Is humanity devolving?

[Susannah]

A NYT article (Yes! NYT have ample scope to ponder within their precariously changing climate)

Opinion | Defining Deviancy Down. And Down. And Down.

This is a think piece that may interest some SF members. Not in merely surviving France but regarding surviving at all.

“Man gets used to everything, the beast!” Dostoyevsky has Raskolnikov observe in “Crime and Punishment.”

Since many will find the NYT paywall impedes their continued interest, here is a link open to all for the (short!) essay ‘Defining Deviancy Down’

defining-deviancy-down-amereducator.pdf

This is not about politics but a look at social evolution, although in democracies this will drive politics.

I do worry that societies are becoming increasingly aggressive and this will not end well. How, or even can we, ameliorate the trajectory?

[JohnBoy]

@Susannah

This is not about politics but a look at social evolution, although in democracies this will drive politics.

Really!
I thought I would take a look and it is full of links to politics and politicians.

@Susannah

Since many will find the NYT paywall impedes their continued interest, here

Name them, but dont include me.
I was hoping that the thread tidy up to group all things political under politics would allow me to enjoy the SF once again and it is working, please dont spoil it.
Edit: moved to politics

[Porridge]

@Susannah

I do worry that societies are becoming increasingly aggressive and this will not end well. How, or even can we, ameliorate the trajectory?

There are grounds for optimism, if you need them, in organisations like this one:
https://www.reviveeurope.org/

Young people taking Jesus’s words seriously.

[Susannah]

@JohnBoy

dont include me

Perhaps if you tried reading the essay rather than only the NYT article, you may better understand the point of the post.

Individuals moving posts about rather encourages knee jerk vigilantism.

[JohnBoy]

@Susannah

knee jerk vigilantism

Something else to add to my CV