Remembering stuff - II (and I/II)

(Previous posts [1],[2])

The evolution of memory doesn't come to halt at the level of individual humans*, I believe that societies and civilizations have a "collective memory".

By this I do not restrict to technological knowledge, rather collective memory of civilization is an all encompassing collection of the philosophy, religion, rites, ethos, morality and art, the most accurate word being Weltanschauung . The question arises why the need for something like collective memory.

Nowadays one tends to assume that civilization is aggregate of individual members, sum of parts.In assuming that however, one commits a mistake, civilization is a fairly intricate system driven by interaction of forces (or influences) varying with time, and hence set of its defining attributes is in state of dynamic adjustment.

For that one must examine the cause which creates, maintains and destroys civilizations.

The civilization comes into being because, organization offers more"value" to participants than acting individually. Hence the purpose or vital sign of a vigorous and enterprising civilization is the "value" it creates. "Value" is used purposely,as it is distinct from merely material wealth*.

I believe the complete definition of value of civilization includes "approximately" material wealth, safety,security,freedom,absence of tyranny, creation of long lasting social and political institutions,ethics,arts, philosophy and religion, in that order.

In this respect the values of civilization are similar to Maslow's hierarchy of needs. However there is a crucial difference between how values of civilization and Maslow's hierarchy are realized.

I think it is reasonable to claim that values of civilization represents the goals of human instincts in various stages of social evolution. With the development of civilization, the productivity increases, which ultimately results in increase in surplus produce (or labour)**. Availability of surplus marks the transformation of society from one from phase to another, this transformation is also the trigger which raise the desirable "value" up the chian of values, I listed, for the next phase.

The pinnacle of this evolution is civilization.At this stage all the values, all the human instincts exist in state of interdependency. This interdependency means that the unlike simple hierarchy the evolution is not reversible (somewhat analogous to thermodynamics). Deficit or absence in one value can very well result in imbalance of civilization's forces, resulting in instability and decline (or even sudden unravelling) of civilization.

Now, for a civilization to evolve and prosper, it is imperative that underlying instincts are in harmony which means the desirable values be defined appropriately.
This is essentially a feedback kind of situation, as the values which are taken as goals of the civilization, are also the impulse which drives the civilization on its chosen path.

Jeez this sucks.......

* The biggest mistake, in my opinion, that Ayn Rand made was to make material progress as be all of the civilization. Market as altar, capital as God. But to be fair to her, she was a neophyte and did what what all neophytes do.

** Surplus depend upon the distribution also. There is a nice dilemma here. Civilization can not evolve unless there is surplus, and any equitable distribution will reduce the available surplus.