What do you all think of Thomas Ligottis philosophy as outline in his book 'the conspiracy against the human race?' As a quick recap, he essentially argues that human consciousness is an evolutionary mistake, other animals are not burdened by the self awareness that humans have, and thus this is why humans find themselves engaging in activities that Ligotti argues serve no other purpose than to distract us from the horrifying reality of life. Things like exercise, religion, procreation, and art are all nothing more than attempts to either circumvent or preoccupy ourselves with activities that can distract us from the horror of living.
>>18586845He sounds like a psued. To me his entire argument boils down to a false-dichotomy, as if humans can be anything but conscious agents even though it's one of the core traits that define humanity. He argues that animals aren't burdened by this as if animals don't carry their own respective burdens, he also falls into the trap that humans are uniquely distinct from animals in the first place. Consciousness is a core part of human nature, humans think the same way bees make honey or trees make oxygen. It's not a burden, it's just what we do.
>>18586845I do think humans engage in things like excersize and art to distract from reality, but i disagree that it is a distraction from conscieness itself or that conscienceness/qualia is unique to humans. I prefer the ted kackinzsky explination that modern society has left us with too much time to think so we must create artificial goals (forget what mr unabomber calls it but there's a name) for ourselves without our natural goals of hunting, gathering, and procreation. Most philosophers ive heard about led lives divorced from things like farming, agriculture, animal husbandry, or even raising a family so I think they don't understand that when the brain is occupied with staying alive you don't get the empty feeling this guy attributes to conscienceness
>>18586845To be frank I think Thomas Ligotti (from this summary, I think I may be misunderstanding what he means by the horror of life) is giving the human race too much credit. Perhaps extrapolating from his own condition, he presumes most people must be alike. But I do not think this is the case, most humans—I would suggest—are either not sufficiently self-aware to reflect on this or do not come to pessimism if they are; likely because of disposition. I think Ligotti's closest peers would be those that immerse themselves deeply into religious asceticism, as he says—it becomes apparent reading some christian saints. But also many indian currents, gnosticism. As an aside I think it's really interesting that life-denying thought was only really systematized and brought to practice in two places in Asia then nowhere else.As for the diversionary activities, I think they can for the most part be explained as either facts of nature (procreation; all animals do it, and we actually enjoy it, to boot) or as practical questions and solutions (religion, excercise, social&economic processes), art being the outlier here. I'm sure he provides rebuttals for these positions, so please do post them.
>>18586879>I think they can for the most part be explained as either facts of nature (procreation; all animals do it, and we actually enjoy it, to boot)He doesn't disagree, he just argues that it being biologically hardwired or pleasurable doesn't provide sufficient justification for being good or positive. He'd likely argue that it being hardwired and pleasurable is simply natures way of persuading us to do procreate because otherwise bringing someone else into the world would be horrific to most people. >or as practical questions and solutions (religion, excercise, social&economic processes)Again, he wouldn't necessarily disagree, he would just argue they are all ultimately futile. He also states that things like the work grind and hobbies and all that other stuff essentially serve the function, wether consciously or not, to give people something else to worry about or think about or strive for so they don't have the time to dwell on their own mortality. He also argues that art, especially art dealing with horrific topics, serve as almost a way to desensitize us to or romanticize tragedy.
>>18586857>he also falls into the trap that humans are uniquely distinct from animals in the first place.What do you mean?
>>18586891What I mean is he holds humans and animals to a double standard as if animals don't have their own respective nature and burdens to carry
>>18586889>he just argues that it being biologically hardwired or pleasurable doesn't provide sufficient justification for being good or positive.I never mentioned either of those words. But I think the fact it is an innate feature of life, even non-conscious life, evidence against the idea that humans use sex as a diversion from their own mortality. Though my wider point is still that Ligotti is being too narrow-minded in supposing that everyone feels as he does in their inmost selves. Which I do not believe they do: Some people live as animals and never develop a horror of life because they never look at it panoramically; some others may feel unlike him about life.>He also states that things like the work grind and hobbies and all that other stuff essentially serve the function, wether consciously or not, to give people something else to worry about or think about or strive for so they don't have the time to dwell on their own mortality.I believe this is a mirage imposed by the way we moderns live our lives. Did you know that some recorded hunter gatherer groups spent around a large chunk of their waking time doing nothing? Not chatting, not playing, just idlying. > He also argues that art, especially art dealing with horrific topics, serve as almost a way to desensitize us to or romanticize tragedy.That is one of its uses, and I am sure it is Ligotti's predilect.
>>18586845Kek,I like how pseuds with no problem in life just casually create recreational sadness and think It's deep
what's with pseuds and black and white photos lmao
>>18586845>other animals are not burdened by the self awareness that humans haveCitation needed.
>>18586963He’s Sicilian and Polish, I’d be depressed too.
