[ngelbkaf] Freedom and preserving culture

Preserving culture is not so important if people are free: people can rediscover it.

While it might seem implausible to rediscover something from the past that seems so unique, you're overlooking the exponential growth of the human population.

A significant portion of all human history, measured in life experiences, is happening now.  Probably 5-10% all historic (post-prehistoric) people who have ever lived are right alive now.

Suppose someone accomplishes a rare task with statistical p-value p: it happens only once every 1/p people's lifetimes.  Perhaps composes a very good story.  Suppose the story is lost.  How long do we have to wait until an event with that p value or better, a story that good or better, happens again?  Not that long, assuming continued exponential population growth and statistical independence.

This requires an unusual definition of freedom: freedom to repeat some of the worst "mistakes" in history including terrible regimes of oppression (characterized by lack of freedom).