal errors in the program. When we become too enamored of certain ways of understanding events (your "memes"), we will bend facts to fit them. I wrote about that in an essay titled "Failure: A how-to manual". Your essay is better/deeper. I like better! 👏
Guz - another wonderful roll-up, really enjoyed, I continue to greatly appreciate your writing/thinking/humor.
"These super memes are a human response to complexity, valuable heuristics to fall back upon. Our vulnerability to these beliefs grows greater as our ability to acquire knowledge decreases. When faced with overwhelming complexity, our brain is susceptible to unproven ideologies and “herd” mentality. A variety of memes is good (diversity) for a society’s resilience. Super memes endanger humanity by “putting all our eggs in one (or few) basket (s)” so to speak."
Well, this is a masterpiece, Adam! A beautiful tour of our cognitive landscape and some of the fatal errors in the program. When we become too enamored of certain ways of understanding events (your "memes"), we will bend facts to fit them. I wrote about that in an essay titled "Failure: A how-to manual". Your essay is better/deeper. I like better! 👏
I think my cognitive threshold was surpassed
about 65 years ago when I turned 12. Ever since
then I've been dazed and confused.
But seriously, achieving mindful homeostasis when your brain's
critical faculties seem to be fully functioning and
your spirit is calm and seems to be at peace...is not
where most of us spend the majority of our waking moments.
Perhaps after a day or two in a sensory deprivation tank
we could reset a natural equilibrium of brain, bone, blood, and spirit.
There are many ways to peace, but our world intrudes
on that rare state of grace. Some of us self-medicate
trying get back to it. There are other modalities to
get there. I would agree we live in an age of vast complexity
but we also deny that we do have limits. Navy fighter jet
pilots wearing the $100,000 helmets have reported that
they experience "helmet fire" when the amount of info
exceeds their ability to process it and they blank out.
I would suggest that Capitalism itself, never knows when to stop.
It assumes 'More' is always better. Consequently anytime you
engage with modern culture/tech/commerce, you must separate
the signal from the noise, as you have previously and often
pointed out. Corporations (and government) deliberately adopted
"Obfuscation" as SOP some time ago. But the cost of obfuscation
is increasing confusion and complexity. Try figuring out the various
offerings of Comcast Xfinity or your phone bill. I agree with your
hypothesis, but seems to me you are leaving out the fact that it is
a deliberate choice humans make, or our institutions make.
My Father used to say, "speak plain", influenced by the Pa Dutch/Almish.