Learned Stupidity

For hundreds of years, thousands even, we have domesticated many, many animals to do work or provide things we ourselves cannot. If you've ever seen a herd of sheep, you'll realize that they're pretty dumb. Don't get me wrong, I thing sheep are cute, but they will herd where you herd them, they will stand while you shave them, and it doesn't take anything more than some wood and nails to keep them where you want them. In fact, there is one country where, in a small community, sheep had been herded through it for hundreds of years, before the little village was even built. Suddenly, up pops a village, and what do the sheep do? They continue to herd right through on their way to and from the fields. The pathway is so ingrained in them, that trying to break them of the habit would not be worth the work.

I'm starting to see poeople in this light, as well. When you go up to a door, do you expect it to open automatically? At my university, some buildings have automatic doors, and some don't. I was making my rounds through a couple of buildings that did open their doors automatically, until I reached "The Door." I stood at that door for a number of seconds before I realized it wasn't opening because it wasn't automatic.

When the apocolypse happens, we're doomed. . .