A lot to say on this but keeping short on time I make some quick points.
Humanity is “not super awesome” in comparison to what alternative? From my POV I am grateful at all that humanity has some measure of empathy, charity and compassion. I can imagine much worse and to humanity’s credit we live in a very hostile universe. Have we come to forget how cruel nature could be?
Are we taking for granted that being “good” or altruist is not a natural state? It requires a lot of foresight, it is learned, it is instilled through generations of evolution which I believe to still be in the process of being selected.
It is hard to be “good”. It is easier to be less bad but generally we’re most likely doing a lot of bad without realizing it most of the time. I don’t find it so easy to point fingers at others for not being so moral. Their life is an entire universe I have yet to discover. I don’t know them and their burdens. I am grateful that I am in a position to think of morals and ethics at all. Charity is a privilege.
Perhaps I believe that generally humans are good and that they behave badly because they are lacking something which has prevented their growth into become a better human. I think our world in data really highlights the trend of what humanity does as it becomes more efficient/wealthy.
Could humanity become totalitarian and cruel? Absolutely. Which is why EA and our fight is so important. Perhaps I believe in humanity because I must.
Lastly I can’t help but feel a sense of irony at people who are living in the modern age in one of the developed countries thinking humanity is bad while benefiting from all the labor of our ancestors. We are so privileged today standing on their shoulders. All the while talking about how bad it is.
A lot to say on this but keeping short on time I make some quick points.
Humanity is “not super awesome” in comparison to what alternative? From my POV I am grateful at all that humanity has some measure of empathy, charity and compassion. I can imagine much worse and to humanity’s credit we live in a very hostile universe. Have we come to forget how cruel nature could be?
Are we taking for granted that being “good” or altruist is not a natural state? It requires a lot of foresight, it is learned, it is instilled through generations of evolution which I believe to still be in the process of being selected.
It is hard to be “good”. It is easier to be less bad but generally we’re most likely doing a lot of bad without realizing it most of the time. I don’t find it so easy to point fingers at others for not being so moral. Their life is an entire universe I have yet to discover. I don’t know them and their burdens. I am grateful that I am in a position to think of morals and ethics at all. Charity is a privilege.
Perhaps I believe that generally humans are good and that they behave badly because they are lacking something which has prevented their growth into become a better human. I think our world in data really highlights the trend of what humanity does as it becomes more efficient/wealthy.
Could humanity become totalitarian and cruel? Absolutely. Which is why EA and our fight is so important. Perhaps I believe in humanity because I must.
Lastly I can’t help but feel a sense of irony at people who are living in the modern age in one of the developed countries thinking humanity is bad while benefiting from all the labor of our ancestors. We are so privileged today standing on their shoulders. All the while talking about how bad it is.