For the first paragraph, I acknowledge that measurement is difficult.
For the second bit: my definition of “pays rent”: a fact or algorithm that enables a human being to make a decision that has a higher expected value. Information that doesn’t pay rent is by definition worthless. (as an aside in most contexts, “trivia” knowledge doesn’t pay any rent)
For the third bit: you haven’t taken it far enough. If a living being needs to ‘socialize’ to survive, the facts/technique that give them the greatest chance of socializing successfully with the subgroup of humans who are most valuable is the highest paying rent item. All knowledge even for the purpose of a shared “mythopoetic” base is not equal.
While I acknowledge that I don’t have a way to directly measure this, likely knowledge of popular TV shows or bands is more useful to most humans than knowledge of civics.
Which is rather interesting, because this actually has some explaining power.
For the first paragraph, I acknowledge that measurement is difficult.
For the second bit: my definition of “pays rent”: a fact or algorithm that enables a human being to make a decision that has a higher expected value. Information that doesn’t pay rent is by definition worthless. (as an aside in most contexts, “trivia” knowledge doesn’t pay any rent)
For the third bit: you haven’t taken it far enough. If a living being needs to ‘socialize’ to survive, the facts/technique that give them the greatest chance of socializing successfully with the subgroup of humans who are most valuable is the highest paying rent item. All knowledge even for the purpose of a shared “mythopoetic” base is not equal.
While I acknowledge that I don’t have a way to directly measure this, likely knowledge of popular TV shows or bands is more useful to most humans than knowledge of civics.
Which is rather interesting, because this actually has some explaining power.