Economist and author Robin Hanson recently sparked discussion on social media by challenging the foundational assumptions of Modernism regarding societal values. In a tweet, Hanson stated that "Modernism centered around beliefs in a 'growing alienation' from prevailing 'morality, optimism, & convention' & a desire to change how 'human beings in a society interact & live together.'" He then posed a critical question, directly engaging with the philosophical underpinnings of such shifts:
"But why so sure need new values? Is doesn't imply ought, right?" This query suggests a skepticism towards the automatic embrace of new cultural norms.
Modernism, a broad cultural movement emerging in the late 199th and early 20th centuries, is often characterized by a deliberate break from past traditions and a fervent search for novel forms of expression across arts and thought. This movement arose from a perceived incompatibility with Victorian-era morality and conventions, fueled by profound societal shifts like industrialization and urbanization. Modernists sought an authentic response to a world undergoing rapid changes, frequently expressing disillusionment with established ideals and seeking to redefine human interaction. Their artistic and philosophical endeavors aimed to reflect a new reality divorced from previous optimisms.
Hanson, a research associate at the Future of Humanity Institute and known for his work on cultural evolution, frequently explores the concept of "cultural drift" on his "Overcoming Bias" blog. He posits that contemporary cultures are undergoing rapid changes with potentially "maladaptive" outcomes due to weak selection pressures and a lack of sufficient variety. His recent writings suggest that while innovation in areas like technology and business practices thrives, shared cultural features such as values and norms may lack the robust evolutionary mechanisms seen in earlier, more fragmented societies. This leads him to question the automatic assumption that new values are inherently better or necessary for societal progress.
Hanson's tweet, linking the philosophical "is-ought" problem to Modernism's inherent drive for new values, underscores his ongoing critique of how cultural norms evolve in the modern era. He suggests that inherited traditions, even if rejected by modern elites, might not be inherently flawed simply because they are old, and that cultural change isn't always synonymous with improvement. This perspective invites a deeper examination into whether contemporary cultural changes are truly adaptive or merely a form of undirected drift, prompting a broader public and academic debate on the direction and justification of societal value shifts. His work often challenges conventional wisdom regarding cultural development.