our modern civilization, or whatever it should be called, asks the average individuals less than it asked in the past (both mentally and physically)
You’re probably right about the physical part, but I don’t see how the mental part can be true. A few centuries ago most people didn’t even read or write, let alone learn algebra in school.
I think it’s plausible that many or most people today barely skate by on literacy and algebra when they’re in school and it all almost immediately fades away to the bare minimum they require to survive once they’re out of school. Note that Mauro was talking about what civilization required out of people, not what they were capable of doing.
I also think it’s plausible that while you didn’t need to read, write, and algebraize at some point in the past, you regularly needed other mental skills like...how to track animals or when to plant corn or whatever the heck you need to survive when there isn’t our modern civilization supporting you (obviously I’m suckling on the teat of modern civilization because I don’t know wtf).
Note that I’m not actually claiming that either of these are true, only that I can see “how the mental part can be true”.
You’re probably right about the physical part, but I don’t see how the mental part can be true. A few centuries ago most people didn’t even read or write, let alone learn algebra in school.
I think it’s plausible that many or most people today barely skate by on literacy and algebra when they’re in school and it all almost immediately fades away to the bare minimum they require to survive once they’re out of school. Note that Mauro was talking about what civilization required out of people, not what they were capable of doing.
I also think it’s plausible that while you didn’t need to read, write, and algebraize at some point in the past, you regularly needed other mental skills like...how to track animals or when to plant corn or whatever the heck you need to survive when there isn’t our modern civilization supporting you (obviously I’m suckling on the teat of modern civilization because I don’t know wtf).
Note that I’m not actually claiming that either of these are true, only that I can see “how the mental part can be true”.