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Our Capabilities In the Distant Past vs. Our Capabilities Now

Arnox

Master
Staff member
Founder
Messages
5,285
In 1712, an English privateer and captain by the name of Woodes Rogers wrote a book of his travels titled "A Cruising Voyage Round the World". In it, he talks about a cast away he picked up on the Juan Fernandez Archipelago just west of Chile, specifically a Scottish Royal Navy officer by the name of Alexander Selkirk. On page 130, concluding his fascinating account of Alexander's story on the island that he rescued him from, Woodes made this interesting observation.

We may perceive by this story the truth of the maxim that necessity is the mother of invention since [Alexander] found means to supply his wants in a very natural manner, so as to maintain his life, though not so conveniently, yet as effectually as we are able to do with the help of all our arts and society. It may likewise instruct us how much a plain and temperate way of living conduces to the health of the body and the vigor of the mind, both of which we are apt to destroy by excess and plenty, especially of strong liquor and the variety as well as the nature of our meat and drink: for this man, when he came to our ordinary method of diet and life, though he was sober enough, lost much of his strength and agility.
Now, let us set up some context here. This is coming from a hardened battle-worn captain in the 1700s sailing the oceans for fun. And he's telling us that after hearing of Alexander's exploits and seeing his capabilities on the island firsthand, he and his crew's allegedly fun and fanciful life is softening them all up.

Alright, you may ask. That's all well and fascinating, but why are you bringing all this up now? Why, for the simple fact that there is incredible merit to the take that who we are as a general society in the 21st century might just be a mere shadow of who we used to be back then in terms of capabilities. So what, is all technology and progress evil then? Should we revert back to monke? No. Of course not. But all of this does invite some uncomfortable questions of just how much we've all softened up as a species both in body and in mind as compared to back then where if you were not nobility, you would have to toughen up and use your wits or die.

I read a book once titled "Into Africa", and it's a biography of explorers in the 1800s heading into Africa to seek out the source of the Nile. Massive adversity, and sometimes, outright violence, is often spoken of in such a casual light as to astound me. They just did not give a FUCK back then. They brushed traumatic events off like nothing. And while I'm sure all this did have a substantial if hidden impact on these explorers, the fact remains that not only were these two explorers not alone in their little adventures, this was done often in certain parts of society.

How much powers of memorization and logic have we lost due to computers doing so much of the mental work for us? How much athletic ability has drained away due to our incredible never-before-seen leisure? Science and technology marches on as it should, but how much of ourselves are we unknowingly sacrificing on the altar of technological progress?

Just something to think about.
 
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Vendor-Lazarus

Arch Disciple
Sanctuary legend
Messages
937
While our bodies and minds may have declined in certain aspects, compared to past molds, our future could smash and reforge those molds into any aspect they so chose. Thanks to the very technology that enfeebles us. It could give rise to several types of New Humans. Some of which would be genetically engineered, or cybernetically artificed, or a meld of the two. Both being much stronger than humans pre-electricity.
 

Arnox

Master
Staff member
Founder
Messages
5,285
While our bodies and minds may have declined in certain aspects, compared to past molds, our future could smash and reforge those molds into any aspect they so chose. Thanks to the very technology that enfeebles us. It could give rise to several types of New Humans. Some of which would be genetically engineered, or cybernetically artificed, or a meld of the two. Both being much stronger than humans pre-electricity.
Honestly, I think we would have much better luck if we went down the biological augmentation road instead of the cybernetic augmentation road. Cybernetics would get us much farther much more quickly, but that's exactly the problem. I truly believe we're not ready for that shit yet. Way too much danger of destroying ourselves or losing our very identities. Biological augmentation is a lot safer even if it does, of course, have its own drawbacks.
 

Battousai

Brother Sharp
Sanctuary legend
Sanctuary contributor
Messages
560
Occupation
Cookmaster supreme
Cybernetics would get us much farther much more quickly, but that's exactly the problem. I truly believe we're not ready for that shit yet. Way too much danger of destroying ourselves or losing our very identities.
 
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