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The ‘Noble Savage’ Is a Myth
Raging against the modern world will not grant us the life we want
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by modernity? When sitting at your computer staring at a spreadsheet, or hunched over your phone waiting for the likes to roll in for your latest post, do you ever question whether the information age was worth it?
Surely we would be better off if we did not measure our self-worth based on superficial digital affirmations delivered via a vast impersonal network that has woven itself into every aspect of our lives?
Getting away from technology is impossible when it is so pervasive. Not only are our devices all connected, but our brains are becoming hardwired to our device, creating a chemical dependency that keeps us hooked. We might feel like taking a break every now and then, but very soon we find ourselves dragged back to our screens, often without any conscious awareness of what we are doing.
Finding a cure for the malady of the modern world is something philosophers have sought even before our current notion of ‘modernity’ took shape. Looking back to antiquity, the best thinkers of the time were looking for ways to ease the pain of the disruptive social and political currents brought about by new technologies, fashions, and ideologies.
