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issue
Fluxion

Culture
Our epic abstraction of value has created a trend for overconsumption
so severe the future of humanity may be at stake. How did we get here,
and more importantly how do we reverse this trend?
by Sandy Masuo graffiti art by Banksy
For a long time, conventional wisdom in the way that Enron executives and the making dreams and nightmares come
held that our deft opposable thumbs music of Kenny G are. They are soul-less true. The conversion of the abstract into
were the main feature that separated in the sense that they are as we were concrete expressions—and conversely,
us from other animals. Our wondrous before the big Fall, before we discovered the infusion of abstract meaning into basic
thumbs in conjunction with an oddly the often-treacherous powers of knowl- objects and activities—made possible eco-
developed brain that made it possible edge and free will. They exist in a state nomics, the catalyst that enabled humans
for us to make and use tools were what of grace that we lost, and despite our to create culture.
elevated us above the other fauna of the efforts to moralize them—decrying the The first big advent in economics was
planet. But we now know that many other evil of snakes and praising the goodness bartering. Of course, like tool making,
creatures have opposable thumbs at least of dogs—the fact is that each creature language, and possibly soulfulness,
as dexterous as ours, and we are not the is simply fulfilling its role in the cosmos. the notion of trading someone else for
only critters that are toolmakers—various The rattlesnake devouring a baby bunny something you want or need is not special
primates, otters, and some birds include is no more evil than the dog that wakes to us. Chimpanzees readily trade items,
this skill in their behavioral survival kits. its owner in time to escape a house fire is and although they are primarily plant
Others have argued that language sets good. Each is being true to its nature. As eaters, they consume meat with gusto
us apart from our fellow organisms, but Douglas Adams observed in his splendid when they can get it. Male chimps who
as time passes the evidence against this natural history tract “Last Chance to See,” are successful in hunting and manage to
case becomes greater and greater. It’s humans simply make other animals into score a carnivorous windfall will share it to
clear that many creatures are capable of reflections of the good and evil that exists underscore friendships. Females will also
communication that is at least as sophis- within us. sometimes trade sexual favors for meat—
ticated as human language. Just because What, then, makes us so special? which makes the world’s oldest profession
we cannot fully unlock the codes with Unlike other animals, humans have a one that may actually predate our evolu-
which elephants, whales, birds, bees, et compulsive need to manifest the abstract tion as a species. But thanks to homo
al “speak” to one another though sound, ideas in our heads in the world around us. sapiens’ massively developed brain, our
smell, and visual cues does not mean that For all we know, species such as whales nimble fingers, and complex language, we
they do not have their own languages, and elephants may spend each day as a elevated trade into an art form.
or that those languages are less sophisti- living link between some ancestral history The next big development in econom-
cated than ours. coded into the framework of their brains ics was when money began to signify the
The soul (at least in Judeo-Christian and the here and now of each pass- value of goods and services. Like so many
circles) is another feature that supposedly ing moment. They may have elaborate inventions in human history, currency
sets us apart from our fellow creatures. fantasy lives that we will never know about was a mixed blessing. On the one hand,
Of course there is no way of confirming because they don’t record them on cave money conferred many advantages on
or denying whether a Komodo dragon walls or 70-mm film. If they tell each other trade. You no longer had to keep goods
or a gorilla has a soul. If they are indeed about them we have yet to determine in stock in case you needed to trade them
soul-less, then they are surely not soul-less how they do it. Humans are masters of for other items. A herd of cows could
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