[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> In my own simplified analysis, the nation state has come about because
> we misidentify the nation as our 200 odd person tribal grouping, in
> which we are related to everyone and where it therefore pays (in terms
> of survival of one's genes) for the individual to sacrifice for the
> group, and where the groups (and therefore the genes programming their
> behaviour) will survive who exterminate other groups when resources
> get scarce.
>
> I therefore think the nation state is the "problem", and the solution
> is to make it increasingly irrelevant and to refocus our tribal
> instincts. Really, at this time, it makes sense that the 200 odd
> person tribal grouping we evolved in be expanded to humanity, we are
> on a small planet in it together.
There is always tension between centralisation and localisation of
power. At the same time as the EU is rapidly expanding, various bits of
the UK are gaining devolved power. Warm fuzzy feelings about "humanity"
may not be worth much in the face of real political decisions which
often have a necessarily regional impact.
(I'll not be able to take much part in this conversation over the next
week, BTW, so this is just a hit-and-run post for now).
James
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