How he became a writer, the "Cardboard Set Problem," the deep pleasure of wayfinding, the erotic charge of being in the mountains, "being a dog," and moving from dominance to resistance.
I listened to this episode pretty soon after its release, and really enjoyed it. Stan brought up a few different things that I don't think I've heard from him very often, and I really liked his point that we got to where we are largely for what amount to altruistic reasons (human betterment, feeding more people, human comfort, etc), and that that's not really a bad thing. It's a useful way of thinking of the problems we face, that we just need to address the unintended consequences of fundamentally benevolent actions, rather than be ashamed of what we've accomplished.
Thanks you Angus! It is a great point. Really puts things into perspective. I often describe the plastic era, for example, in geologic terms -- it will be the thinnest of thin layers, only 100-150 years thick, in the geologic record. Not to discount the damage done, but in the long arc of history, it will be tiny—if we can survive the next 100 years.
Zero comments for such a great discission? Maybe it's a band wagon effect? I listened yesterday on my way home from the cottage, the duration almost to the minute. I do get an erotic charge walking barefoot in the sand dunes in the summer months. Maybe it's the bikinis on the beach? No, there are many times I'm alone, early morning or off season. Defective dopamine receptors (I recall that being a breakthrough discovery decades back) are part of the reason some people get excited at the sight of a deck of cards, others need to jump out of airplanes. Let's get this wagon stared.
I listened to this episode pretty soon after its release, and really enjoyed it. Stan brought up a few different things that I don't think I've heard from him very often, and I really liked his point that we got to where we are largely for what amount to altruistic reasons (human betterment, feeding more people, human comfort, etc), and that that's not really a bad thing. It's a useful way of thinking of the problems we face, that we just need to address the unintended consequences of fundamentally benevolent actions, rather than be ashamed of what we've accomplished.
Really great interview.
Thanks you Angus! It is a great point. Really puts things into perspective. I often describe the plastic era, for example, in geologic terms -- it will be the thinnest of thin layers, only 100-150 years thick, in the geologic record. Not to discount the damage done, but in the long arc of history, it will be tiny—if we can survive the next 100 years.
Zero comments for such a great discission? Maybe it's a band wagon effect? I listened yesterday on my way home from the cottage, the duration almost to the minute. I do get an erotic charge walking barefoot in the sand dunes in the summer months. Maybe it's the bikinis on the beach? No, there are many times I'm alone, early morning or off season. Defective dopamine receptors (I recall that being a breakthrough discovery decades back) are part of the reason some people get excited at the sight of a deck of cards, others need to jump out of airplanes. Let's get this wagon stared.