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09/18/2012

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Lisa

I agree, Dave, with not using the word "should".
I hear what you're saying with regards to the crooked timber. It's great when looked at correctly.

Have you ever read anything by Daniel Quinn? I'm reading his book "Ishmael" again and he talks about the difference between "Taker" and "Leaver" culture. The Takers (which we would call "civilized people") that became that way about 10,000 years ago consider themselves inherently flawed. And so they (we) are. Not because of our humanness - but because we left our natural state. We "fell", so to speak, and began to till the soil. That means we are at war with all other creatures at all times. No other predator on earth is at war with all other creatures at all times.

The Leavers still exist - but they're dying out. They all live differently according to their location and traditions but - they are the same in that they are not at war with all other creatures at all times. Their food is also not under lock and key. They don't own land. They might claim territory but that's different. I wouldn't consider these people flawed. They're just living as man was living for millenia. (sorry about that spelling.) Would any animal living the way they've lived for eons be considered flawed?

The way Quinn explains it - we tried this experiment of agriculture and certain things were the result. It hasn't worked out for various reasons but we just think if we keep trying to do it better or harder - then it will. If people have enough to eat we'll conquer hunger - but it doesn't work that way - the population just grows. There are laws at work that we are trying to defy. The law of gravity will not be defied - not even by an airplane. The law of how humans are to live is there but we keep trying to defy it. That's the flaw.

Lisa

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