The dangerous myth of the noble savage.
The dangerous myth of the noble savage. One of the most widespread and extremely dangerous myths is the myth of the noble savage, who is unspoiled by civilization, represents an example of morality and ethics, and lives in harmony with nature. This myth is universal for all times and cultures, whether it be the story of the Garden of Eden, the Sumerian Enkidu living with animals, or Roman historians praising barbarians and deriding decadent Rome. Modern narratives, such as the movie Avatar, exploit this same myth.
How did this myth originate? "Before being open, the savage was first invented." Its widespread dissemination suggests probable biological reasons, something akin to escapism, infantile regression, dopamine-induced self-deception fantasies (imagining oneself as better than others), or the fact that we forget bad things faster than good things (thus creating a cognitive illusion that the past was better)—such is the protective mechanism.
The image of the "natural man" is used by various ideologies: for the right, it is a mystical savage with a cult of strength; for the left, it is "primitive communism" with the complete deconstruction of culture. Both ideologies seduce the common man, attacking culture and civilization: for the right, civilization is what suppresses and weakens human strength and potential; for the left, culture is an instrument of oppression and invention of dominant classes. The truth lies only with the savage, the truth lies only with the "simple man," only with the oppressed, and only the savage can be right.
In reality, the lives of hunter-gatherers look very different. It's an incredibly high level of violence - "war of all against all." It's infanticide, geronticide, cannibalism. It's a complete absence of individual rights - they are all just part of the herd. It's the highest level of intra-family violence. Only in intergroup wars do an average of 25-35% of men between the ages of 15 and 49 die. For example, one studied settlement was attacked 25 times in 17 months. No private property exists - your fellow tribesmen will immediately seize everything you acquire. Hunter-gatherers do not adhere to morality or mercy in the commonly accepted sense.
The danger of the myth of the "noble savage" (the simple man) is that it is highly destructive and dangerous for society. Becoming good accidentally is as impossible as accidentally typing a poem by randomly pressing keys. All the good in our lives is not the result of regression or deconstruction but the result of the persistent efforts of many people: institutions, economy, architecture, laws - all of these are created very slowly and can be destroyed instantly. Destruction is sharply asymmetrical to construction - one person obsessed with destruction and necrophilia can undo the results of generations of constructive work. It is much easier and faster for a person and society to fall than to rise.
Civilization arose and developed thanks to cultural evolution—the accumulation of knowledge, experience, rules, cooperation, and interaction of many people, their self-organization, and nonviolent interaction. Civilization has created the goods that we enjoy, not savages. Dangerous right-wing and left-wing ideologies about the destruction of society and culture as a way to become better and purer are extremely dangerous and destructive views aimed at inflating the worst impulses in human nature, appealing to its dark side.
Destroying or canceling culture will not give you a Superhuman but a Superpredator.