Bipedal Establishments

This piece might upset some, and is more of a speculation than a firm opinion... caveat lector

There are few words that could capture the overall disdain some feel towards most institutions of men. The society, by virtue of its own density, subjects us to a constant stream of stimuli to which we must respond appropriately. If we elect to live among our fellow humans, we also have to deal with whatever "life changing" dose of bullshit others will be so kind to donate to our causes. In fact, our fellow bipeds tend to form entire systems devoted to interfering with our goals, wishes, desires and ambitions. At times, the majority can be very overwhelming on the minority, which goes against every principle of democracy, as well as cultivates social unrest.

With the population of the world quickly climbing upwards, with eleven digit numbers well in sight, perhaps it is time to reconsider the unique-and-beautiful-snowflake theory. It is no surprise societies are dominated by groups of organized halfwits, for respect for human thought must be spread very thinly lately. A person is no longer better than anybody else, unless of course, they devote their life to helping others realize their potential. Yet since the universe always flows towards the path of least resistance, no better means as bad as the worst. The day will never come when one can bypass a line of inquisitive idiots to accomplish one's goals peacefully. If we're otherwise doomed to a world of color coded forms, short words and large type, are our ambitions worth the effort? Would any of the fruits of our labors survive being overrun by morons?

People establish systems, ideas and memes in the name of the greater good. What is this greater good for which we build churches, schools, libraries, universities, charities, governments, and other institutions and establishments? What is the utilitarian ideal that we all seem to seek without being able to put it into words? What do the numerous clerks, administrators, bureaucrats, advisors, counselors, bursars, accountants and assistants actually do all day? What is their purpose for their own life, and how do they fit in with society so that they seem to actually be useful while doing nothing, and not even realizing it?

The war against individualism is actually a war against intellect, since group intelligence is at best limited by that of the dimmest individual, and at worst comparable to that of rocks. The obsession with teamwork is extremely unhealthy. It is quite easy to confuse the amazing performance of slave work that built the pyramids with a tool useful for anything other than shaping and moving giant boulders. Diffusion of responsibility is a prime example of that for one is always better off having one bystander in case of an emergency than many. There is a reason prey animals form bigger groups than predators. If you're alone, you have to outrun the killing machine to survive. If you're in a large group, you just have to outrun your slowest brothers.

Human beings are the best runners in the world. No other land animal comes even close to our levels of endurance. We are not the fastest, and are in fact quite slow for our size, yet somehow this ability evolved. Long distance running is hardly a prey animal trait, it serves no useful purpose neither as a migratory tool nor as an escape tool. We can chase almost anything down until it dies of exhaustion were we so inclined. However, humans are not proper carnivores and lack the physiology required for being a hunter animal. Where does this leave us? Perhaps we have been both?

We are a bizarre evolutionary step. We are born unfinished with the ability to invent the tools we need to survive, based part on our genetic ingenuity and part on the ability to transfer cultural knowledge incredibly well. Yet as an evolutionary trait it turned out to be self-limiting. Human intelligence, as a tool, has resulted in a society with very little survival-related selection. In fact, individual's abilities on their own hardly count for survival or reproduction anymore, and have to be viewed in context of that persons role within the group. We are no longer hunting for survival, nor are we being hunted. The fast ones still feed the entire group through ingenuity and innovation, like it has been for thousands of years. The slow ones, however, are no longer being eaten to save the fast ones, to save the group.

The ones who would get eaten, are not. The ones who would build the pyramids and perish, have kids and flourish. The ones who would defy the group are no longer ostracized and left to die in the wildreness. We all live, we all get a chance. We all belong in one way or another. What are the new roles? Perhaps it is the meaningless office worker or the farm labourer. Performing some function, no matter how simple or mundane, important, not as an individual, but en masse. Not creative, not innovative, very replaceable, but surely it beats being eaten because they are slow or decide to pet the tiger?

However, this idyllic state does have a hidden danger lurking in the shadows. Every predatorial group has those individuals who are strong enough to survive alone, and sometimes are forced or even choose to do so. Humans are no exception, unfortunately our present lifestyle of overpopulation and controlled society leaves no place for solitude and freedom. These individuals are forced to make a role for themselves, either as a constructive individual, a non-descript member of the generic masses or a complete hermit. None of those roles are suitable for such a person and it is a life of eternal struggle with oneself and others. This is the true failure of the bipedal establishments - we do not get to choose our levels of interactions with others, or to be more precise - if we choose to interact with others, it is never on our own terms.