Symbolic thinking of any kind would signal downfall, in Crake's view. Next they'd be inventing idols, and funerals, and grave goods, and the afterlife, and sin, and Linear B, and kings, and then slavery and war.
In Margaret Atwood's "Oryx and Crake," Crake holds a critical perspective on symbolic thinking, seeing it as the beginning of humanity's decline. He believes that once people start engaging in abstract and symbolic thought, they will inevitably create complex societal constructs, such as worship, rituals, and organized hierarchies. This line of thinking leads to myriad problems and conflicts inherent in human civilization. Crake's view suggests that these developments, from idol creation to warfare, emerge from our cognitive abilities and cultural evolution. He sees the potential for danger in such advancements, presuming that they will bring about not only societal structures but also the darker sides of human nature, like oppression and violence. Ultimately, Crake's perspective serves as a warning about the consequences of cultural and symbolic development.
In Margaret Atwood's "Oryx and Crake," Crake holds a critical perspective on symbolic thinking, seeing it as the beginning of humanity's decline. He believes that once people start engaging in abstract and symbolic thought, they will inevitably create complex societal constructs, such as worship, rituals, and organized hierarchies. This line of thinking leads to myriad problems and conflicts inherent in human civilization.
Crake's view suggests that these developments, from idol creation to warfare, emerge from our cognitive abilities and cultural evolution. He sees the potential for danger in such advancements, presuming that they will bring about not only societal structures but also the darker sides of human nature, like oppression and violence. Ultimately, Crake's perspective serves as a warning about the consequences of cultural and symbolic development.
