Life has never been so good for our species - latimes.com Life has never been so good for our species
Sure, the future looks gloomy if you focus on environmental problems or world hunger, but in many ways, things have never been better for us.
Michael Shermer
April 30, 2010
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It is fashionable among environmentalists today to paint a gloomy portrait of our future. Although there are many environmental issues yet to be solved, too many species endangered, more pollution than most of us would like and far too many people still going hungry each day, let's not forget how far we've come, starting 10,000 years ago.
Before that time, all people lived as hunter-gatherers in relative poverty compared with today. How poor were they? If you walk into a Yanomam? village in Brazil today ? a good analogue for how our ancestors lived ? and count up the stone tools, baskets, arrow points, arrow shafts, bows, hammocks, clay pots, assorted other tools, various medicinal remedies, pets, food products, articles of clothing and the like, you would end up with a figure of about 300. Before 10,000 years ago, this was the approximate material wealth of each village on the planet.
By contrast, if you walk into the Manhattan village today and count up all the different products available at retail stores and restaurants, factory outlets and superstores, you would end up with an estimated figure of about 10 billion (based on the UPC bar code system count). Economic anthropologists estimate the average annual income of hunter-gatherers to have been about $100 per person and the average annual income of big-city dwellers to be about $40,000 per person....we also have more gpp[gadgets per person]
Replies
13
Banned
I like Shermer. I'm thinking about subscribing to Skeptic magazine.
SoWal Insider
I think I'll buy me another flat screen... my gadgets per person ratio is way down. 
Admin
It makes you wonder why folks aren't spoiled.
Banned
It makes you wonder why folks aren't spoiled.
Because they're content.
YouTube - The Police - When The World Is Running Down. . .
SoWal Insider
How can anyone be content with only a 3G smart phone? I want 5G, 10G, and, frankly, my Bentley is the wrong color!!! Talk about dissapointment... 
Banned
How can anyone be content with only a 3G smart phone? I want 5G, 10G, and, frankly, my Bentley is the wrong color!!! Talk about dissapointment...
Alright, some but not all have learned when to say when!
Beach Fanatic
The Economist had a good article last year about how, for the first time in history, half the planet could be considered to be middle class using the definition of a person or family having one third of their income left over after basic needs are net. And with that one third they can build a business, pay school fees for their children, and buy consumer goods and electronics. I wish the article was online for free because it was really interesting.
Banned
The Economist had a good article last year about how, for the first time in history, half the planet could be considered to be middle class using the definition of a person or family having one third of their income left over after basic needs are net. And with that one third they can build a business, pay school fees for their children, and buy consumer goods and electronics. I wish the article was online for free because it was really interesting.
So of that half of the planet, maybe 50% of them are having financial difficulty because they're addicts in need of a fix, chasing the gadget dragon.
Beach Fanatic
And the other half are effectively drugged into bliss because they can now not only afford electrical service but also satellite television and the sports packages that carry cricket and the glorious game of football 24/7.
Banned
And the other half are effectively drugged into bliss because they can now not only afford electrical service but also satellite television and the sports packages that carry cricket and the glorious game of football 24/7.
Well the other extreme is my very non-musical friend who took up the digeridoo. He makes a strong case for media induced bliss.
SoWal Insider
Well the other extreme is my very non-musical friend who took up the digeridoo. He makes a strong case for media induced bliss.
I went through a very tough time a few years back and had to let go of anything that was not a necessity in order to keep my home and my old truck. It was in many ways one of the best things that ever happened to me. I learned I don't need a bunch of stuff to be happy and the less I own, the more time I have to do things I want to do. People are addicted to their things, but it has a deep tie in, imho, with ego and with wanting to fit into society. I felt at the time I was going through this to be rich because I had hot water for a bath and clean sheets to sleep in at night under my own roof, although I am sure many would have looked at my empty living room and thought I was quite poor.;-)
SoWal InsiderAuthor
I went through a very tough time a few years back and had to let go of anything that was not a necessity in order to keep my home and my old truck. It was in many ways one of the best things that ever happened to me. I learned I don't need a bunch of stuff to be happy and the less I own, the more time I have to do things I want to do. People are addicted to their things, but it has a deep tie in, imho, with ego and with wanting to fit into society. I felt at the time I was going through this to be rich because I had hot water for a bath and clean sheets to sleep in at night under my own roof, although I am sure many would have looked at my empty living room and thought I was quite poor.;-)you are lucky to have found the truth regarding "stuff"
SoWal Expert
I went through a very tough time a few years back and had to let go of anything that was not a necessity in order to keep my home and my old truck. It was in many ways one of the best things that ever happened to me. I learned I don't need a bunch of stuff to be happy and the less I own, the more time I have to do things I want to do. People are addicted to their things, but it has a deep tie in, imho, with ego and with wanting to fit into society. I felt at the time I was going through this to be rich because I had hot water for a bath and clean sheets to sleep in at night under my own roof, although I am sure many would have looked at my empty living room and thought I was quite poor.;-)
I had a similar experience with my first hurricane evacuation. Figured out exactly what was truly "irreplaceable/important" and what was just stuff.
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