OK Lam, i'm tottally confused by this now, and I'm the master of toolboxery AND fuzzy thinking.
Specifically, what do YOU think is the answer to this "problem" (I'm still not clear what the problem even is...)
Also, yes, it would be good if every man woman and child knew how to go out and prepare a meal for themselves from natural resources. Especially if they didn't have to pay for anything, except payment in the form of taking the time to do it.
However the level of specialisation evident in what we like to call civilisation is what created so many things we have today, teh internets, cell phones, pizza hut and various others.
Are you a primitivist? Should we go out and kill all our own food? Or are you just saying we should know how to, in case something Really Bad (TM) happens? As has been mentioned previously, our survival instinct will let us eat anything, if we have to.
Really, my beef with "Civilisation" just now isn't the loss of individual skills, it's the slave labour mentality of sleep, work, eat, TV, sleep. Maybe you'll get a ride once in a while. Not that I don't personally know how to kill cook and eat a rabid yak.
Why shouldn't you "have" to outsmart someone? It's the only real weapon any of us has, or have ever had thorugh human history, and presumably pre-history. At the end of the day, the strongest and fittest survive, and our intellect is what ultimately allows us to recognise this, and use it to our advantage.
And SO, to sum up my POV: Specialisation is GOOD. Killing things for food and profit is FUN, but not NECESSARY. And outsmarting people is the best thing you can do. Evar.
P.S. Most people are stupid, the ones who aren't are usually just kidding themselves.
There is nothing "primitive" about living in balance with nature. The problem is: this Aritificial lifestyle we engage in everyday. Like you siad: wake up, take a shit, got to work, stuff your face, watch tv, drink a beer, and sleep. And maybe get out on the weekend for some entertainment.
We can both see that this lifestyle isn't very fulfilling.
Taboo foods are part of the issue. It's a control mechanism (input by ourselves, aliens, the government, nazi ninjas, who knows) that we conform to. Cut just one of these from your diet- beef,pork, or chicken. Then just watch the effect it has on your life and how much you depend on these 3 types of meat.(i'm assuming your not a vegan)
It's highly improbable that people will ever go back to hunting and gathering, but that doesn't mean society needs to continue to function on it's current coarse. Alternitive ideas need to be explored before our children are fucked over for good.
