ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

[marvenger]

Re: ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

I think people underestimate the sophistication of premodern people. They were far more in tune with the environment and obviously had a better sense of balance than us. Aboriginal ideas on knowing and the relationship between the observer and the observed and how knowing comes into being are right up there with the best on offer from modern psychologists, physicists and spiritual leaders, all without the need for a particle accelerator. The bushmen of southern ffice:smarttags" />Africa and the Australian aboriginals did not own land so conflict was far more sporadic and less bloody than the wars of ever increasing scale and mass murder seen in modern times. For an amazing example of being in tune with nature look to the sea gypsies of south east asia none of whom died during the tsunami because they had all fled to deep water or to high ground before it arrived. When asked why they survived and other fishermen didn’t they said other people do not know how to see. The sea gypsies can also adjust the lense muscles in their eyes to allow them to see at great depths while free diving in a way that is opposite to what was thought to be a hard wired reflex until scientists studied these guys. Now scientists realize the brain can rewire what were thought to be genetically hardwired brain circuits. Christopher Columbus’ diaries of his first impressions of natives in carribean include that they worked a couple of days a week fishing and picking fruit and they turn this activity into a game with their children, they were generous to a fault where if his crew showed any interest in anything they had the natives would give it to them, they did not have much of an idea about weapons or fighting, they would fuck wherever and were not ashamed. Columbus concluded that it would only take 50 men to control them all and they’d make good servants. Way to go for the modern western condition of ******* commodifying everything.
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So I think ‘arrogant’ and ‘ignorant’ are pretty good words for modern times.

[vanvaley1]

Re: ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

There are quite a few but here is the best ive seen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzJmTCYmo9g part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScwGBNMH428 part 2

Thanks. Humor has a pleasant way of telling the truth so ya can laugh about it. Do you recall the one of the cartoon where a boy was putting his grandmothers $100 dollar check into a banking account at the bank?

[Diarmuid]

Re: ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

I don't understand you guys. You are looking at today's global economic disaster as though it were the end of the world. The big disasters in history have always looked this way, when seen up close. Try imagining yourself looking back on the "crash of 2008" from 2018, and you'll get some perspective as to whether the future is to be regarded as pure doom. What exactly has been "obliterated in a single instant"? Wall Street? That's supposed to be the showstopper for the entire history of man? :rolleyes:

I would have to agree to some extent I think some of the posts here in itulip have the same effect on some of us here as the word black does on the gentleman in the video below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRJxafiqHvw

[WildspitzE]

Re: ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

so . . YOUR ONE word for the human race as a species - can be ANY word (noun, verb, adjective, even slang)

my word is: myopic

[flintlock]

Re: ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

Selfish is the word that comes to mind

[HDLee]

Re: ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

The results of the “ONE” word for the human race as a species question . . .

75% = Negative
14% = Positive
11% = Neither

Lukester – THAT BEATS THE PATTERN … so far … MOST (90%) of people I ask, answers are "Negative" . . . NEVER would I have expected the "Positive" result to be higher than the "Neither" response. . . especially not on the iTulip forum . . . so NO need for prozac : )

[Guest]

Re: ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

Heidi Lee - they (iTulip's editors) have figured out a really sneaky way to transmit the PROZAC in the chlorophyll-green radiation from the screen whenever iTulipers log on to read the day's posts. The green radiation transmits a subliminal "hint of PROZAC" to keep all of iTulip's chronic doomers from sliding into suicidal despondency and manic depressive episodes.

[HDLee]

Re: ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

ahhhhhh a little like the lithium in the H20 in parts of Japan - where apparently the suicide rate is lower

[Guest]

Re: ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

iTulip's Sapiens, has a very disturbing theory about what is being done to the Japanese via their food and water supply. It is a case of "draconian state enforced eugenics" - although I must confess I did not quite capture all of the gruesome details. The entire population of Japan is one giant petri-dish for their long range "actuarial" planning apparently. I think it's something to do with the future viability of their social security system. Sounds absolutely horrible. :confused: ... :cool:

[thunderdownunder]

Re: ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

Ha Lukester - Im like the cut of your jib
If it were you in one word "balsy" colloq - Australian for big balls - The Christ could never be born here as it is impossible to find three wise men and a virgin
but for the human race, on the whole ...
Indominatable (invictus)
in latin.....
victum
One day I hope we could share an ale or 2 or 3 or 4, face to face in conversation.
you have missed your calling, Write a frigging book -your mind is too fresh to age within rage, your intelligence holds you back.
Dairmuid has your measure (seldom heard from but so sussinct was the jab- yes another lost latin word)
(I do so hope I win a prize ------ please ......)

