I used to very politely say that if there is free will then it's in all sorts of boring places, like whether you're going to pick up this or that fork as you begin your meal. There really is none: It's all biology.
Robert SapolskyRead
When humans invented material inequality, they came up with a way of subjugating the low-ranking like nothing ever seen before in the primate world.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on how the invention of material inequality allowed for unprecedented levels of oppression among humans.
Robert Sapolsky highlights the significant impact of material inequality on human societies, suggesting that this concept has led to new forms of domination and subjugation that were not previously observed in the animal kingdom. By creating hierarchies based on wealth and resources, humans have developed systems that can oppress others in ways that surpass the power dynamics seen in other primate species.
Themes
InequalityOppressionSubjugationMaterialismSociety
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on economic policies, one might quote this to address wealth disparity.
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