Is There Less Innocence/Purity in the World Today?

[Willias]

The population of the world is far higher than it was 100 yrs ago. I would argue the crime rate is much higher now than it was back then, cartels and drug wars around the planet account for a lot of deaths, torture, rape, and killings run rampant in our societies it's just not reported that much. And this is all because morals have slid down hill and the world is a more corrupt place to live in. Just because we live longer does not mean we live more enjoyable lives, and just because life is easier now does not mean it is better.

Personally, I would take a harder life with a lower life expectancy, yet with less crime and higher moral standards any day.

---------- Post added 2013-04-21 at 01:00 AM ----------

I think most people would rather believe in the convenient lie that we are the same today as we were in the past because they don't want to accept the hard reality that that there is less morals, purity, and innocence in the world today and it is their fault. It is too much for people to take, and lets face it almost everyone doesn't like to place blame on themselves.

Meh, not everyone has to agree with your morals though. Some of us may be happier for it.

[sandmoth12]

humans are humans.

there will always be the same amount of corruption, because we are humans.

No. Humans without much technology and humans with technology is a far different ball game.

---------- Post added 2013-04-21 at 01:07 AM ----------

Meh, not everyone has to agree with your morals though. Some of us may be happier for it.

And this is why we continue to spiral down hill. Societies are built upon moral foundations, and the moment you start to tear them down or disobey them the society in question begins to crumble.

[Willias]

No. Humans without much technology and humans with technology is a far different ball game.

Not at all? You think cavemen had it better somehow than we do now?

You think medieval townsfolk have it better somehow than we do now?

Wake up man. Crazy crap happened back in those days too, news just didn't travel.

What you're basically arguing here is the phrase "ignorance is bliss". I suppose for some that may be true, but others of us are quite happy with many aspects of how the world works at the moment.

And this is why we continue to spiral down hill.

Who is "we"?

Societies are built upon moral foundations, and the moment you start to tear them down or disobey them the society in question begins to crumble.

Disagree with that actually.

[MegaKeeperMan]

I don't see how innocence would benefit you in these times of ever-growing competition. The human population is bigger than it ever has been, 7 billion people you have to compete with for everything. I don't see how innocence, which essentially is ignorance, increases your chance of survival.

The world does not harbor much innocence, only a few people can afford to be ignorant these days, those who are subjected to less competition, the more privileged, rich, those who already have their path set before them and simply need to stroll along it, with no need to worry.

What I'm saying is, innocence is not beneficial these days, innocence is ignorance, not knowing how the world works, or what it truly is for that matter. To truly be innocent today you'd have to dismiss any kind of information in this golden age of communication and information. And would you want to do that? We know more about the world today than we ever have, the more I learn about the world we live in the more beauty I see in it. My innocence can go to hell, I'm willing to offer that up to gain knowledge, wisdom and mature as a person and teach my children how to be kind and loving people ready for whatever the world throws at them, not teach them to hide from it.

[sandmoth12]

Not at all? You think cavemen had it better somehow than we do now?

You think medieval townsfolk have it better somehow than we do now?

Wake up man. Crazy crap happened back in those days too, news just didn't travel.

What you're basically arguing here is the phrase "ignorance is bliss". I suppose for some that may be true, but others of us are quite happy with many aspects of how the world works at the moment.



Who is "we"?



Disagree with that actually.

You're only looking at things from one side of the looking glass. You refuse to see how damaging modern technology can be. All you see are it's uses and not its drawbacks.

[Willias]

You're only looking at things from one side of the looking glass. You refuse to see how damaging modern technology can be. All you see are it's uses and not its drawbacks.

I'd say the same about you, but you're too focused on the drawbacks and not enough on how we've built a better world.

[sandmoth12]

I don't see how innocence would benefit you in these times of ever-growing competition. The human population is bigger than it ever has been, 7 billion people you have to compete with for everything. I don't see how innocence, which essentially is ignorance, increases your chance of survival.

The world does not harbor much innocence, only a few people can afford to be ignorant these days, those who are subjected to less competition, the more privileged, rich, those who already have their path set before them and simply need to stroll along it, with no need to worry.

What I'm saying is, innocence is not beneficial these days, innocence is ignorance, not knowing how the world works, or what it truly is for that matter. To truly be innocent today you'd have to dismiss any kind of information in this golden age of communication and information. And would you want to do that? We know more about the world today than we ever have, the more I learn about the world we live in the more beauty I see in it. My innocence can go to hell, I'm willing to offer that up to gain knowledge, wisdom and mature as a person and teach my children how to be kind and loving people ready for whatever the world throws at them, not teach them to hide from it.

So you basically view innocence as ignorance and you say it can go to hell but then you want to teach your kids to be loving people...which is essentially innocence

[Willias]

What? Aren't you essentially saying that a person who is loving towards other humans is ignorant? I'm not misreading this, right?

[sandmoth12]

I'd say the same about you, but you're too focused on the drawbacks and not enough on how we've built a better world.