[Guest]

Re: ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

Well yes. Now that you mention it, there's most definitely a prize waiting for you (a much sought after prize!!). I've got a case of "noble gnat's piss", AKA, American Beer [trademark pending] to Fed Ex to you, Thunder, in appreciation-like, for yer right friendly words. Give me yer noble and esteemed address, and a "slab" of the pride of American brewing (case 'o Budweiser - TARAA!!? :rolleyes is ON IT'S WAY! Cheers mate.

(I do so hope I win a prize ------ please ......)

[thunderdownunder]

Re: ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

Many Thanks for your kind offer. If I drank a slab of Bud these days they would have to call the Ambulance. As the liver quivers at the smell of Alchohol and the bloom of youth has become a memory along with virile erections, I seek only the rememberances of past conquests upon nubile women. In such a short time these women became mothers then grandmothers and now the future holds only the physical acceptance of great grandmothers. Hold on! - come to think of it some "beer glasses" might be just the shot
Don't waste time or talents as both are finite.
oh yeah! No Granmother@#&^#* jokes lads cause in time the jokes on you ;)

[Guest]

Re: ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

All kidding aside Thunderdown - appreciate your friendly words mate. Please hoist at least one glass of a decent Pinot Noir from the Yarra valley, once a year then (your most Calvinistic option short of foreswearing the sublime grape altogether!). I understand you guys down under are pushing the French right out of the UK wine market with little ceremony these days. Considering the proximity of French wine-country from the UK market, and it's daunting pedigree, Australia's got to be doing something sublimely right with fine wines these days. To me it verges upon the criminal therefore to be an Australian, and not steal a nip of one or two of your famous Pinot or Shiraz on occasion.

[Aetius Romulous]

Re: ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

Impetuous

Humans have tried, since the beginning of time, to organize themselves around their understanding of the future. Fear of the future turned to management, and management meant social organization. It is no different today. We live for the day, but in a uniquely human way, we plan for the future.

In the earliest times we cowered under the unknown, today, we have the hubris to believe we can "know the unknowns", and act accordingly. But of course we cannot know the future despite our insistence that we cling desperately to a social architecture constructed expressly on the future. We know intuitively that we cannot predict tomorrow, yet we charge forward all guns blazing on the assumption that we can. We are "impetuous".

Humans, by their nature, lurch sometimes passively and sometimes violently towards tomorrow. They will grasp on to anything they can that gives them solace about the tomorrow they will face willfully and blindly. They mistakenly believe the world that results was made by them when in fact, it is nothing more than the refuse of decisions about the future gone awry. We cobble together the loose ends as best we can, call it civilization, and move impetuously forward again.

Our world was not planned - it happened, and it happened because we are impetuous tragic heroes of our own making.

Thank you so much Heidi-Lee for making me think about this.

[ThePythonicCow]

Re: ONE word for the human race as a species . . .

Humans have tried, since the beginning of time, to organize themselves around their understanding of the future.

We organize ourselves around more subtle and significant visions than just the unknowable future.

Fear of the future turned to management, and management meant social organization.

Fear ... and hope. Do not leave out the hope.

In the earliest times we cowered under the unknown, today, we have the hubris to believe we can "know the unknowns", and act accordingly.

That we can build grander and longer lasting cultures, science, technology, tools, organizations than any other species we know is not hubris. It is the obvious reality.

But of course we cannot know the future despite our insistence that we cling desperately to a social architecture constructed expressly on the future.

We can never know entirely the future, nor for that matter the present or the past.

But we can and do know, in vast and intimate detail, many patterns and cycles of the world around us, both natural and man-made, that extend over time and usually continue into the future.

Life is not some cosmic random number generator.

Humans, by their nature, lurch sometimes passively and sometimes violently towards tomorrow. They will grasp on to anything they can that gives them solace about the tomorrow they will face willfully and blindly.

There is much we do not know, but there is much that we partially do know (albeit often incorrectly or insufficiently.) We are not simply the blind billiard balls of fate.

They mistakenly believe the world that results was made by them when in fact, it is nothing more than the refuse of decisions about the future gone awry.

The epistemological tool of cause and and affect is a weak tool for understanding the complex interacting layers of cyclic activity of the universe.

Our world was not planned - it happened, and it happened because we are impetuous tragic heroes of our own making.

I see no room for tragic heroes in the random blind world.you describe. Decaying alpha particles (a good example of genuine randomness, at least at the level that can be detected outside the radioactive nucleus that emitted the particle) are neither tragic nor heroic.

That you would conclude with such a phrase suggests to me that your vision of the world and our role in it is more subtle than your words were able to convey to me in your post above.