In the vegetarian thread, Suraj wrote:
I'd like to discuss this without taking the other thread off-topic.
Are we any more civilized now than any other period of history?
First, what do we mean by "civilized"? It seems to me that it refers to how we treat each other and the world around us rather than our technological developments, but I've seen the term used to describe that as well: "No computer? How uncivilized!"
I say we are no more civilized than when we hunted our own animals, produced weapons and food from them, and lived in simple shelters (some are not so simple!).
1) While we produce products from inorganic materials, this process still affects the environment in such as way as it doesn't eliminate the role of death or suffering from the process.
2) We certainly do not treat each other or the world around us any better. We have compassion within the human species, but I'm sure we always have.
3) Ecological concerns were known by our frugal ancestors as well, but on a more utilitarian, and arguably a more practical, level.
What else could civilization mean?