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The Fourth Shift

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The Law of the Jungle

One way to justify the exploitation of others is to blame nature. We are all familiar with the concept of the "law of the jungle". In the jungle, we believe, life is a harsh but fair struggle for survival where the strongest and fittest individuals win and might makes right. We are particularly fond of referring to pack animals like wolves and chimpanzees, noting that they actually bully one another to the benefit of the group. Since nature can't be wrong, we see this as proof that it is right to favor the group at the expense of certain individuals. Am I really claiming we humans still follow the cruel order of wild animals? No, not at all. It is far more complicated than that. The truth is that we misuse science to prove animals follow the same logic as humans: the logic of absolute egoism. We call this the law of the jungle. But we also use science to claim humans are less cruel than animals. This "mild" human way, we call civilization. The result is a view ...

The Constructive Delusion

Let's start with a personal question: Are you a constructive person? Are you one of us who really try to think and act constructively? Do you, at the very least, believe in fundamental human rights and the inherent worth of all people? If so, you are not alone. Constructive thinking is a big topic these days. Every self-help expert stresses the necessity of a constructive mindset. In fact, not only the coaches and therapists but almost everyone seems to agree that being constructive is the way to go—except for a few outcasts who, embracing a negative identity, take pride in destructive behavior, such as gang criminality, mass shootings, child abuse, or thrill killings. But despite humanity's constructive outlook, the world is full of destructiveness. We destroy the climate, fight wars, allow people in the third world to live in deplorable conditions, trigger pandemics, and bully each other in our workplaces. Studies show that people are feeling worse than ever. How can this be...

The Logic of Human Sacrifice

The most devastating manifestation of the destructive norm that unconsciously governs our thoughts is the logic of human sacrifice . Our fascination with human sacrifice is most evident in religion and fiction. We readily accept that Jesus suffered and died for our sins. We enjoy movies that end with the hero completing the mission at the cost of their own life. Even more, we are drawn to stories about real-life heroes who sacrificed their lives to save others. Most real-life victims of sacrifice, however, never gave their consent, receive no credit, and remain invisible. Those in power are aware of them and decide the benefits are worth their suffering. Within economics, concepts like NAIRU, "Pareto optimality", and "Military Keynesianism" calculate such sacrifices as a necessity and our leaders follow them. Yet, hardly anyone admits that these sacrifices are made consciously—which, due to the unconcious destructive norm, might even be true. Such examples o...