Many have noticed a key time coincidence. The last few centuries have seen both a rise in many lamentable changes to key social practices and norms,

Capitalism, Govt Causes Culture Woes? - by Robin Hanson

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2024-10-09 23:00:10

Many have noticed a key time coincidence. The last few centuries have seen both a rise in many lamentable changes to key social practices and norms, and also a great rise in the influence non-traditional social structures on our lives, including both more capitalism and more government. They suggest: the second trend caused the first, and thus that the first might be reversed by reversing the second. That is, with less capitalism and/or governments, we’d live better lives.

Of course most such folks dislike many of the cultural values and norms from a few centuries ago. They aren’t hoping for a general RETVRN, but instead to just reverse a few trends they don’t like, not all the others. But how plausible is that?

Well first, let’s agree that these changes have been correlated with big increases in wealth, health, and peace, which has greatly reducing cultural selection pressures. (I might give more credit to markets than govt, but that’s another debate.) And cheaper world trade and talk has also reduced cultural variety. All of which is increasing cultural drift, a plausible cause of worse social norms. In addition, as I discussed a few days ago, social change generally makes it harder for old norms to discourage selfishness and myopia. So tech, market, and govt changes should have such effects.

However, these are equally arguments against anything that causes change, wealth, health, and peace. And few seem willing to oppose this overall packages of features.