Remember: this is all new for us.
A reminder to fellow humans out there.
Remember: this is all new for us.
When I am having a hard time functioning well, I try to find compassion for myself by thinking anthropologically. For instance, my sister’s text made me realize that I am experiencing dopamine withdrawal after spending weeks walking 10-18 miles each day. So I can either judge myself harshly for this and insist I stop being so pathetic, or I can remember that human beings have existed for 300,000 years and for 290,000 of those we were hunter-gatherers. And for 299,855 of those we didn’t have light bulbs, and for 299,906 we didn’t have Twinkies. Which means post-industrial life is super new; our brains and bodies adapted over hundreds of thousands of years to live in a way that couldn’t be farther from what we think of as “normal”: cars and concrete and Cocoa Puffs and condominiums. And maybe THAT (and not some deep personal flaw) is why life can, at times, feel hard.
Nadia Bolz-Weber’s words on “Compassionate thoughts for us ice-age-brained Homo Sapiens living in late-stage capitalism” hit home for several reasons.
Let’s start by breaking down the phrases from her title: 1) compassionate thoughts, 2) ice-age-brained homo sapiens, and 3) late-stage capitalism.
Compassionate Thoughts: Everyone can benefit from more compassionate thoughts because, yes, life can sometimes be spectacularly hard. She’s also right: The pace of how human lifestyles have changed post-industrialisation era has outpaced our biology. With artificial intelligence and large language models now, I am scared to entertain my imagination on how these will further impact this pace.
Ice-age-brained homo sapiens: What we don’t do enough is look at the span of humanity's time on earth from a bird's-eye view. We tend to be more ego-driven and self-centred. Yet, she reminds us not to forget evolution’s pace against technological pace. While progress and innovation are advantageous— and are what has granted humanity its dominance on earth— maybe there is also such a thing as too much too soon. I don’t know; I am not a scientist or a historian. But what if our brains are ill-equipped to thrive in these ever-changing conditions of new norms?
Late-stage capitalism: If you distil capitalism to its simplest concept, it is a system of optimising for profits and pursuing more at all costs, even if it cannibalises authentic human values or needs. Is it wise to deplete the only planet we call home in the name of greater profits? Is it wise to drive efficiency and innovation at the expense of humanity’s thriving? Is it wise to continue to pursue more at all costs even if it means the debilitation of humanity—more stress, less happiness, and an inhospitable planet?
But let’s not fall into a hole of doom and gloom. I am merely asking questions.
This is the reminder I needed today.
Thriving is a proactive choice. I want to believe that there are impenetrable guardrails to protect me against this world, but the reality is much more complex.
If I want to thrive in this world of capitalism, consumerism, and infinite distractions, I need to always make time to think deeply about what I value, what I want, and what matters most to me.
While I navigate my inner nudges, I need to stand strong to ignore everyone else, to avoid falling into the trap of groupthink. I need to think independently and listen to what my inner voice is telling me.
