I have long believed that humans are goal-directed problem-solving creatures by design. But now I am no longer so sure.
It is clear that most of our actions can be interpreted in terms of goal-pursuit, and can be seen as means to various ends. But I am no longer sure that this reflects something built into us by design, that to call humans either “goal-directed” or “problem-solving” captures something fundamental about our species’ character.
I am starting to suspect that “goal-directed” and “problem-solving” express more about the demands of life in modern civilization than about any core feature of human nature. I am starting to suspect that the tendency to see things as problems that beg for solutions reflects a purely civilized thoughtform.
Uncivilized life is frequently framed in terms of central problems of survival: food and shelter and safety. But to what extent do the uncivilized themselves think of these things as problems to be solved? It seems to me that—Hobbesian delusions aside—finding food and shelter and keeping track of potential threats are all just part of living, no different than breathing or walking.
Yet, for the civilized, even breathing and walking become problems to be solved—with a Fitbit to keep track of your progress.
Einstein said: “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” But what if the real problem is in the nature of civilized consciousness itself? If the real problem is a mind that has been conditioned to see only problems to be solved, then there is no conscious vantage point from which to craft a solution.