Thank you for this very interesting mini-essay. You wrap by saying that this tendency is neutral -- that it can lead us in good or bad directions. But given the fact that the vast majority of the people seeking to put down the pheromones are motivated by greed (for power, money, clicks, virality, etc.), isn't it safe to say that stigmergy more often than not leads us toward dark ends? There are so many more Cecil Rhodes than Gandhis. The stigmergy urging us down the paths of profit and ego gratification is so much more incentivized than the stigmergy pushing us toward justice and generosity.
Dark thoughts, I suppose, unless one believes that Capitalism is leading toward some grand awakening. Seen in this light, Bernays was writing about stigmergy in On Propoganda -- and we've been in its thrall ever since.
I'd say look at it from a different perceptive. It's a trait that evolved, for a reason. Sure capitalism brings out the worst in it, but capital does that for a lot of things. Phenomena isn't good or bad it's just an ingrained pattern of thinking that's part of being human. And the extremes of both are bad. If we look at the extreme lack of stigmergy, it'd look like people not using the same words - no communication. Blatant disregard for all laws -murder, etc. Personally, sometimes what keeps my anger from pure irrational decisionmaking is thinking about what my larger group of people would think (family, friends, etc). How it would hurt them. We need to keep homeostasis, not taking either to an extreme.
Very thought provoking. If stigmergy is a facet of human behavior, how can this be applied in fields like ethics, economics, sociology, or psychology? Or do you see this as something which only applies in the fields of etymology and linguistics?
thank you for the analysis! i've always called it monkey-see monkey-do, so thank you for giving it a name ♡ i thought it was a little interesting how the (cognitive?) behaviors of those in the animal/insect kingdom can be reflected in us humans. again, thank you for the insightful read!!
Thank you for this very interesting mini-essay. You wrap by saying that this tendency is neutral -- that it can lead us in good or bad directions. But given the fact that the vast majority of the people seeking to put down the pheromones are motivated by greed (for power, money, clicks, virality, etc.), isn't it safe to say that stigmergy more often than not leads us toward dark ends? There are so many more Cecil Rhodes than Gandhis. The stigmergy urging us down the paths of profit and ego gratification is so much more incentivized than the stigmergy pushing us toward justice and generosity.
Dark thoughts, I suppose, unless one believes that Capitalism is leading toward some grand awakening. Seen in this light, Bernays was writing about stigmergy in On Propoganda -- and we've been in its thrall ever since.
I'd say look at it from a different perceptive. It's a trait that evolved, for a reason. Sure capitalism brings out the worst in it, but capital does that for a lot of things. Phenomena isn't good or bad it's just an ingrained pattern of thinking that's part of being human. And the extremes of both are bad. If we look at the extreme lack of stigmergy, it'd look like people not using the same words - no communication. Blatant disregard for all laws -murder, etc. Personally, sometimes what keeps my anger from pure irrational decisionmaking is thinking about what my larger group of people would think (family, friends, etc). How it would hurt them. We need to keep homeostasis, not taking either to an extreme.
Pre-ordered! I am so looking forward to this, so thank you for posting about it!
Very thought provoking. If stigmergy is a facet of human behavior, how can this be applied in fields like ethics, economics, sociology, or psychology? Or do you see this as something which only applies in the fields of etymology and linguistics?
thank you for the analysis! i've always called it monkey-see monkey-do, so thank you for giving it a name ♡ i thought it was a little interesting how the (cognitive?) behaviors of those in the animal/insect kingdom can be reflected in us humans. again, thank you for the insightful read!!
My sister goes to bard college :)