Findings suggest alphabetic writing may be some 500 years older than other discoveries
  • The Octonaut@mander.xyz
    25·
    4 days ago

    You think the dividing line between us and animals is writing? There were pre-writing civilisations last century. You’d have fit right in with the morals of the time.

    • Zachariah@lemmy.world
      42·
      4 days ago

      Wow, I can’t believe my comment about my appreciation of the humility impressed upon me by historical perspective was deleted. Being reminded of how new writing is fascinating and gives me peace (and I’ve been needing more of that lately). Linguistics itself is so cool, but knowing how recent some developments are adds greatly to my understanding of my own existence and adds a deeper meaning to my life.

      I also can’t understand why you’re interpreting my comment so extremely. Your point further illustrates how young humans are as phenomenon in the universe. It’s obviously not the only dividing line. And we’re likely never going to be truly separate. Parts of our brain and nervous system are always going to overlap with our relatives in the animal kingdom. And animals have shown higher order thinking, tool use, and compassion often associated more with humans.

      Edit: Okay, I see that my drop of politics within a much bigger point was enough to get the comment deleted.

      Here’s a censored version that avoids the politics:

      This, strangely, puts me more at ease about my existence and the struggles of our world. It’s been less than 10,000 years that humans have had writing. We’re barely beyond being just animals. It makes sense that other things in the world aren’t perfected yet. We’ve got a lot of learning to do.

      This discovery affected me on a personal level to give me hope for the future. It helps me to be more forgiving of myself and others. Isn’t the date of the observation significant? Not just the symbols in and of themselves?

      That’s not a linguistic observation, but the pursuit of knowledge (such as linguistics) doesn’t exist in a vacuum separated from the context, interest, and desires of individuals.

      Edit 2: I’m realizing my censored version leaves out the use/misuse of language to gain power. The discovery that prompted this article shows that writing is a new tool in human existence. Being reminded of its newness, made me more aware that I should perhaps be more open to us all still needing practice at using this tool. This observation is unfortunately tied to the context that prompted it. But, to me, it gives studying history and linguistics more value and seemed like it was worth discussing. Hopefully, I’ve now expressed my ideas clearly without bringing politics into it.

      • Lvxferre@mander.xyzOPM
        2·
        4 days ago

        Hopefully, I’ve now expressed my ideas clearly without bringing politics into it.

        I think that you did. I wasn’t the one removing your comment (I was discussing elsewhere, then sleeping), but I 100% agree with the removal; it’s that sort of stuff prone to derail discussion to things outside linguistics.

        That said I don’t think that writing being so recent has much to do with our propensity to be misinformed. Without writing, perhaps we’d be misinformed through lore instead. Or even gossips. We’re probably still being misinformed this way, even with writing.

        • Zachariah@lemmy.world
          21·
          4 days ago

          Yeah, the rule is clear, and I understand the danger.

          My thoughts about the newness are that perhaps we’re too trusting if it’s written it must be true. Like we do with TV and the internet. We all stronger critical thinking, and that takes practice.