Would I Still Be Here If I Hadn't Played It Safe?

I’m currently reading Sapiens, and it keeps bringing up how archaeologists and historians might not fully understand the systems of early humans. It says fossils aren't really enough to judge what their civilizations were like, and honestly, that makes absolute sense.

We can speak of biological changes, sure, but can we really understand their social dynamics just from artifacts? They're simply not enough.

There’s been a plethora of research and surveys of skeletons – from this age and that site – trying to figure out whether early humans were violent or peaceful, and so on. But here’s what I don’t understand:

Why do we need to know so much?

I’m sure there’s a very valid and cogent reason. I mean, the whole foundation of noble fields like archaeology and history can’t just be based on curiosity. The world is pumping millions into this field, so of course there must be more to it.

I also know that I could do a quick Google search and get an answer to this very shallow question. There's no real depth to it, I’m aware of that. But that brings me to a bigger realization.

If a well-educated, avid reader like myself doesn’t quite understand the purpose behind all this hard work and research, I’m pretty sure 90% of the world doesn’t either.

Imagine 90% of the world thinking your work is of no significance.

That’s probably why these fields are so driven by passion rather than financial gain. When you genuinely feel you're working toward something meaningful, does it really matter what the world thinks?

Now compare that with the work 90% of us are engaged in. There’s no passion there, but also no ridicule. We let go of so much just to fit in.

If I think of it from a personal angle, if I had no fear of judgment, I probably wouldn’t have continued with higher education. Now that I’ve done it, in hindsight, it was a good decision. A safe decision. But who knows? Maybe I would’ve been passionate about the work I pursued had I not taken up a master’s and a corporate job.

I could’ve very easily gotten married instead. I’d probably be planning a baby by now. Not because I come from a conservative family or anything, but if I didn’t have anything else to do, marriage would’ve been the default.

You never know.

Maybe that’s why people are so passionate about understanding how humans lived 15,000 years ago. Maybe it does offer some insight into how our future might turn out as a society, if we base it on the past.

We can’t see our individual futures, but we can try to understand the collective future by looking at the past as their future and our present.

Maybe.

---

Today’s craving: Lychee jelly