Chapter 15

Something that just hit me was a previous comment made by one of the members of the community referring to the rest of the world as lazy. From one perspective, yes, we probably exert less physically effort than during any time in previous history. On the other side we also use our brains more than any other time period in history. I think we have just made a switch from using physical labor to accomplish tasks to using our minds to accomplish tasks. One could argue that these Minimites are lazy thinkers. They would rather slave all day and do manual labor than to use their heads to think of an easier way. Would they not know what to do with themselves if it were not for work? Thus far there has been no mention of doing anything for leisure. Everything has a purpose, even going to the watering hole... to cool the body off from a long hit day. If they had time for themselves, would they not know what to do with it? Who chooses to physically work for 14 hours a day just to be able to put fresh food on the table.

To me this lifestyle is mundane and intellectually unrewarding. It may be nice to have a fresh nice meal after planning and farming year round, but at want point does the need for self actualization take precedent over the need for simplicity? I am beginning to think that our constant need for growth and accomplishment is trophied by our possessions. It almost seems like benchmarks along the road for our success. There must have been needs that were unfulfilled for us to end up in our current state of being. We once came from this simplistic lifestyle and there is a reason why things didn't remain that way. I guess for some this way of life agrees with them, but for me it would be rather unrewarding.