(Some of my points aren't addressed to Skeptic, but I'm using his post as a jumping off point)
Just look in this thread. Out of, say, seven people who regularly post in this thread, at least two people of those posting here alone would be dead in your world. Another (my relative) would be miserable.
I'm assuming one is me, right?
It's kind of amusing to me to see how primitivists deal with the "so you want to kill me then?" argument. I think Mr Purple has done well in not exactly expressing what the heck he WOULD do, although if someone can point to it, I'd be happy.
I am 100% for the pushing of modernity. Yeah, it's got some bits that aren't much fun. Hell, I dislike a great deal of things about modern food management, urban sprawl and the constant building that goes on, but I'd rather try to work to minimise the issues and still get full advantage. I want, need and will always desire modern medicine and coming along with that, I want need and will always desire industry, power and politics.
I cannot and will not understand, however, Mr Purple's belief that most people wouldn't find primitivism miserable. Are you kidding me? Even if you take out the lazy selfish douches who "rely" on washing machines and the like and assume that all the people left will enjoy "making their own entertainment" (which incidentally I would do, because I'm that kind of person) and we allow for at least small-scale printing of books and games and so on, AND we assume that the survivors live in a reasonable climate, people will still hate it. Why? Because they know that they could have so much more. They know they could be better protected from disease and injury, they know that they could be more comfortable, because even if we're in a place where the climate never gets overly hot or cold it will still get exceptionally cold or hot. Heck, they will know that they could be enjoying all the things that come from modern life whether we need them or not, but most importantly they would also know that if they get something like cancer? Well then they're dead.
Modern healthcare helps people survive who just would not have survived in the past. Vaccines have eradicated smallpox and came close to eradicating other deadly and unpleasant diseases. In a primitive world, where will our vaccines come from?
Certain plants can cure some diseases quite effectively, but the natural medicine cabinet is limited not only absolutely (please feel free to find AIDS drugs or heart medication naturally) but also by area. If you settle in an area that hasn't got any St Johns wort you can hardly use it, so our medicine cabinet is severely limited.
No matter how hard you try, it won't be comfortable, it won't be easy, and it won't be fun for most people. If you tried to get people to join you, you would be sorely disappointed.
This for medical reasons alone -- noting about the discomfort due to excessive cold and heat due to lack of electricity and adequate clothing,
This is true, although depending on how far back you go something that approximates adequate clothing must exist.
Again, no. There would be no lack of literacy unless everyone in the world suddenly forgot how to read. Literacy is one of the things that could absolutely survive because it's knowledge that virtually everyone possesses and can easily be passed on. Primitivism has enough problems without you inventing one.
or any chance of a fulfilling career ("I'll be a hunter-gatherer when I grow up" doesn't leave much to choice),
To be fair, if you're a primitivist then that's hardly a major concern.
the lack of any safety (no laws and tiny societies means any stranger from as far away as, say, two miles is a potential, and usually actual, deadly enemy)
I would argue that that's a little bit small an area, but certainly society would be forced to shrink. A population of more than a few hundred would be virtually impossible. Even if we allow for limited agriculture (and it absolutely would be limited) a group's effective area is severely limited, and even if radio communication survived using things like cranked radios and so on, the potential to trust outsiders would go down. What if a larger group than yours raided an abandoned military base and took up arms? What the hell would you be able to do to stop them, especially in countries like the UK where gun ownership is extremely rare.
and, above all, hunger and malnutrition, the constant companions.
Again, if your group is small enough you might be able to survive without hunger and nutrition for a while at least, but if you have two or three poor harvests or extreme winters, you might well run out of food in your effective area.
But why not make an experiment, Mr. Purple? Take a month -- or a year -- living your way. Hunter-gather; don't use electricity, books, or medicines; wash yourself in a stream; sleep outside in the cold or the heat. And no fair sneaking to McDonald's. Do not approach anybody you do not know (he might be a headhunter from the next tribe) for that entire time.
See how happy you are.
I think that he might well enjoy it. Why he assumes everyone else will is beyond me.
