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Scarcity, Excluded Middles.
Jun. 8th, 2012 03:25 pm"If everyone is special, then no one is." This trope comes up again and again as the downfall to transhumanism, or the proliferation of metahumans: The more wonder there is, the less any of it inspires Awe.
This is bullshit. It's crap, and furthermore it's lazy.
We have a tendency to equate rarity or scarcity with value, and that's... really the root of a lot of our problems. There being just a few of something doesn't make it "valuable." That makes it rare. What do we do with rare things? We protect them. We keep them safe. And we Try To Make Sure There Are More Of Them.
"If everyone is special, no one is." Pfft. Think: "If there are millions of tigers, then no one will care." "If there were a rainforest planet, who would live there?" "If ice cream was available all the time, it wouldn't be a 'treat.'"
No.
While it's true that the value of a thing-- an experience, a type of thing, a creature, whatever-- is determined exclusively by the relationship we have with it, that cuts two ways. We determine its value. We control how we view worth. If that which is worthy, to you, is only worthy because it's rare, then perhaps re-evaluate your sense of worth.
If being confronted with the ability to have that thing you love, all the time, means you don't want it any more? If being surrounded by amazing creatures and people and experiences, all the time means you can't appreciate the ways in which each one of them is individually amazing, and particularly expressive? If you can't determine to enjoy the thing you enjoy because you enjoy it, and not contingent upon the fact that your enjoyment of it means that Someone Else Doesn't Get To Enjoy It?
Well I think that's pretty effed up, right there.
If everyone is special? Then Everyone Is Special.
This is bullshit. It's crap, and furthermore it's lazy.
We have a tendency to equate rarity or scarcity with value, and that's... really the root of a lot of our problems. There being just a few of something doesn't make it "valuable." That makes it rare. What do we do with rare things? We protect them. We keep them safe. And we Try To Make Sure There Are More Of Them.
"If everyone is special, no one is." Pfft. Think: "If there are millions of tigers, then no one will care." "If there were a rainforest planet, who would live there?" "If ice cream was available all the time, it wouldn't be a 'treat.'"
No.
While it's true that the value of a thing-- an experience, a type of thing, a creature, whatever-- is determined exclusively by the relationship we have with it, that cuts two ways. We determine its value. We control how we view worth. If that which is worthy, to you, is only worthy because it's rare, then perhaps re-evaluate your sense of worth.
If being confronted with the ability to have that thing you love, all the time, means you don't want it any more? If being surrounded by amazing creatures and people and experiences, all the time means you can't appreciate the ways in which each one of them is individually amazing, and particularly expressive? If you can't determine to enjoy the thing you enjoy because you enjoy it, and not contingent upon the fact that your enjoyment of it means that Someone Else Doesn't Get To Enjoy It?
Well I think that's pretty effed up, right there.
If everyone is special? Then Everyone Is Special.
