#449 – Graham Hancock: Lost Civilization of the Ice Age & Ancient Human History
Lex Fridman Podcast
Beware the Cost of Writing
The difficulty in detecting the procession of the equinox highlights the limitations faced by cultures lacking writing and mathematical systems, relying instead on oral traditions. While oral traditions are valuable, the rise of written language has led to a decline in collective memory. An anecdote from ancient Egypt illustrates this tension, where the god Thoth, associated with wisdom and writing, feels pride in providing humanity with the gift of writing. However, this is met with criticism from a pharaoh, who argues that writing is not a wonderful gift, suggesting it may come at the cost of losing valuable memory and knowledge that oral traditions preserve.
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