Diversity, Reciprocity, Temporality

200,000 years of human life should not be underestimated in terms of acquired and internalised general wisdom about life itself. Some say we are all born with that wisdom as if it is embedded in the memory of our DNA, but that we just educate that wisdom away; becoming more stupid down the road. To elevate the ancient wisdom back to today’s daily arena of meaning starts with revaluing the wisdom itself.

Ancient wisdom

To extract these wisdoms, which I believe are embedded in the essence of life and all it's shapes and forms, some Biology and Anthropology beginners courses have to come together. Biodiversity and inclusion, symbiosis and reciprocity and the concept of temporality which is expressed by composition and decomposition in the natural and for example in centralisation and decentralisation in the cultural world.

Diversity

Another example of ancient wisdom which we educated away is the power of diversity. Diversity has been deducted to inefficiency and unpractical. But diversity creates difference and difference is what is needed to create movement and flows of energy and materials. It’s the ultimate source of life’s creativity and ingenuity, it is the principle underlying cooperation in terms of interaction and transaction. No diversity no life

Reciprocity (modes of exchange in cooperation and relationships)

For example, people lifted competition and survival through competition to the highest level of valuation. But if we a take closer look at life we can see that cooperation actually is what life is all about, a cooperation based on the principles of symbiosis between plants, fungee, animals, bacteria and the many more. No cooperation no life.

Temporality

Last but not least is the wisdom that nothing is for ever, that everything is temporary and we will never be sure what’s next on the scale of life and the scale of everything. Temporality is the birth chamber of insecurity and uncertainty. Temporality represents our greatest fears and our greatest reliefs. Temporality represents growth and decline, living and dying. Dealing with temporality is our greatest challenge. No temporality no life.