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What's the simplest thing humans are too dumb to grasp? (lemmy.world)

submitted 11 months ago by TheBananaKing@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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You ever see a dog that's got its leash tangled the long way round a table leg, and it just cannot grasp what the problem is or how to fix it? It can see all the components laid out in front of it, but it's never going to make the connection.

Obviously some dog breeds are smarter than others, ditto individual dogs - but you get the concept.

Is there an equivalent for humans? What ridiculously simple concept would have aliens facetentacling as they see us stumble around and utterly fail to reason about it?

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[-] TheInsane42@lemmy.world 46 points 11 months ago

Humans totally ignore that they are part of nature. Most think that reduced biodiversity won't include them.

[-] kalkulat@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago

Most of us also ignore that 'the world' is a model in our heads that we've created with our senses. Some may make better models than others. But what does 'better' mean? Stubbing your toe less, getting sick less? Sherlock Holmes?

Also 'the world' is very complex and constantly changing. You're either revising that model or, at some point, you're living in the past.

[-] Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee -5 points 11 months ago

In a lot of ways we aren't though. The vast majority of people spend the vast majority of their time in a built environment of some type.

Even when we're in the "outdoors", most of us spend most of our time on manmade tracks or paths.

We engage with nature on our terms in a way that is very unique.

[-] bluGill@kbin.social 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Deer mostly travel on trails they built themselves. They also change their environment greatly (the act of eating thins the trees)

[-] Ilovethebomb@lemm.ee 1 points 11 months ago

They don't drop off tonnes of gravel by helicopter to build a walking track to somewhere though.

[-] bluGill@kbin.social 1 points 11 months ago

That is a difference in degree though.

this post was submitted on 30 Nov 2023

189 points (95.7% liked)

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