Gregory's Server
I sometimes feel like there is some sort of insight right around the corner of my mind about decision making in societal bodies made of living individuals. It ought to go something like this: Since life is finite and therefore infinitely valuable to the individual, in the end anything will be endured to stay alive and stay well. In consequence, this means that usually unpopular decisions are only made when individuals are dying. Which is why it seems that as a collective, we can never act before it's too late. It's always too late because nobody is willing to take a step back. Instead, everybody stands their ground until people start dying.
Apply at will to revolutions, emancipation, civil rights, climate change… ? I started working again after a four month break and it isn't helping.
A consequence of the above seems to be that things wouldn't be better if humans lived longer. I used to think that we'd do better if we lived longer. I didn't understand how people with children weren't doing better. Now I'm thinking that this decision making vague theory explains why we're always too late. Think of elves. Elves would stand their ground. Not relinquishing their colonies. Not giving up on their car. Other elves would be complaining. Marching. Gluing themselves to the roads. They will all live through the elfocene and the sixth great extinction event and the hurricanes and droughts to come and wars in their wake and yet they won't budge. Because unpopular decisions are only made when people are dying.
A consequence of the above seems to be that things wouldn't be better if humans lived longer. I used to think that we'd do better if we lived longer. I didn't understand how people with children weren't doing better. Now I'm thinking that this decision making vague theory explains why we're always too late. Think of elves. Elves would stand their ground. Not relinquishing their colonies. Not giving up on their car. Other elves would be complaining. Marching. Gluing themselves to the roads. They will...