I thought I was going mad...

[Asbo Zaprudder]

The Self Illusion: Why There is No 'You' Inside Your Head

 

[Awesome Possum]

I think human consciousness is a tragic misstep in evolution. We became too self-aware. Nature created an aspect of nature separate from itself. We are creatures that should not exist by natural law. We are things that labor under the illusion of having a self, this accretion of sensory experience and feelings, programmed with total assurance that we are each somebody, when in fact everybody's nobody. I think the honorable thing for our species to do is to deny our programming. Stop reproducing. Walk hand in hand into extinction. One last midnight, brothers and sisters opting out of a raw deal.

 

[Jax]

We are creatures that should not exist by natural law

How so? Surely our evolution is a natural by-product like all animals on Earth.

 

[Jayson1]

I think human consciousness is a tragic misstep in evolution. We became too self-aware. Nature created an aspect of nature separate from itself. We are creatures that should not exist by natural law. We are things that labor under the illusion of having a self, this accretion of sensory experience and feelings, programmed with total assurance that we are each somebody, when in fact everybody's nobody. I think the honorable thing for our species to do is to deny our programming. Stop reproducing. Walk hand in hand into extinction. One last midnight, brothers and sisters opting out of a raw deal.

Who knows! Maybe the fact that everyone seems okay with climate change maybe that is everyone sort of subconsciously choosing to allow civilization to end.

Jason

 

[Awesome Possum]

How so? Surely our evolution is a natural by-product like all animals on Earth.

It's from a show.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Presumably the illusion of self has evolved to perform a biological function -- perhaps egotistical arseholes are better breeders.

 

[Gary7]

I think human consciousness is a tragic misstep in evolution. We became too self-aware. Nature created an aspect of nature separate from itself. We are creatures that should not exist by natural law. We are things that labor under the illusion of having a self, this accretion of sensory experience and feelings, programmed with total assurance that we are each somebody, when in fact everybody's nobody. I think the honorable thing for our species to do is to deny our programming. Stop reproducing. Walk hand in hand into extinction. One last midnight, brothers and sisters opting out of a raw deal.

"Walk hand in hand into extinction." Yeah, sometimes it seems like the right thing to do, doesn't it?

Despite our amazing imaginations and inventive capabilities, we do have limits. While I do applaud innovation and surprising problem solving, I can't subscribe to "there's nothing we cannot do." That very tenet will be our undoing. It is an inherent arrogance. It goes hand in hand with this supreme feeling of self-importance and invincibility. We all feel it when we're young. While aware of aging and death, it's so far removed from reality that we exist like it'll just keep going on and on. It's only later that the reality starts to set in... and we can accept it, ignore it, or embrace it.

Believe me, I want our species to survive. It would seem a great waste to think of all the beauty we've created ending up in the scrap heap of history. Can you imagine if this all played out on Mars a million years ago? And that the humanoid life that achieved so much collapsed under their own insipid corruption, perishing and taking the habitable environment with it? So long ago that nothing survives. Everything completely decayed. Earth may become the next Mars.

We're in such a hurry to advance, that we're not taking the time to evolve in a balanced way. We're way out of balance. And it's dangerous. We have a large adult population that still operates like children.

 

[publiusr]

Some think that autism may be a sign that we are adapting. Evolution will do what it will do. We're all just along for the ride.

 

[Velocity]

Was it a moment of clarity? I think everyone has that from time to time. A moment were you really, really, realize how amazing it is to be alive.

Jason

Clarity? Maybe.... It felt more like I was amazingly lucky to not get called on in math class. It was like going from black and white pictures to full color with the sound turned up. Hasn't happened since Sophomore year. About 48 years ago, but I still remember what it was like.