Humanity is Beautiful

As a society, we often equate intelligence with one’s breadth of knowledge. “Cognitive development” is much closer to what we often call wisdom, a depth of understanding or a higher perspective.

If the fire Prometheus stole perhaps in part represents the notion of genius, the capacity of forethinking – the ability to peer into possible futures – is a fundamental aspect of that genius.

My experience in San Sebastian was one of genius. Experiences like this are not unique to me, but they are unique to humans.

When I was in college, I liked to say something to the effect of: “Humans are the only species dumb enough to do harm to the entire planet.”

Is it possible to be a good person without being in a constant state of outrage, despair, and disgust about humanity and the state of the world?

Outrage pulls us closer to our tribes. But it also disconnects us from and fosters contempt and disgust for other tribes, and even humanity as a whole.

We naturally gravitate toward outrage and despair. Consciously or unconsciously, we choose them as our guiding lights.

We, in the blink of an eye in historical time, have to cope with unprecedented, unrelenting bad news and challenges to our beliefs, worldviews, and identities.

Today’s modern story of self-loathing is nothing new. In fact, it is one of humanity’s oldest stories.

In the famous words of Rust Cohle from the first season of True Detective, “Time is a flat circle.”