All you care about is the physical things:

Yay, we got new smart phones at the price of using lots of energy which comes from power plants which pollute the earth. Yay, we have fast and processed food now which makes getting food much easier than 100 yrs ago except it makes us fat, depressed, kills us faster, and makes us gluttons but I love it lol!

That's what you sound like to me. Blindly interested in physical junk with seeing its consequences.

[Deleted]

No. Humans without much technology and humans with technology is a far different ball game.

Humans have always found a way to let loose their darker sides. Modern technology only makes it easier. Doesn't mean humans were more innocent before.

[MegaKeeperMan]

So you basically view innocence as ignorance and you say it can go to hell but then you want to teach your kids to be loving people...which is essentially innocence

If you put it that way, it depends on how you define the word. Innocence is something you have growing up as a kid... your brain hasn't fully developed and you're not able to grasp and understand everything (that's not technically ignorance, but you don't understand the world you live in). You see innocence as only being something good and the ultimate thing that defines a good person.

Innocence has multiple meanings:

1. The state, quality, or virtue of being innocent, as:
a. Freedom from sin, moral wrong, or guilt through lack of knowledge of evil.
b. Guiltlessness of a specific legal crime or offense.
c. Freedom from guile, cunning, or deceit; simplicity or artlessness.
d. Lack of worldliness or sophistication; naiveté.
e. Lack of knowledge or understanding; ignorance.
f. Freedom from harmfulness; inoffensiveness.

I would not teach my kids to be innocent, I would teach my kids human emotion and how a good person behaves and treats others. It's not any more complicated than that, I don't think kind and loving people define themselves as being innocent.

[sandmoth12]

Humans have always found a way to let loose their darker sides. Modern technology only makes it easier. Doesn't mean humans were more innocent before.

Exactly, it makes it easier and much more prevalent in our world today.

[Deleted]

Personally, I think there is far less innocence/purity in the world today mainly because of access to the internet. It's the first time in human history that we have images and videos for nearly any thought in our wildest dreams. Of course the raw power of the internet is going to come with equally powerful corruption effects.

But this also begs the question, what is innocence and purity good for anyways?

There is no less purity and innocence just because we have visual access to things. It's better now that we face the reality that the world was never innocent or pure in the first place.

[sandmoth12]

If you put it that way, it depends on how you define the word. Innocence is something you have growing up as a kid... your brain hasn't fully developed and you're not able to grasp and understand everything (that's not technically ignorance, but you don't understand the world you live in). You see innocence as only being something good and the ultimate thing that defines a good person.

Innocence has multiple meanings:

1. The state, quality, or virtue of being innocent, as:
a. Freedom from sin, moral wrong, or guilt through lack of knowledge of evil.
b. Guiltlessness of a specific legal crime or offense.
c. Freedom from guile, cunning, or deceit; simplicity or artlessness.
d. Lack of worldliness or sophistication; naiveté.
e. Lack of knowledge or understanding; ignorance.
f. Freedom from harmfulness; inoffensiveness.

I would not teach my kids to be innocent, I would teach my kids human emotion and how a good person behaves and treats others. It's not any more complicated than that, I don't think kind and loving people define themselves as being innocent.

Yay, you selectively chose one definition and completely ignored the rest just like I did. Hey maybe we are not so different?

[Willias]

All you care about is the physical things:

Yay, we got new smart phones at the price of using lots of energy which comes from power plants which pollute the earth. Yay, we have fast and processed food now which makes getting food much easier than 100 yrs ago except it makes us fat, depressed, kills us faster, and makes us gluttons but I love it lol!

That's what you sound like to me. Blindly interested in physical junk with seeing its consequences.

That's a large assumption you're making about me based on what I've posted so far! Perhaps I realize that are upsides and downsides to technological advances, but am not interested in wondering if things were somehow better if I was living during a time where at this point in my life, me killing an animal by the end of the day would determine if my family got to eat well or not?

Point is, I'm quite happy living in the present. Why aren't you?

[shimerra]

Personally, I think you are blind and living in candy land. The world is a far more nasty place now that it has ever been.

Which is why when facts come their way you bury your head in the sand. Read Better Angels of Our Nature. You were far more likely to be murdered or die in a war 600 years ago or even 200 or three years ago. It only looks bad when you compare it in absolute terms because if you go back 2000 years there weren't 6 billion plus people were there?

Calling you willfully ignorant would be disparaging of the willfully ignorant.

[sandmoth12]

There is no less purity and innocence just because we have visual access to them. It's better now that we face the reality that world was never innocent or pure in the first place.

No, the world actually was more innocent and pure before technology started broadcasting deplorable images, videos, and text. After that it spread throughout the world infected and corrupted everyone.

[Willias]

No, the world actually was more innocent and pure before technology started broadcasting deplorable images, videos, and text. After that it spread throughout the world infected and corrupted everyone.

I feel like a logical leap has been made here, and that you haven't completely thought this through.

[sandmoth12]

I feel like a logical leap has been made here, and that you haven't completely thought this through.

He is saying the world was already like that which probably has some truth to it. I am saying technology changed things which probably also has truth to it.

[Tradewind]

Is there like a button mods can push that stop sandmoth from making threads?