The most precious resource is agency

Re:The most precious resource is agency by jkhdigital on Wednesday June 30, 2021 @10:11PM (#27695645)

For all but the last ~150 years or so of human existence, meaning and purpose came almost exclusively from (1) raising a family and (2) religion. I think the cruelest tragedy of modernity is that we no longer teach our children that life can actually be quite rewarding and fulfilling outside of one’s profession.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The most precious resource is agency by terminalcommand on Thursday July 01, 2021 @02:17AM (#27696754)

I beg to differ, this is way too simplistic. People pursued hobbies such as music, painting, theater, literature etc.

Raising a family and religion were important, but I don't think people were very different from our times.

To prove this just look at old folk musical instruments and their development. It is fascinating really.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The most precious resource is agency by shakow on Thursday July 01, 2021 @08:21AM (#27698364)

> came almost exclusively from (1) raising a family and (2) religion

And the military, and politics, and arts, and friends, and philosophy, and sciences, ...

It's a big fat modern-times bias to imagine that our 19th century ancestors were so simplistic. Just read Zola or Dostoïevski, many characters and/or situations could be transposed nearly intact in modern times.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The most precious resource is agency by cik on Thursday July 01, 2021 @10:16AM (#27699260)

To me this is a fascinating byproduct of North American life... especially having left. The reality is that that work is the least important part of my character - though it pays for things.

I have no idea what the majority of people in my community do. We simply never discuss work, there's so much more between family, nature, and the goings on in the world. The complete reverse was true in North America - the first question after "what's your name" was invariably "what do you do".

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The most precious resource is agency by watwut on Thursday July 01, 2021 @05:41AM (#27697621)

That is quite literally not true. Ypu need just a brief look at history or antiquity to see that.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:The most precious resource is agency by Sander_Marechal on Thursday July 01, 2021 @06:08AM (#27697742)

I am convinced that (organised) religion has done far more harm to the world than good.

[ Parent | on HN ]