Do we agree with this Rust Cole quote, or is it too pessimistic

Just because something is random doesn't mean the outcome can't be unfavorable. Tons of species have evolved traits that are almost completely detrimental.

Regardless, it's incorrect to categorize random chance as a misstep.

No, but humans can. That's kind of the point of the whole quote; our consciousness has enabled us to create a framework for our lives that is completely unnatural and almost entirely disconnected from nature itself. This is a trait unique to humans.

No, we can't create things that are unnatural. We can manipulate the natural world, but it's still natural. Plutonium exists naturally, nuclear weapons therefore aren't "unnatural".

His argument is that our consciousness has turned us into something that should not exist. We are physically natrual, but tons of extremely unnatural things have been contorted out of nature by the will of humanity.

To create something unnatural, it would have to break the laws of nature. We cannot break the laws of nature, therefore nothing we create is unnatural.

We've seen it in some, but not all, and never to the extend that humans have it.

We're not talking about overall consciousness here, just having a "self" - animals either understand this or don't. Any deeper argument is changing the topic into the realm of consicousness and mental capacity. Not the same thing.

Even the most intelligent primates fail to grasp that another person or animal is truly a unique entity from themselves that may have thoughts and knowledge which they do not.

No, they've quite clearly shown they understand that they are separate from other individuals. You are simply incorrect here.

I agree that the quote is a little melodramatic and sophomoric, but I don't think he's wrong at all about human consciousness and how incredibly unnatural and harmful it is.

He's incredibly wrong on all fronts.

/r/unpopularopinion Thread Parent