Vitalik Buterin
@vitalik.eth
I love nature. But one thing I am forced to admit about nature is that many of the things that make nature pleasant in practice are actually very artificial: * Clothing and equipment * Public toilets at most 1km away in city parks * Paths, trails, roads * Dangerous animals removed * Lots of active maintenance
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Vitalik Buterin
@vitalik.eth
Nature is great. But pure "nature" is pooping in the forest with nothing to wash your hands, then fighting off a bear and then tripping over a branch and getting a wound, and three days later realizing you have a serious infection.
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Vitalik Buterin
@vitalik.eth
It's a mistake to view pristine nature as some kind of north star of good. It's not, not even for the animals experiencing it. An unavoidable ingredient in making a good world is human intention.
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Vitalik Buterin
@vitalik.eth
This also applies to "metaphorical nature", eg. indefinite-optimist views of markets, "spontaneous order", etc.
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Vitalik Buterin
@vitalik.eth
One counterpoint is that there is a true feeling of joy that comes from overcoming genuine challenge. But this feeling applies to some challenges much more than others! Day-long hike with 2000m vertical elevation gain: 👍 Pooping with no toilet or place to wash hands: 👎 Getting an infected wound: 😡😰☠
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elizabeth.ai
@elizabeth
artifice is human nature
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lorepunk 🎩🪶
@lorepunk
Absolutely! Natural is not a pure benefit, arsenic is natural for example. We live in a created environment and are acclimated to it, and are empowered to make interventions for good.
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