Here’s a conundrum that I can’t quite figure out: In nature, natural selection (survival of the fittest) is the predominant force that drives evolution. If an organism’s situation is such that it is less capable of collecting sources of energy than its competitors, it is less likely to survive. If an animal is wounded it is less likely to escape a predator, for instance. With the exception of humans, there seems to exist no moral compass, ethical code, or social contract that prevents natural selection from occurring. If you can’t take care of yourself, you’ll be food for something else.

Humanity seems to have loftier goals than evolution. With our incredible intelligence, our consciousness, our ability to reason and consider abstract ideas that range beyond ourselves, we have insulated ourselves from the forces of nature to some degree. Of course, this can’t be said for every human who has ever lived, but with the advent of culture, we have created a social construct that – more or less – places greater value on human lives.

Specifically, I’m referring to the ideal concept of humanity that all people are created equal, we all have certain inalienable rights, we should be kind to our neighbors, observe the golden rule, share with others, play nice, etc. This seems to make sense in so far as it promotes ability to survive by making sure our basic needs are met, conflicts can be resolved without killing one another, and progress can be made toward a society that places importance upon the highest and most noble characteristics of humanity to ensure that we, as a species, continues to thrive.

This, however, is not quite how it works when material gain enters into the equation. Where do we draw the line between need and greed? Depends on who you ask. A hedge fund manager at an investment firm may need a better return on their investments to get the multi-million dollar incentive they hope for. A peasant millet farmer in Bangladesh might have a different perspective about what they need.

It doesn’t take much to notice that material gain is, and to some extent, has always been an objective of any given society. In a world with finite resources, people must find ways to earn their keep, stake their claim, and keep others from taking what rightfully belongs to us. Some are better at it than others. Some have more access to opportunities than others. Some are more cunning, more clever, more skilled or better equipped. And in a world with finite resources, those who have power seek to keep it.

Humanity has seen a tremendous increase in technological advancement over the last few hundred years. In an effort to make our lives better, we found ways to overcome the natural order of things. Using our intellect, we figured out ways to manipulate our environment in order to maximize the return. We discovered means to put in less energy in order to yield greater results. And this was good for humanity. It allowed humans to thrive. Move over, evolution – humans have made themselves the king of the hill. We got this.

What is startling to me is how, in such a short span of time, humanity has been able to grow and prosper and yet we continue to encounter tremendous problems that seem to become increasingly worse as we progress.

“Our physical bodies, and our physical brains, as far as we can tell, have changed very little in the past 50,000 years [since the Stone Age]… What makes our way of life different from theirs is culture has taken off at an exponential rate, and has really become completely detached from the pace of natural evolution. So, we are running 21st century software, our knowledge, on hardware that hasn’t been upgraded for 50,000 years, and this lies at the core of many of our problems. All of this is because our human nature is back in the hunting-gathering era of the old Stone Age, whereas our knowledge and our technology, in other words, our ability to do both good and harm to ourselves and to the world in general, has grown out of all proportion.” – Ronald Wright

Let’s assume that the earth contains a finite amount of resources. Let’s also assume that as our technology advances we find that the overall human population increases almost exponentially. Given these factors, at what point do we stop and consider that perhaps our population is outgrowing the resources available to sustain it? And more importantly – and perhaps more frightening – what are we supposed to do about it? When the situation gets so dire that we start going to war with each other over energy, food and water, this idea of equality and unalienable rights flies right out of the window. Which, as long-winded as I’ve been, brings me to the crux of my conundrum: collectively, do civilized humans really exist in a state of heightened sense of morality or, when push comes to shove, are we going to do what any other animal would do and stave off our competitors (i.e. anyone who would stand in our way of obtaining the energy sources we need to survive). Do we really value the sovereignty of others in their quest for the same resources or would we use our power to withhold access to those dwindling resources?

So, I’m stuck. Part of me believes that humanity has the capacity, the intelligence, and the imagination to solve this riddle in a way that is both equitable and sustainable. However, I don’t feel so optimistic about that prospect anymore. We may be clever, but that doesn’t necessarily make us wise. I feel more inclined to compare humanity with a cancer that will devour its host if left unchecked.

“I think we have reached the era of limits. Although we are free, we must live within the limitations of nature. It is impossible to defend models that cannot be universally applied because we would have to start from a premise that some people have rights and some don’t. Thus there is no technological problem, but an ethical one.”

– Marina Silva

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November 26, 2012

Categories: Uncategorized . Tags:death, evolution, existence, overpopulation, progress, society . Author: diseasedbobcat

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