[silisili]

I feel like if our government were more like that, we as a world would be in better shape.

Sure we'd be 'set back' by most standards, but we also wouldn't have global warming.

I'm not an expert of the Amish, but I assume they are generally happier than the average American. At the very least, less stressed.

I've heard enough rumors to know it's not a perfect community, but I still think there's a lot we can learn from them.

[eloff]

It's not just a "set back", it's a fantasy. There's a hundred times too many people on this Earth to live like that. We've leveraged up our population using technology, and there's no way to unwind that without also eliminating almost everyone. Nor would we want to. Say what you will about the ills of technology, but I'm so much happier to be living now than a hundred years ago. Life is better by nearly every way you want to measure it. We'll have to get ourselves out of the climate mess the same way we got into it - with technology.

[tresqotheq]

> Life is better by nearly every way you want to measure it...

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fs...

Also life is much better today for a weak, stupid person. 100 years, or even 40 years back, your life would be hell due to people giving you a hard time.

Today you would be put on a pedestal and worshiped for your shortcomings...

> We'll have to get ourselves out of the climate mess the same way we got into it - with technology.

And get into another one by doing it. Flawless logic.

Human beings should start being humble and realisitic about their capability to predict the effects of thier actions on environment, and start messing with it less. Not more. If humanity as a whole, has the capability to JUST FUCKING STOP, I would have much hope for the future. But no. Humanity has as much ability to course correct as that of a flying hippopotamus.

[loonster]

>Also life is much better today for a weak, stupid person. 100 years, or even 40 years back, your life would be hell due to people giving you a hard time.

40 years ago, an imbecile could support himself doing menial labor. Now not so much.

[tresqotheq]

> an imbecile could support himself doing menial labor. Now not so much.

Yea, Today an imbecile could run the country..I would leave the specifics to your imagination..

[loonster]

I would classify the imbeciles in politics as: senile, alcoholic, or corrupt.

None of them were born stupid.

[tresqotheq]

Someone born stupid can be used as a useful idiot and put in a position of authority or politics to act as a plant by someone who is not an idiot and is very malicious.

To be frank, I think, if not now, then eventually, all positions of authority will be manned by such plants..

[Thorrez]

I don't understand what you mean by stupid weak people being put on a pedestal and worshipped.

[loonster]

Not OP, but I do notice that many reality shows like to highlight someone's adversity as major reason that they should win.

[Thorrez]

Adversity doesn't mean stupid or weak though. Let's say a person made it to a certain level of success in life. If that person faced adversity along the way, the person likely had to be smart and hardworking to overcome the adversity. If the person didn't face adversity, the person might have coasted to that point and might not be smart and hardworking.

[MichaelCollins]

> Life is better by nearly every way you want to measure it.

Wealth inequality, environmental destruction, and mental illness.

Pick your narrative and you can find metrics that support it.

[mensetmanusman]

If you believe women, their self reported life satisfaction over the last century has gone down precipitously.

[loonster]

Maybe that is caused by women that would have been unable to be polled actually giving their opinion.

(Not that I believe this. Just giving a plausible counter explanation.)