]] The true understanding of peasants you aren’t going to get from those modern windbags who extol their life or that of “noble savage”; but more likely to get from Chekhov’s story of that name. They are a wretched bunch, and locusts on the earth. You can get a good image of them also from Kurosawa movie like Seven Samurai. The peasant and serf, the default state of mankind has, like animal, his nose directed toward the earth and the ground, because it is there that the objects of interest are found, the needs of bare life. He is far from contemplation even of the stars, that Homer says gladden the heart of the shepherd alone on mountain. The dwellers of the valleys and tillers of the soil are the prototype for all the modern “bugmen,” don’t be fooled otherwise. This is the “frame” or worldview that turns allmatter and all things into mere utilities. It doesn’t need technology to do so, and never has. In primitive farming societies they will immediately execute any of the intelligent as a witch: this is still done in Africa and there is the famous Chinese saying about how the intelligent must be killed. This is always the case in much so-called “primitive” life, life under the thumb of the empowered old matriarchs and the conceptual dildoes they use to clobber the heads of young men. What is worst about the modern world is the reimposition of this life, which is taking place for political and biological reasons. The problem of our time has never been with technology as such. There is no inner working of technology that inevitably leads to human subjection. [Bronze Age Mindset an Exhortation by Bronze Age Pervert](x-devonthink-item://F953FB51-EE4A-4FC6-BC1B-95F5C8D5175F?page=61&start=1422&length=817&search=The%20true%20understanding%20of%20peasants%20you%20aren%E2%80%99t%20going%20to%20get%20from%20those%20modern%20windbags%20who%20extol%20their%20life%20or%20that%20of%20%E2%80%9Cnoble%20savage%E2%80%9D%3B%20but%20more%20likely%20to%20get%20from%20Chekhov%E2%80%99s%20story%20of%20that%20name.%20They%20are%20a%20wretched%20bunch,%20and%20locusts%20on%20the%20earth.%20You%20can%20get) *** ![[🌠The Struggle of the Sage in Primitive Societies.png]] # The Struggle of the Sage in Primitive Societies ### Text Analysis: The passage offers a critique of primitive farming societies, specifically highlighting the oppressive nature of these societies, especially towards individuals possessing higher intelligence. In such societies, those who display intellectual prowess are often perceived as threats and face persecution. This viewpoint suggests a societal structure that stifles innovation and individualism, preferring conformity and traditionalism. ### Metaphorical Explanation: Imagine a traditional, close-knit farming village, representing a primitive society. In this village, all houses are built in the same style, and every villager follows a set routine of farming practices handed down through generations. The village values uniformity, continuity, and adherence to established ways. In this village, there's a sage – a person with exceptional intelligence and innovative ideas. This sage is like a brightly colored bird in a flock of uniformly gray birds. The sage sees ways to improve farming methods and enhance the village's welfare. However, the villagers, accustomed to their traditional ways and wary of change, view this brightly colored bird with suspicion and fear. The sage's ideas, though beneficial, are perceived as threats to the village's harmony and established order. As a result, the sage faces ostracism or persecution, much like a brightly colored bird being pecked at or driven away by the gray flock. This metaphor illustrates the plight of intelligent individuals in primitive societies, where conformity is prized, and deviation is met with hostility. ### Contextual Insight: This metaphor sheds light on the author's critique of primitive farming societies. In these societies, the uniformity and rigidity of traditional practices create an environment hostile to innovation and individual expression. The sage, representing intelligent individuals with progressive ideas, struggles against the collective inertia of a society that fears change and perceives difference as a threat. The critique underscores the challenges faced by those who possess the vision and intelligence to improve their societies but are constrained by the pervasive fear of the new and unknown. *** ### Reflective Questions Considering the metaphor of the sage in a traditional farming village, how might this imagery influence your understanding of the challenges faced by innovative and intelligent individuals in environments that prioritize conformity and tradition, and what insights can be drawn from this for fostering an environment that values and nurtures progressive ideas?